Environmental commissioner disagrees with column

Posted Aug 9, 2012 By Wolfe Erlichman

DEAR EDITOR:

The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) disagrees with Mr. Maguire's assessment that green energy subsidies will force electricity prices through the roof (Reflections: Do Ontarians want to subsidize green energy? EMC, July 19). The ECO says that renewable energy prices will only be six per cent of the future increases of electricity prices while nuclear power will be responsible for 50 per cent. Referring to people like Mr. Maguire, the ECO states that "... we have to promote a literacy on power prices that provides a more balanced analysis without selected presentation of the facts." He also said: "Lets also turn down the hyperbole and rhetoric on FIT prices. Otherwise Ontario will continue to be at the mercy of misinformation and spin-doctors."

Mr. Maguire may not realize it, but the fact is that, just as nuclear power is responsible for the stranded debt charge on our hydro bills, it will also be responsible for our hydro bills going through the stratosphere when Ontario starts to build the two new nuclear reactors at Darlington. The ECO also addresses Mr. Maguire's emphasis on low energy prices when he states: "I question whether an obsession with low prices is serving us well in terms of building an electricity system that provides environmental benefits, supports a resilient society and recognizes how vital the electricity infrastructure is to the function of our daily lives. I worry that we'll repeat past mistakes if we continue to educate Ontarians that they are entitled to low electricity prices."((If Mr. Maguire doesn't want expensive sources of electricity, he should be campaigning against nuclear power because eliminating green energy sources will have little effect on rising hydro prices.((

Wolfe Erlichman,

Godfrey