NB Power contract process independent: minister
But Energy Minister Jack Keir maintains that the government does not involve itself in how NB Power awards contracts.
Keir said the government plays no role in the way NB Power issues requests for proposals or awards contracts to companies that want to sell wind energy.
"Not any, as a matter of fact," Keir told CBC News. "NB Power on their own have gone to that RFP process. It's NB Power that went through the RFP process and we're very happy with the result."
The government does, however, discuss government priorities on occasion with Hay, Keir said. He said the government and the utility are in agreement in most instances.
"When we're not, we talk about it," the minister said. "We discuss where we have to go and what we have to do, what the roadblocks are, and we try to get over those roadblocks. If we can't get over those roadblocks, we don't do it."
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2008/01/23/skypower-follo.html
3 comments:
NB POWER AND SAINT JOHN ENERGY ARE VERY GREEDY!
TIME FOR SOMEONE TO SHAKE OFF THE SURPLUS CLING ONS WHO RECEIVE THE BIG SALARIES AND ALL THEY DO IS COME UP WITH WAYS TO TRY AND PASSIFY OR BRAIN WASH PEOPLE TO THINK THEY WANT TO TRULY CONSERVE.
THEY JUST WANT MORE MONEY.
NB Power has too much freedom: PUB boss
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 | 9:30 AM AT
CBC News
The man in charge of the Public Utilities Board says huge financial losses at NB Power are a direct result of too much freedom – and he wants the company to open its books to public scrutiny more often.
The utility wants to raise rates by an average of 11.6 per cent for residential and industrial users on April 1 to make up for projected losses next year.
FROM FEB. 14, 2006: NB Power guesses tax bill, ignores law
But at hearings into that request on Tuesday, PUB chairman David Nicholson blamed the company's poor performance on a lack of supervision and suggested more regulation could have stopped hundreds of millions of dollars from going out the door.
NB Power bosses spent an uncomfortable morning in front of the PUB as Nicholson asked in detail how much money the Crown corporation has lost since its last rate hearing in 1993.
NB Power's vice-president of finance, Sharon MacFarlane, admitted the total was $764 million. She says the utility had to write off $450 million due to poor performance of the Point Lepreau nuclear generator and then lost another $314 million on NB Power's general operations – all of that during a period the company was not subject to regulation or public scrutiny of its financial dealings.
The PUB last heard an NB Power rate application in 1993. The hearings were long and expensive, so the provincial government gave NB Power the right to avoid future hearings if it kept annual rate increases below three per cent.
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That decision allowed NB Power to avoid the Public Utilities Board on rate issues for more than a decade – raising rates neary every year – during which time it lost all that money.
Nicholson says that shows NB Power has too much freedom. More freedom, in fact, than any other energy monopoly is permitted in North America.
"Are you aware of anywhere else in North America that a monopoly utility is allowed to increase its rates by a set amount, in your case three per cent per annum, without scrutiny by its third party regulator?" Nicholson asked.
"I am not aware of any other precedents of the same nature, no," answered NB Power executive Rock Marois, who acknowledged the lack of regulation of the power company is unique, but then repeated concerns that utilities board hearings are expensive and time-consuming.
"I mean, the estimated direct costs of these proceedings are well over $4 million, but what I think is more important is the indirect costs of having a team devoted to this process for a year and a half."
Nicholson pointed out that it might have made more sense for NB Power bosses to spend money opening their books and explaining their financial decisions to the PUB. "Now I ask you, would it have been better every couple of years to spend $4 million to appear before the board, or to lose $314 million as occured over that 13-year period?"
Nicholson said he wants to see NB Power before the board more frequently in the future, suggesting its poor performance is directly related to its lack of supervision.
Keir believes users should pay; as taxpayers we do pay for all bridges, repairs, demolition, construction and so many times we triple pay for the same things. Gas taxes and please don't say it is not enough. Keir you got the job in the end because you believe we don't pay enough. Education and intelligence are two different things. Expecting the ordinary person to pay more, conserve and still charge us more for using less power is not enough for you you want more. Greed greed and you still give us the Corporate smile while you laugh all the way to the bank. Get a reality check; I guess that kind of greed can't be fixed.
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