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CTV News
7 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Vulnerable populations and high NB Power bills focus of new committee
A new committee focused on vulnerable populations and high NB Power rates are now meeting, about a year after the idea was first pitched. The utility's Vulnerable Populations Committee includes representatives from NB Power, community groups and the provincial government. The committee's creation was a condition of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board granting NB Power's rate request increase of almost 20 per cent over two-years. NB Power president and CEO Lori Clark said the utility mentioned its support for a vulnerable populations group when presenting to the EUB last summer. 'So that we can understand their needs much better than we do today, and provide relief where we can and access to the programs that are available,' said Clark, in an interview. 'And if there are no programs available, see what we can do to develop the right programs.' The committee held its first meeting on May 28, with a second meeting on June 24. The provincial departments of energy and social development are included on the committee. The community groups represented are Feed NB, the NB Coalition of Persons with Disabilities, the Fredericton Food Bank and the Human Development Council. Randy Hatfield, executive director of the Human Development Council, hoped future meetings would include individuals with first-hand experience related to poverty. 'We're going by what we're told anecdotally and what the data may tell us,' said Hatfield. 'But the lived-experience, those stories, are very rich.' Hatfield also hoped the committee would look closely at NB Power's disconnection policy for unpaid bills, while pushing for 'meaningful' programs to help those struggling to pay bills (citing the example of Ontario's energy rebate program). 'There has to be a political will,' said Hatfield. 'The utility at this point claims it doesn't have the jurisdiction to entertain low-income energy rebates. I'm not sure that's the case.' Clark said NB Power took action earlier this year to help ratepayers hit with high bills, by introducing new installment and equalized payments programs for individuals who wouldn't have previously qualified. 'I'm not saying there isn't more work to do,' said Clark. The committee does not have executive or decision-making authority. 'It will be given priority,' said Clark. 'So, while they don't have direct decision-making capability, they are reporting to the highest level in the organization.' The committee is expected to meet again this fall, when its terms of reference will be finalized. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Cision Canada
14-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
PROENERGY Awarded Contract to Build, Own, and Operate Fast-Start Power Facility in New Brunswick, Canada
SEDALIA, Mo., July 14, 2025 /CNW/ -- PROENERGY has been awarded a contract to develop, construct, own, and operate the New Brunswick Power Corporation (NB Power) Renewable Integration and Grid Security (RIGS) project in Centre Village. The facility—a 400 MW PowerFLX installation driven by eight aeroderivative turbines—will operate under a power purchase agreement with NB Power as the offtaker for 25 years. The facility will maximize the potential of the province's renewable investment. It will provide the reliable backup support that wind and solar generation requires in addition to providing grid stability. "At NB Power, our commitment is to provide secure and sustainable energy for New Brunswickers. Launching this generation expansion project addresses the pressing need to enhance our grid's reliability and security to meet the unprecedented growth in energy demand," said Lori Clark, President, CEO & Chief Nuclear Officer. "Partnering to secure additional electricity and capacity through this project ensures we can confidently navigate the energy transition, providing New Brunswickers with the reliable electricity they need, when they need it most." Located in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, the facility will minimize impact on the surrounding environment due to its proximity to existing transmission and fuel infrastructure while reducing provincial reliance on oil, coal, and imported power. "This project is an essential part of a clean, reliable, affordable power grid, and it's a great example of our approach to Indigenous-led, responsible development," says Jim Ward, General Manager of North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council. "We need clean energy, and we need to keep costs down and keep the power on. We've seen in other places how too much renewable energy can cause grid failures or high costs. To avoid those issues, this load-following power plant is a perfect complement to New Brunswick wind and solar power now and in the future. PROENERGY has been a great partner on this. We welcome other developers to get in touch with us." The project will enter commercial operations in 2028. "Our team has a deep understanding of Eastern Canada. PROENERGY appreciates the trust placed in us by NB Power and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council to provide the reliable fast-start power they need," says Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO. About PROENERGY Based in Sedalia, Missouri, PROENERGY is a global peaking-power solutions provider with operational experience on every continent. The company offers vertically integrated aeroderivative power solutions, including equipment, engineering, construction, operations, repair, maintenance, research, and true, turnkey power generation facilities that include the complete balance of plant. For more on PROENERGY, visit
CBC
10-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Retirement incentives paid to N.B. Power employees who were already leaving, auditor says
Social Sharing An early retirement program offered by N.B. Power in the 2023 fiscal year to save money paid more than $1 million to a group of employees who had already announced plans to leave the utility for free, according to a review by New Brunswick Auditor General Paul Martin. "Eight individuals accepted to the early retirement program had previously notified NB Power of their plans for retirement in advance of the program being offered," Martin wrote in his report. But $1.15 million was still paid "in incentive costs" to get these people to retire, Martin said. The finding was one of several criticisms by Martin of the utility's attempt to shed itself of older workers as one of several cost-saving measures it adopted in 2022 and 2023. Martin estimated that most of the 148 employees who were paid to retire under the scheme likely would have left on their own without an incentive and "potentially only an additional 44 retirements" were generated by the program. He said $17.1 million in cash and benefits were ultimately paid by N.B. Power to the retiring group. N.B. Power has been under significant financial pressure for several years and in October 2022 announced the early retirement program as a way to save money. At the utility's rate hearing in front of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board February 2023, N.B. Power president Lori Clark highlighted the retirement plan as an example of how seriously the company was about cutting costs. "We have engaged the assistance of external expertise to assist us in finding these savings and have started the process with the elimination of almost 150 positions through a staff optimization program that will save approximately $13 [million] to $15 million in the upcoming fiscal year alone," Clark said. To work, the retirement program required what was eventually 148 participating employees to leave by a mandatory retirement date of March 31, 2023 but Martin found 23 stayed longer than that, including one employee who was able to stay on until March of this year, two years past the mandatory date. In addition, although participating in the program was supposed to permanently end an employee's relationship with the utility, Martin said three were eventually rehired on contracts that ran between six months and two years following their official retirement. Martin noted that N.B. Power's board of directors had approved the plan unanimously at a meeting in September 2022 but said "limited analysis" was provided to board members to support that decision. Martin also pointed out that despite the unanimous approval, electronic board records showed two of N.B. Power's 11 board members had not accessed a briefing note about the plan prior to the board voting on it. N.B. Power has reported the early retirement program did eventually generate savings in labour costs of $11.3 million. That is well below its own initial estimates of what would be achieved, and Martin made five recommendations for the utility to improve its planning, execution and monitoring of programs in the future. In its response, N.B. Power agreed to all five recommendations and pledged to document in writing "the status of the positions eliminated in the 2022/23 Workforce Reduction Program and in any such program in the future, for a five-year period."
