Tourist attraction, unsightly blemish, or my tax dollars at work?

 Take it easy man.

Is it because Hydro donates the electricity? You are against donations?

You are against electricity?  Against lights? 

Sorry... I just don't get it. Honestly.

The lights look beautiful at night and create a landmark for the whole lower mainland. Free electricity does not hurt you or me in any way.  It is just water running over a dam and turning a turbine, creating energy. It was created by that simple scientific process, and is available in unlimited supply, as long a water runs downhill.

So isn't it great that this free electricity is given freely to make our city beautiful.

peace

I thought most of the Lower Mainland's power comes from the Burrard Thermal Generating Station, which is powered by burning natural gas.

My friend Peter says that Burrard Thermal is used selectively at peak power moments, mostly during the winter. Most of the power in BC is in fact generated by hydro-electricity.

Huh. So is there something to the argument that you can use electricity with wild abandon during off-peak hours, because it's all water over the dam?

Answer: no, there isn't.

Wild abandon? 

No one said anything about wild abandon.  That's a bit of misrepresentation... 

Remember the original post was about how upset he was that a company donated their product to beautify the community.    

I was not promoting waste, or crazy consumption, I was saying that beauty in and of itself is a value, everything can't be reduced to dollars and cents. And hydro electric power is a renewable resource, so that's one less reason to be upset by this gift to the city.

Peace 

No, you didn't – and I should have been clearer that I was speaking about the more general argument that I've heard. That said, you claimed that electricity is in "limitless supply", and it isn't a big (or, really, any) logical leap to suggest you can therefore use it heedless of any issue of scarcity. It isn't – in fact, BC is a net importer of electricity – and we can't.

Thanks for acknowledging that I didn't advocate wasting resources. 

Also a great point you make about ensuring supply - BC has enjoyed such population and economic growth that it has imported some electricity from Alberta and the US for the past 5 years.

I said "unlimited supply" because it is a renewable resource.  90% of the province's power is  hydroelectric - and there is no shortage of water here for more power, but the growth is exposing a need for new dams and power plants to be built, and existing ones upgraded.  This needs to be a priority for any government. 

Peace