Electricity shortage may choke B.C.'s gas patch

[phantom power]

An urgent electricity shortage is threatening to curtail the hottest economic growth sector in British Columbia -- the natural gas exploration industry.

Documents on file with the B.C. Utilities Commission show that the town of Fort Nelson, in the heart of B.C.'s gas patch, is so squeezed for power that there is no room for economic growth -- and some existing customers operate under the threat of blackouts.

The situation is raising concern among Canada's leading gas exploration and development companies.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=f28c6a9b-bfe3-402c-b3b3-4e257417dd74