Letter: Heartland Transmission Project bad for business

Dear Editor:

The Alberta Electric System Operator’s long-term transmission plan is based on a philosophy of ‘if we build it, industry will come’. AESO and its partner, Alberta’s Department of Energy have stated that their vision is that we first build billions of dollars worth of transmission lines and then new industry and economic growth will follow. However, the recently released comments by Alberta big industries are clear. If these unneeded lines get built, Alberta’s industries—the same companies that are forced to pay for 60 percent of the cost of these lines—will have triple the electric bills. They won’t be able to compete. They will have to reduce their operations in Alberta and jobs will be lost.

In reality, industry is saying to AESO and Alberta Energy “if you build it, industry will leave”.

Gilbert Soetaert
Sturgeon County, AB.