Emergent Resolution: Request to Conduct a Cost Benefit Review of all Critical Transmission Infrastructure

Dear Residents,

Below is a copy of the emergent resolution which will be presented by Strathcona County asking to conduct a cost benefit review of all critical transmission infrastructure:

Conduct a Cost Benefit Review of all Critical Transmission Infrastructure 

Whereas  critical transmission projects are identified in Section 2 of the Critical Transmission Infrastructure Schedule of the Electric Utilities Act, RSA 2000, c.E-5.1 (which schedule was formerly part of the proposed Electric Statutes Amendment Act, 2009 known as Bill 50); and

Whereas the Government Alberta has indicated that the critical transmission projects will cost Albertans approximately $5.6 Billion; and

Whereas increases in transmission costs without sufficient benefit in the short and medium term will have negative economic impact on residents, institutional, commercial and industrial stakeholders; and

Whereas Bill 50 was based on the provincial Energy Strategy; and

Whereas a major economic adjustment has occurred subsequent to the development of the Provincial Energy Strategy; and

Whereas the provincial government has already placed two of the critical transmission infrastructure projects on hold;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties request the provincial government put all critical transmission projects on hold until a comprehensive cost benefit review is completed.

Background: 

Strathcona County and other surrounding municipalities were involved with a process with the AUC (Alberta Utilities Commission) over the last 10 months  We were and still are concerned about the overbuild of the overhead 500kv infrastructure and the potential economic impact associated with the overbuild.

Emergent reasons:

1.  AUC Decision 2001-436 was released November 1, 2011; just 3 weeks ago. Construction of the first critical transmission infrastructure project could begin as early as December of this year.

2.  This issue has presented itself since the Spring Convention 2011 and needs to be dealt with
before the next year’s 2012 Convention.