Opponents of BC Hydro reform are tilting at windmills - not the alternative energy source, but the phantom threat of Hydro privatization. Reaction to the BC Liberal's new energy policy still harped on "creeping" and "incremental" privatization. What part of the government's commitment to keep BC Hydro's core assets don't they get

The war of attrition against plans to open the electricity market to private investment hit an all time low with a broadside by former Liberal MLA Paul Nettleton. An alarmist letter from within the ranks of the Liberal caucus came like a bolt from the blue. The source of the letter was even less distinguished.

Nettleton's letter bore striking resemblance to a taxpayer-funded study by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and an info sheet on Accenture by the BC Citizens for Public Power. The two groups share an unhealthy obsession with public ownership over energy.

Despite repeated government claims that privatization is not in the cards, the naysayers know better. So much so, that the BC Citizens for Public Power is raising funds for a class action lawsuit to stop the phantom Hydro privatization.

Just mention the word 'privatization' or 'profit' for that matter, and some protest group will form. Strange, considering there have likely been more Elvis sightings in this province than any full-Monty privatizations.

The group's pricey half-page newspaper ads oppose an agreement between the government and Accenture for contracting out back-room operations. The attack ads were sponsored by the Office and Professional Employees' International Union Local 378, the same union board that unanimously endorsed an agreement with Accenture and recommended to its members that they ratify it as well.

The class action lawsuit is about as frivolous a court action as it gets. According to the BC Citizens for Public Power web site, the suit claims a breach of fiduciary duty, meaning the province has an obligation not to break up BC Hydro. If by fiduciary they mean 'to hold in trust' one wonders where was BC Citizens for Public Power when the NDP ran the Crown Corporation's finances into the ground

In a nutshell, fiduciary mismanagement would best sum up the Crown's $7 billion debt load and the $560 million it pays in annual interest. Those two figures are driving up utility rates. But who's counting at BC Citizens for Public Power

The court action also claims a breach of contract; "that our Return on Investment is being taken away from us. And that . . . is a breach of contract." One of the recurring myths that makes the die-hards well up with tears and pine for the good old days of government monopolies is that the public owns BC Hydro. Not true in any meaningful way.

Do you recall receiving annual dividend cheques from BC Hydro Did you ever have the chance to vote for Hydro's board of directors We're you ever able to sell your shares to make a return on your investment Of course not, because there is no return on investment to ratepayers. Therefore there can be no breach of contract.

The last frivoulous claim made by the 'profit-is-a-dirty-word' crowd is "unjust enrichment;" that no one should profit at the expense of taxpayers and customers.

Here again the protestors have their priorities backwards. Public policy on energy should not trouble itself with how much profit BC Hydro or an independent power producer earns, but rather how to supply BC citizens and companies with a reliable and sufficient energy supply at the lowest price possible.

Neither of these policies can be delivered with the operating model of BC Hydro as a single Crown Corporation. Over the past decade, the province was a net importer of energy. Hydro's single shareholder - the province - cannot alone afford to shell out millions of dollars to invest in power generation.

The new energy plan will break apart generation, transmission and distribution - a move that will clear the way for independent power producers to invest in British Columbia.

The policy shift has already raised the ire of protest groups. But they missed their target by turning their guns on a phantom privatization. Will they admit to seeing ghosts and drop their frivolous lawsuit