Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[TheIronMaiden]

Politial foobll but there is only one team playing.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Politial foobll but there is only one team playing.

Can you raise your right arm for me...

Now both of them please...

https://thestrokefoundation.org/home...BoCq2gQAvD_BwE

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Can you raise your right arm for me...

Now both of them please...

https://thestrokefoundation.org/home...BoCq2gQAvD_BwE

lol. 11:30 on a Saturday night after the flames win. Sue me.

[Fuzz]

So is the pause on renewables over? This blog post argues it is not, and it's hard to argue their is much clarity for businesses to invest. What a clown show.

While the official pause ended on February 29, we contend that continuing uncertainties and decisions yet to be made by the GoA and other government entities, including the AUC, constitute an effective and continuing de facto pause or moratorium. This is principally because investors, reasonably enough, will be reluctant to make investment decisions unless and until they know the new rules of the game. And the announcements on February 28 make it clear that it will be some time before the renewable sector will have the requisite certainty.
Here are just some examples taken from the press release and the Minister’s letter to the AUC of the extensive work that still needs to be undertaken:

• New AUC rules on municipal government standing and cost recovery;
• New AUC rules on reclamation and security requirements;
• New AUC rules on visual impact assessments;
• New AUC rules on agricultural soils;
• New GoA rules, including legislation and policy, to give effect to an Agriculture First Policy;
• New GoA rules, including legislation and policy, to give effect to reclamation security requirements;
• New GoA rules on pristine viewscapes, including buffer zones of a minimum 35 km around protected areas and other designated viewscapes;
• New GoA rules in relation to renewables on Crown lands;
• A new AUC proceeding to consider how landowners might be protected from future renewable projects; and
• A warning that the GoA will be coming out with a new transmission policy that will likely require renewable generation to assume a share of transmission (T) costs. For the most part T costs are currently assumed by load (customers) rather than generators. This is a very significant change in provincial policy.

https://ablawg.ca/2024/03/01/premier...tain-duration/


That last one is a bit of a doozy, no? How do you work out the economics for a project if you have zero certainty of additional costs that are probably going to be foisted on you? So this 7 month delay is going to stretch out a lot longer. It's a good thing no one has to worry about the spectre of free light bulbs anymore, though. Dodged that ####ing bullet.

[GGG]

The last one has been in the works for a while and will affect all generators.

It’s the correct approach though as the value of a power product near where that power is being consumed is cheaper than one further away.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by GGG

The last one has been in the works for a while and will affect all generators.

It’s the correct approach though as the value of a power product near where that power is being consumed is cheaper than one further away.

All generators already pay the costs of their grid connection.

What they don't pay is a share of the transmission charge as it relates to their output, they do pay a portion of the transmission charge as it relates to their consumption as all rate payers in Alberta do.

I haven't heard or read any speculation as to what they are planning on changing inside of the Transmission Regulation, but as Fuzz points out, it likely won't be good for the economics of a renewable project. I do expect them to try to incentivize the development of new dispatchable generation. That's the boogeyman they are trotting out to their base.

[Monahammer]

Minister of red tape addition next to be added to cabinet!

Not listed there but strange is the reference Marlaina made to requiring 1-1 NG or Base load power generation for every new renewable installation authorized. Ham fisted and stupid.

Transmission costs are bit hard to nail down. Let's use Coal generation as an example. The coal is largely in beds west of edmonton/ foothills, and it's heavy thus relatively expensive to move. Our solution then was to put the generating stations nearby and pay to transport the power. But, in essence, you can think of the cost as being either added as a cost of business to your power cost, or broken out and added as a transmission cost to your bill. This makes some sense because either way there would be cost to the producer/ user and likely the removal of that cost enables development while potentially saving money ultimately for the user base (electricity is cheaper to move than coal, and we don't have to breathe in as many particulates if the generators are further away.)

But with Solar, this isn't the case. The product is available more in some places, making it more economical and better $ to build in southern alberta, but there's no population there to use it so it must be transported. At first blush it sounds different than coal, because there's no added cost to transport the coal, but not producing as much solar energy per installed panel is actually a similar increase to the overall cost of the power. What we have done in this case though is refuse to augment the case for building more capacity.

I would leave the system as is, personally. But people have been growing increasingly more angry about things like transmission fees so this is the resulting policy, with the added dash of flavor being the ideological #### renewables stance of the gov.

[Bigtime]

Don Braid saying Nenshi will go public on March 11th.

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/co...erta-ndp-rules

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Don Braid saying Nenshi will go public on March 11th.

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/co...erta-ndp-rules

The problem with running for the provincial Alberta NDP, is having to be a federal NDP member. If they ever removed that toxic relationship the NDP has a better chance in Alberta. I've always liked Nenshi and would love to see what he can bring.

[Cycling76er]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Is there a website or repository of the UCP's financial #### ups?

From Pipelines to Tylenol to Labs

Didn't someone link a Google Doc with all of their BS financial decisions? I seem to recall looking at one that was linked in this thread within the last 12 months.

Edit: Muta linked it a few posts up.

[The Fisher Account]

Nenshi news is the most positive Alberta news I've heard in years

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Firebot

The problem with running for the provincial Alberta NDP, is having to be a federal NDP member. If they ever removed that toxic relationship the NDP has a better chance in Alberta.

Why has no one ever thought to bring this up before?

I've always liked Nenshi and would love to see what he can bring.

Nenshi as leader probably flips enough seats in Calgary to get them a majority. He was fairly well liked as mayor and is probably missed more by his haters than his supporters since being replaced.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Nenshi news is the most positive Alberta news I've heard in years

This might be more exciting that the trade deadline!

[Inglewood Jack]

Deliver us from evil.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Firebot

The problem with running for the provincial Alberta NDP, is having to be a federal NDP member. If they ever removed that toxic relationship the NDP has a better chance in Alberta. I've always liked Nenshi and would love to see what he can bring.

I don’t think the actually association is the problem as Notley was more smeared with being in league with Trudeau last election than Singh.

I think the new leader needs to be a little more anti-federal, pro-Alberta. So when Singh backs liberal cover ups in committees it’s an easy win to call it out and demand transparency. The rhetoric is more important than the name.

[Scroopy Noopers]

I just can’t wait for Nenshi sound bites. Guy loves being the smartest in the room, and with his competition being who it is, ####s gonna be a given every day.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I just can’t wait for Nenshi sound bites. Guy loves being the smartest in the room, and with his competition being who it is, ####s gonna be a given every day.

I want him to ramp-up the snark against Smith.

God I hate that lady.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Locke

God I hate that lady.

I have an ardently strong position against violence to women, but I'd be willing to reconsider for that POS

[Locke]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I have an ardently strong position against violence to women, but I'd be willing to reconsider for that POS

I might be with you on that.

At the least I think she needs to be treated the way she treats the less fortunate. I think she's spent too much time with the guys who made huge bank in the 80s and 90s and thinks everyone in Alberta is some sort of Tycoon.

[Fuzz]

I'd be happy enough if she just went back to washing dishes on her train car and lever left again.