A4 - The Terrace Standard, Tele September 4, 1996 STANDARD ESTABLISHED APRIL 27, 1988 ADDRESS: 3210 Clinton Street Terrace, B.C. * V8G 5R2 TELEPHONE: (604) 638-7283 * FAX: (604) 638-8432 E-MAIL: terrace.standard@sasquat.com MODEM: (604) 638-7247 Power games BACK IN the 1980s it was full speed ahead for Alcan when it unveiled plans to take more water from the Nechako River and convert it to elec- tricity to power two new aluminum smelters in the northwest —- one between Terrace and Kitimat and the other north of Fort St. James. Those heady dreams of industrial expansion soon ran into environmental and economic realities as Alcan first scaled down its plans and then had them canceled altogether by the provin- cial government. Alcan did spend more than $500 million on Kemano Completion Project before the axe fell and is now involved in tricky talks with the provincial government over some kind of com- pensation for its Joss. This has a lot of people worried as a failure of the talks might result in a court action and, con- ceivably, having the taxpayer ante up for Alcan’s lost investment, This is also not the time for the provincial government — already in a dark, budget hole — to make taxpayers cough up $500 million and change that should be used for other worthy purposes. To avoid this there are suggestions that Alcan should receive from the province a guaranteed supply of power equivalent to what would have been produced from the Kemano Completion Project, And now Reform MP Mike Scott has entered the debate by suggesting that Alcan should com- mit to a new smelter as part of any resolution to the situation between it and the provincial government. . It’s not an unrealistic request given that added aluminum smelting capacity is what the Kemano Completion Project was about in the first place, Alcan has responded by saying it isn’t in a posi- tion to commit to anything unless it first reaches a settlement with the province. Undoubtedly Alcan has its reasons, not the least of which is a nasty growing feeling that there are forces at work to undermine the power the com- pany already receives from the Nechako River to tun its existing Kitimat smelter. Any possible loss would have to be made up from somewhere else and that could very well mean power from any deal reached with the province over the can- celed Kemano Completion Project. Yet Alcan just might be missing one of those golden public relations moments by saying its chomping at the bit provided it can get the provincial government to agree to a power con- tract. This would pressure the province to make good on its Kemano cancellation and put this protracted and ugly situation behind everybody once and for all. And let’s not forget that what we’re ultimately talking about here is using water to produce elec- tricity. Water is a precious and valuable public resource. There’s nothing wrong with requesting that a commitment be made in return for using this kind of resource. . PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Rod Link _— ADVERTISING MANAGER: Rick Passmore [if PRODUCTION MANAGER: Edouard Credgeur ™ ’ NEWS Jeff Nagel * NEWS SPORTS: Dave Taylor COMMUNITY: Cris Leykauf OFFICE MANAGER: Laurie Ritter ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS: Sam Collier, Janet Viveiros, Karen Dictrich & Cheri Reidy ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Emma Law, Kelly Jean TYPESETTING: Sylvana Broman DARKROOM: Susan Credgeur CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR: Karen Brunette . “ MEMBER OF B,C, PRESS COUNCIL Serving tha Terrace and Thomhill ara. Published on Wednesday of each weak by Cariboo Press (1969) Lid. at 3210 Clinton Sireet, Terrace, British Columbia, V8G SA2. . Stories, photographs, lllustrations, designs and typestyles In the Terrace Standard ara tha property of the coer holders, including Cariboo Press (7989) Lid., its illustration repro services and advertising ences, Reproduction in whole or in part, without witten permission, is specifically prohibited, Authorized as second-class mail pending the Pos! Otfica Department, lor payment of postage in cash. Special thanks to ail our contributes and correspondents for their time and tatents COmmunerry Mews aruns BEES eR tion Brietsy Coremtta ged Tedse a | t RUAN ! ny *)