Hello Friends and neighbors.
I am reaching out to you to ask for your support in creating an association here on the East Shore to address problems we are having with our infrastructure, namely, the power.
I have been talking with the BCUC (British Columbia Utility Commission) and have lodged a formal complaint. There would be a lot more weight behind that complaint with an association to back me up.
I am proposing starting a google group, with your official support (in the form of your name, address, email and phone number), to address the issues we have with utilities, roads, and all other infrastructure we depend on. If we come together and act as a group – East Shore Residents Association (ESRA) – we will have a louder voice and a stronger presence.
Please consider this invite, and if you want to be a part of it, reply to this email (michellamoss@gmail.com) with your info to be added to the google group
Thanks so much.
Michella Moss, Gray Creek
12 Responses
Hi, Michella.
Thank you for your efforts.
We would like to participate and feel strongly that a number of aspects of our infrastructure and maintenance should be addressed.
With your success in mind,
Liz & Michael
Thank you. I will add your info to the data base.
Thank you Michella. Please accept this response as our official support in you starting the group – East Shore Residents Association (ESRA). We feel it’s important to have a larger voice supporting improvements to our utilities, roads and other infrastructure.
Let us know how else we can assist in this regard.
Thank you.
Maggie Kavanagh and Gord MacMahon
Tara Shanti Accommodation, Retreats & Yoga
134 Riondel Rd. Kootenay Bay, BC, V0B 1X0
(250) 777-4868; email: yogimag@gmail.com
Website: http://www.tarashanti.com
Thanks for your support. I will add your names.
?
like,what aspects?
A photo essay comparing the maintenance, (brushing, limbing and clearing), of the power lines between boswell and riondel and from balfour to nelson would tell the story.
Hi Michella et al,
Just to give you some background, I have been dealing with Blair Weston, a customer relations representative with Fortis BC for several months. Power outages on the East Shore, which have definitely increased in both frequency and severity the past few years, have a huge impact on my business here at Kokanee Chalets, and of course all other individuals and businesses in this area.
I too had been in touch with BCUC and also Blair, who asked me not to complain to BCUC until he had a chance to speak at a Kootenay Lake Chamber of Commerce meeting (KLCC).
Blair did in fact attend a virtual KLCC meeting in early December. He outlined a plan that Fortis is executing to work with landowners and slowly widen the Utility Rights of Way (ROW) by cutting down more trees and thus lessening the impact these trees have on the transmission lines during windstorms, the primary cause of our power outages.
Our little region (Kootenay Bay, Riondel, Crawford Bay, Gray Creek) actually has “double feed” meaning there is a transmission line up from Creston as well as the transmission from Coffee Creek over Powerline Beach. Both of these have to fail to cause a power outage here, but in practise, they do in fact both fail during most windstorms.
The consensus of KLCC after meeting with Blair was
-Fortis is not taking this problem seriously
-The amount of capital committed to this improvement project was viewed as paltry
Thus, myself and other KLCC members are drafting a complaint letter to BCUC about Fortis service in this area on behalf of KLCC.
I am certainly not trying to discourage any other effort to form a consortium and lobby BCUC. I am simply telling you the road we have been on so far. As far as I’m concerned, the more voices the better.
Other notes:
Blair Weston Fortis BC 250 231 0176. blair.weston@fortisbc.com
I have some technical reports about Fortis power outages I can forward if anyone wants them.
We have a new community member who specialises in alternative power. I can supply contact info to whoever wants it.
Good luck.
Sincerely
Paul Hindson
Managing Partner
Kokanee Chalets
250 551 5005
Michella,What problems are (we) experiencing with Fortis(?)?
I live here and believe the power system to be good and well maintained.
This area has a low population density,and therefore has a high cost/population ratio.
Need more info about the nature of your personal complaint….
Perhaps you have not noticed the amount of power outages, trees on lines, lack of maintenance, amount of time to restore power. Please refer to comments here.
Iff:the increased frequency of power outages(i have noticed) may be due to increased CO2 in our atmosphere;then anyone burning fossil fuels is responsible(ie everybody).
Power outages are like sowflakes;no two are identical.
Brace for incoming rate hikes..
If maintenance of trees along power lines was really a concern, one would think the dead tree leaning against the power pole at the corner of Peters Road and the sharp turn on Hwy 3a would have been cleared 4 years go. (By Medical clinic) a live tree came down there and got dragged into a ditch, but the dead tree continues to rest precariously.