While work crews try to keep the lights on for the holidays, executives at BC Hydro are busy squandering money on ad campaigns. The crown corporation's latest public relations exercise includes commercials urging viewers to visit its website to "get the facts" on BC's energy needs. Those facts, however, do not include the cost of the advertising blitz. But a recent Freedom of Information request revealed BC Hydro spent close to $2-million on its television, print, radio and web ads.

The campaign, "Planning for Generations," reminds its audience that energy demands continue to increase as our economy grows. The ad then states that for years, BC has been using more electricity than it produces and the energy gap is growing. The fact is, British Columbia's energy gap is growing because of the bungling of BC Hydro. The ads are insulting to ratepayers who have witnessed more than one capital project mishap.

In fact, BC Hydro identifies its energy gap concerns in several of its "integrated energy plans." But for the past decade, the dysfunctional crown has been unable to move forward with several of its major capital plans and ratepayers are left paying the price!

For example, in 1995, BC Hydro noted its concerns about energy supply levels on Vancouver Island. Over the next ten years, BC Hydro initiated, then cancelled, several generation projects, including the Duke Point Power Project at a cost to ratepayers of $120 million. Never mind the additional premium that will be included by any future private partner that decides to deal with the schizophrenic BC Hydro.

So what's different now, besides a $2-million ad blow out The corporations' underlying policy goal has always been energy self sufficiency. Yet, BC Hydro has not only moved farther away from that goal, it hasn't even been able to stem the growing energy gap. The 'new' plan to self-sufficiency addresses three areas: energy conservation, increasing energy buys from independent producers and of course, building more energy generation projects.

But these ideas are hardly new and in fact, the goal of increased energy generation has been on the table for years. Instead of re-packaging the same ideas and trying to sell the public on what a good job it's doing, BC Hydro needs to demonstrate it can implement its policy goals.

The past round of storms should not only open up the province's energy plans for debate but the government should be asking whether or not the crown corporation is able to perform its basic duties under its current structure.

As it stands now, there is no expectation that BC Hydro must meet its stated goals or implement its plans. If so, the crown corporation would have found itself in hot water several times over the past decade.

BC Hydro is a government protected monopoly that is accountable to no one. The provincial government has let it off the hook on too many occasions. And its arrogance shows with this $2-million ad campaign.

BC Hydro's best public relations campaign would be to actually implement its energy plan instead of just talking about it. Anyone can have a plan, just as anyone can have a dream. But it takes action to make it a reality. BC Hydro needs to start walking the walk instead of just talking the talk.