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Author Archives: energyprbe
Councillors cool to Smart Meters
Is it a money saver, environmental safeguard, or a profit generator?
One expert calls it a "wonderful" idea that may not pay off in the end.
Whatever the case, Orillia city councillors aren’t yet sold on the province’s plan to install 800,000 Smart Meters across Ontario by year end.
"I want to know that Ontario is getting the best bang for their buck," Coun. Michael Fogarty said after Monday’s council meeting.
Reaping what we sow: what's in the Green Energy Act
In the wake of the recently passed Green Energy Act, lawmakers in Ontario are hoping the province’s residents are now seeing and thinking ‘green’. But they’ll be disheartened to find that not everyone is happy with the legislation.
Tom Adams, the former executive director at Energy Probe, recently posted a number of videos criticizing the bill and the paradoxes and counterproductive measures contained within it. Lorrie Goldstein, at the Edmonton Sun, wrote an article about Adams’ videos.
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Ontario's Energy Fix Moving But Govt.'s Financial Analysis
Ontario’s new energy legislation, now through second reading in the house, sets the stage for competition in electricity production and marketing, expansion of gas trading in Ontario, separation of competitive and monopoly activities, and strong public regulation of energy monopolies. While the legislative program is strong, the government’s financial analysis of Ontario Hydro’s liabilities and its plan for discharging those liabilities is weak.
There is much to praise in Ontario’s new energy legislation:
Notes for presentation to Ontario Standing Committee on Resources Development
Good afternoon. I am Tom Adams, Executive Director of Energy Probe. I am joined today by Mark Mattson, counsel to Energy Probe, and Norm Rubin, Energy Probe’s Director of Nuclear Research.
The theme of Energy Probe’s oral presentation to the committee today is this: On the one hand, there is no serious alternative to Bill 35 as it applies to electricity. On the other hand, changes are required to Bill 35, to ensure regulatory due process in gas and electricity.
Province's Power Exchange is key to restructuring
This letter by Thomas Adams was in response to an article "Province’s Power Exchange is a wolf in sheep’s clothing" by Robert Blohm.
Ontarians have a major advantage to draw on in the effort to restructure our debt-laden electricity system – many other jurisdictions have gone before. Key lessons from the international experience contradict the advice of your author Robert Blohm.
Followup letter to EP's presentation to Ontario Standing Committee on Resources Development
Mrs. Brenda Elliott, M.P.P.
Chair, Standing Committee on Resources Development
c/o Committee Office
Room 1405, Whitney Block
Dear Mrs. Elliott:
I write to you and through you to the committee members to address two issues–procedural rights and financial guarantee–in response to requests for additional information from committee members during Energy Probe’s appearance before your committee Wednesday August 19.
Ontario moves ahead on Hydro One
The Ontario government tabled legislation yesterday giving it the power to sell Hydro One Inc. – but the future of the largest privatization and public stock offering in Canadian history remains uncertain as Ernie Eves, the Premier, maintained that a final decision on the transmitter’s future has not been made.
Mr. Eves said the Reliable Energy and Consumer Protection Act was made necessary by last month’s Ontario Superior Court ruling that said the government lacked the legal authority to sell the company.
Hydro spends $360,000 to sponsor boat
Faced with embarrassing revelations about Hydro One’s lucrative executive compensation and its sponsorship of a racing yacht, the province yesterday scrambled to rein in the utility’s directors with an ultimatum to reduce salaries and benefits.
Chris Stockwell, the Minister of Environment and Energy, said the board of Hydro One – which sponsors Team Defiant’s 40-foot Canada’s Cup champion for $360,000 in a three-year deal – must shape up or ship out.
Hydro One privatization all but dead as board resigns
The long-awaited privatization of Hydro One Inc. is dead, the company is "rudderless" and the province’s power industry in peril after the utility’s board of directors resigned last night following a protracted fight over compensation for the utility’s executive, according to senior Bay Street financiers and industry observers.
"It’s the end of the world. There’s not a soul on the face of this Earth who would buy shares in this company," said a Bay Street source, who asked not to be named.
Hydro One directors resign in pay ruckus
TORONTO – The board of Hydro One resigned en masse yesterday hours after Ontario’s Conservative government introduced legislation to fire the directors and reduce the salaries and benefits of the utility’s senior executives.
But the multimillion-dollar management team remains at the Crown-owned electricity transmitter for the time being.
"Given the turn of events and lack of confidence of the government, we feel we have no option but to resign," said Sir Graham Day, departing chairman of the 12-member board.
Energy Probe 