Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett made the following statement today on the retirement of Charles Reid, Chief Executive Officer of BC Hydro:

"As Minister of Energy and Mines, I would like to extend my sincere thanks on behalf of government to Charles Reid, who today announced his retirement.

"Over the past several months, government and BC Hydro have worked hard to deliver a 10 Year Plan that keep rates as low as possible, supports investments in aging and new infrastructure and puts BC Hydro on solid financial footing.

"We are proud of this progress, which would not have been possible without the leadership and commitment displayed by Charles. We are also fortunate he will remain CEO until June and help with the recruitment of a successor.

"I personally would like to say thank you to Charles, and I know he will take advantage of the extra time with his wife and daughter as he enters an exciting new period in his life."

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Jake Jacobs
Media Relations
Energy & Mines
250 952-0628