“区域能源”背后之真相（Ⅲ）
万锦市一直使用中心控制的区域能源系统。但该中心能源系统也随之垄断了当地的能源市场。据Bob Mok披露，消费者被迫与区域能源商签署长期协议，而该协议任凭区域供应商在几十年中随意为能源费用定价。
Markham buildings have been using district energy system for power supply. But the centralized system has created a market monopoly. According to Bob Mok’s column, Markham customers are forced into a long-term agreement that allows the power supplier to dictate the energy price for decades.
读者欲参照前文可点击:
http://chinesenewsgroup.com/news/25157 (Article I)
http://chinesenewsgroup.com/news/36970 (Article II)
我们将继续对万锦市区域能源公司（MDEI）的探讨。MDEI和PowerStream（电力供应商）都是万锦市企业发展委员会（MEC）下属子公司，都属于万锦市府所有。但MDEI只属于万锦市府，而PowerStream是巴里、万锦和旺市市府共同拥有。
We will now continue to focus on Markham District Energy (MDEI). MDEI and PowerStream (Electricity supplier) are both subsidiaries of Markham Enterprises Corporation (MEC), owned by the City of Markham. MDEI is owned by the City of Markham and PowerStream is jointly owned by the municipalities of Barrie, Markham and Vaughan.
我们在上一篇文章中已研究过每月固定容量收费 (FCC)，我们可将其视作对管道，设备以及能源工厂的一部分的基建成本按揭还款。但是和按揭贷款不同的是，按揭贷款的本金是随着月还款额的增加而减少，而FCC收费实际上是基于CPI的复合年率不断增长。
When we looked at the monthly Fixed Capacity Charge (FCC) last time, we realized it as some kind of infrastructure cost mortgage payment for the pipes, the equipment as well as part of the energy plant. Unlike a mortgage where the principal reduces as monthly payments are made over the life of the agreement, the FCC actually increases and compounds annually based on the CPI.
一份典型的MDEI共管公寓协议如果最初期限为20年，客户可续约两次，每次续约期为10年。但在续约时，每月能源费用将根据当前比率重新计算。
A typical MDEI Condominium agreement will offer the customer two (2) renewal terms of ten (10) years each when the initial twenty (20) year agreement expires. At the renewals, the monthly Fixed Rate Chargeswill start all over again at the prevailing rates.
此外，该协议中还有一条免责条款，其规定首次“当选”的共管公寓管理公司董事会从开发商手中接管物业后，可在免予罚款的情况下,于12个月内终止协议。这也是安省《公寓法》第112条所规定的。但事实上，有许多物业管理公司都是开发商的子公司，他们根本就没有必要对此协议进行评估及建议新董事会终止该协议。因此，新当选的董事会成员将不会知道他们有权终止协议，同时也没有足够的储备基金资金去解约（详见下文）。此外，在他们从开发商手中接管董事会后，首先会忙于应对建筑的差异审计等问题。实际上，我从未发现终止协议的案例，因为这既不可行，也不现实。
There is an escape clause within the agreement for the first “elected” Board of Directors of the Condominium Corporation to terminate the agreement within twelve (12) months of the turn-over meeting from the Developer without penalties. This is a requirement of the Ontario Condominium Act section#112. In reality, many of the Property Management Companies are subsidiaries of the Developers and they have no motivations to evaluate and recommend terminations to the new Board of Directors. The newly elected Board will not know of their rights to terminate and will not have capital monies in the reserved funds for termination (see below). They will also be pre-occupiedwith issues like building discrepancy audits upon the take-over of the Board from the developers. In effect, I found no termination cases ever since it is not feasible or practical to do so.
这种做法为什么既不可行，也不现实呢？
Why is it not feasible or practical?
因为相关建筑在设计之初就没有预留足够的空间用于安装传统的锅炉和制冷设备。因此，建筑完工后便根本无法找到所需的室内空间。
The building is designed with much less space than needed to house a conventional heating and cooling plant. Where can that indoor space be created once the building is finished?
由于在建筑设计阶段未有考虑，供应商可能无法向相关建筑供应天然气，如果想要供气，可能还需要在街道下面安装新的输气管道。
The supply of natural gas to the building may not be available since it was not needed by design. New gas lines may have to be installed under the street to supply gas to the building.
此外，使用传统供暖和制冷设备还必须升级建筑的供电容量，而这将涉及更换昂贵的变压器和断路器以符合安全标准。
The capacity of the electrical supply has to be upgraded for a conventional equipment plant. This will involve the replacement of costly transformers and circuit breakers to meet safety standards.
使用传统的锅炉和制冷设备代价几何？以一栋有200单元的典型高层公寓楼为例，估计安装设备的资本投资约为$60万元，营运开支约为$84万元，此外还有定期维护和维修费用，以及在长达20年的能源协议期内，必须对到期的锅炉和制冷设备及相关设施进行更换的费用。但是，有哪个共管公寓董事会能够在上任第一年就拥有一笔$50多万的储备基金？
How much money is needed for a conventional on-site boiler and chiller plant?For a typical two hundred unit high rise apartment, it was estimated to be about $600,000 of capital investment for original equipment, and $840,000 of operating expenses, preventive maintenance and repairs, as well as, complete life-cycle replacement of the boilers and chillers and associated equipment which would become necessary over the 20 year term of the agreement. Where would a Condominium Board find over half a million dollars within its reserved fund during the first year of operations?
当然，这些预估的数字可能略有虚高，以便能通过增加传统设备成本证明区域能源系统的优势。推崇区域能源的论据在于区域能源的客户可以避免自行拥有和运作供暖和制冷设备所带来的风险和责任。此外，当局还在不断强调区域能源系统可能更少排放温室气体，因此其有利于环保。
Of course, these estimated numbers may be slightly bloated to boost the cost of a conventional on-site plant to justify the advantages of going to a District Energy system. The argument exists that the District Energy client avoids the risks and responsibilities of owning and operating its own plant for heating and cooling. In addition to that, it is emphasized that the District Energy system is environmentally friendly since it is supposedly releasing less Green House Gases (GHG) into our atmosphere.
那么，你会立即联想到哪些问题？
So what are the immediate issues that will come to mind?
区域能源客户可能会为其能源协议付出更高的代价。
District Energy clients could be paying a lot more for an energy system over the life of the agreement.
他们无法控制续约时上升的月费，对能源供应商的商业违约行为也无可奈何。
They have no control over escalating monthly charges at renewal or commercial default of the energy supplier.
与电力和天然气供应商不同的是，区域能源公司并不属省府监管，这意味着其客户收费标准完全是由当地供应商说了算！如果有一天区域能源公司破产了将会怎样？我甚至都不敢去想其后果。
Unlike electricity power and gas suppliers, District Energy Enterprises are not regulated by the Provincial Government. This means that typically one local supplier will dictate the prices for all its clients! What if the District Energy Company goes into bankruptcy one day? I don’t even want to start thinking about the implications for that one.
下一次，我们将探讨“量度”收费、能源等价换算公式和温室气体问题。
Next time, we will talk about “metered” charges and energy equivalency conversion formulas and Green House Gases.