CBC
25-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Rate increases, colder temps behind N.B. Power bill spikes, review finds
A spike in New Brunswick energy bills to start the winter was due to higher power costs and freezing temperatures, according to a third-party review. N.B. Power CEO Lori Clark told reporters Friday that she understands the findings may be of little comfort to those who struggled to pay their bills this winter, but she hopes the results will provide some level of confidence in the embattled utility. "Having the trust and confidence of New Brunswickers is important to the utility," Clark said. "It's one of the most important things for the utility. "This report today should give customers confidence that our metering and billing systems are working properly, and that smart meters actually provide a tool for them to help manage their energy usage over time." The assessment of N.B. Power bills by auditing service KPMG found that bills were about 25 per cent higher in December 2024 than the previous year. Of that increase, 13 per cent was based on a rate increase that took effect in April 2024 and 12 per cent was due to consumption. KPMG staff told reporters during a technical briefing that the figures line up with frosty temperatures, which were 11 to 16 per cent colder than the prior December. According to the report, there was a "statistically significant correlation between weather temperatures and power consumption." WATCH | Cold temperatures driving power costs: Cold temps, higher rates behind steep climb in December power bills, review says 32 minutes ago Duration 2:02 Billing periods were also an average of 1.24 days longer than the year before, and there were 68 per cent fewer outage hours than the same period the year prior. Billing cycles have fluctuated from 28 days to 31 days, but the utility says it plans to make them the same in future. Clark said the utility wants to find ways to lessen the burden of recent rate hikes on customers and is launching several initiatives with that aim. "We do know that the results of this will not make it any easier for some of those customers who are struggling to pay their bills to actually pay those bills," Clark said. "We know in New Brunswick that we have some of the lowest rates in Canada, but because of the high dependence on electric heat that our customers have some of the largest bills. So there are certainly some actions that we can take to help customers manage their consumption." Clark reiterated N.B. Power's commitment to applying "time of usage" metering once smart meters are installed across the province, likely next year. "Time of usage" billing will allow customers to opt in to a differential rate structure, where they pay more for power during peak times but a lesser rate outside those periods. 466 accounts got closer look To conduct its review KPMG analyzed 466 customer accounts, comparing December 2024 bills to December 2023 and November 2024. Of those, 275 did not have their meter changed in the last year, 46 had a winter peak in the last five years within 10 per cent of the consumption recorded in December 2024, and 33 had similar consumption levels to their peers following the change in meter. Another 92 customers had consumption levels 30 per cent or more higher than the previous year. KPMG recommended that N.B. Power contact those customers to see if there were other factors to help explain the sudden spike. Overall, the review found that there were 67 million more kWh used in December 2024 than in December 2023. The pre-tax costs to residential customers were $20 million higher, with roughly half being due to higher rates and half due to higher consumption.
Global News
25-04-2025
- Business
- Global News
NB Power says third party report found no significant errors in power bills
NB Power has shared the findings of a third-party report looking into high residential power bills. After many residents filed complaints of a spike this past summer, the report found no significant errors causing high bills. The residential customer assessment was completed by KPMG, a third-party auditing service. It tested a 'statistically significant' sample of 400 meters, as well as 100 meters in a risk-based sample. Only 12 meters in total between the two sample groups showed any signs of inaccurate readings, none of which were smart meters. According to NB Power CEO Lori Clark, those 12 meters were under-reporting power consumption levels. 'This report today should give customers confidence that our metering and billing systems are working properly and that smart meters actually provide a tool for them to help manage their energy usage over time,' said Clark. Story continues below advertisement The analysis attributed the high bills to increased rates, longer billing periods, fewer power outages compared to the previous winter, and colder weather. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The challenge in New Brunswick is that as customers, we have a high dependence on electric heat,' said Clark. 1:39 Moncton woman joining growing chorus of NB Power bill complaints KPMG laid out several recommendations for NB Power to take in response to the results, including opening their equalized payment plan to customers with arrears up to $1,200, more standardized billing days, and applying to the Energy and Utilities Board to introduce optional time-of-use rates. That last action won't be taken until the rest of the province's smart meters are installed, said Clark. 'Once we get the smart meters rolled out, the next step would be to design or to have those time-of-use rates in front of the Energy and Utilities Board, get those approved and then applied to all customers at the same time.' Story continues below advertisement NB Power will also commit to testing 500 meters per year. The next step is a comprehensive review coming from the provincial government, which is expected to be completed by March 2026.
