The Greedy Bastards in NB Power can cry me a river now N'esy Pas?

https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies




  David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos 

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 49 others

Methinks NB Power can cry me a river after all the dirty tricks its lawyers and EUB have pulled on me for over a year N'esy Pas?

 https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-greedy-bastards-in-nb-power-can-cry.html

  #nbpoli #cdnpoli  #NBPower

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/mactaquac-dam-flood-2018-1.4948716

Weather woes push NB Power hydro production to a 30-year low

61 Comments 
Commenting is now closed for this story.

  

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David Amos

Methinks NB Power can cry me a river after all the dirty tricks its lawyers and EUB have pulled on me for over a year N'esy Pas?

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Dan Flanagan

@David Amos
Care to elaborate?

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David Amos

@Dan Flanagan The EUB records are public Check out the 357 and the 375 matters I am the only one defending your interests

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David Amos

@Dan Flanagan Methinks everybody knows who the dude sitting beside mon ami Roger Richard is N'esy Pas?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/eub-hearings-nb-power-smart-meters-1.4529640

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David Amos

@Roger Richard "Why our CBC is blocking many of your comments?"

Methinks its for the same reason they are blocking yours N'esy Pas mon ami?

 
David Amos

Methinks this article is a rather silly way for the Crown to generate fear and justify a rate increase We make more electricity that we need and sell it cheap to Yankees N'esy Pas?

Albert Wade

It's beginning to look as though it would be best if the province was put under third party management sooner rather than later. This is what happens to First Nations when money is mismanaged. Why should it be any different for us

David Amos

@Albert Wade Methinks it because the Constitution would not permit such a thing N'esy Pas?

Miles Hawkeye7

The easiest cop out... blame climate change...Meanwhile when Justing closes the coal powered plants, NB is going to be in big trouble.. I would sure hate to live there

Ian Smyth

@Miles Hawkeye7 There is currently 1 coal fired power generating station in New Brunswick (Belldune). There are 2 natural gas, one fuel oil and three diesel as well.

Want to fix anything you'd previously said?

David Amos

@Ian Smyth "Want to fix anything you'd previously said?"

Methinks we should ask the same of you N'esy Pas?

 

Dan Flanagan

Spring run-off in the north was extremely fast due to a ground ice layer that formed in mid-December, a huge snowpack & a very warm April. That was followed by a dry summer. This was bad for hydro power & soil moisture. Lets hope that doesn't repeat.

Mark (Junkman) George

@Dan Flanagan

You are going to see a repeat this year.

David Amos

@Dan Flanagan Methinks you should wonder who made my replies to your question of me go "Poof" and why N'esy Pas/?

Dan Flanagan

@David Amos
I'm wondering. IDK but maybe make it a little more palpable.

David Amos

@Dan Flanagan The was nothing wrong with a link to a CBC article

David Amos

@Dan Flanagan The EUB records are public Check out the 357 and the 375 matters

David Amos

@Dan Flanagan https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/eub-hearings-nb-power-smart-meters-1.4529640

 
Ian Smyth

Who knew climate change could negatively impact renewable resources.

David Amos

@Ian Smyth God

David Amos

@David Amos or is Mother Nature?

Lou Bell

There is a large crew that constantly is work on the flood gates at Mactaquac. Time to tear down this albatross and move into the 21st century ! Pretty well its' sole purpose is the man made lake, nothing more !

Bob Smith

@Lou Bell ...and replace it with what exactly that will generate the power for NB? Easy to rant against it...how about an alternative that makes fiscal sense?

Lou Bell

@Bob Smith So ye live on " the lake " !

Lou Bell

@Bob Smith Solar/ Wind, anything but going back to the 19th century ! Some here should just come out and admit , it's not about generation of electricity, but " SAVE THE LAKE " !!!!!!!

Bob Smith

@Lou Bell They tried wind farms...locals railed against them, claiming they killed birds and disrupted their sleep patterns. Solar? They were going to build a solar panel manufacturer in the north...went nowhere. Suggest an alternative that the province can afford...not just "tear down the dam" to benefit the environmentalists and those who think the river will never flood again if its gone.

David Amos @Lou Bell Methinks there is no need to tear down the dam even if the "Power That Be" decide not to generate power for NB with it anymore.The dam is made of earth it is not in jeopardy and could be used to control flooding since our forests have been mowed down. It far cheaper not to rebuild the old flawed generators and the crumbling concrete used to direct the water through them. Merely add a few transmission lines flip a switch or two and buy all the power we need from Quebec and then everybody should be happy happy happy with cheaper power, a lake to play in, some semblance of flood control and most importantly less debt N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Bob Smith "Easy to rant against it"

Methinks NB Power can cry me a river after all the dirty tricks its lawyers and EUB have pulled on me for over a year N'esy Pas?

Fred Brewer

It is abundantly clear that NB Power should not be in power generation business and they are not doing so well on the transmission or distribution business either. Mr. Higgs, what is your plan for the boondoggle whose name is NB Power?

Mark (Junkman) George

@Dan Flanagan

If you lived anywhere near the SJ river in the spring, and watched all the money flowing unrestricted down river, your opinion might change.

Rosco holt

@Fred Brewer
It's political hacks and government that interfere in NBPower's operations. Don't ask government to fix things. They fix what isn't broke and worsen what's already broken.

David Amos

@Mark (Junkman) George Amen to that

David Amos

@Rosco holt I second your remark

 
 Brian Robertson

Obviously, we need more nuclear plants.

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David Amos

@Brian Robertson Methinks we need ethical journalists first N'esy Pas?

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Brian Robertson

@David Amos
As our fearless leader has stated; you ask for too much.

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David Amos

@Brian Robertson Oh So True

Roger Richard

@David Amos Why our CBC is blocking many of your comments?

David Amos

@Roger Richard Methinks we should ask Robert Jones the next time we see him at a EUB hearing N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Roger Richard Methinks Mr Jones should know that I speak for ordinary folks while you speak for small businesses in the EUB 357 matter N'esy Pas?

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David Amos

@Roger Richard 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/eub-hearing-nb-power-rate-design-smart-meters-1.4305685

Lou Bell

The fate of the Mactaquac Dam will actually be a fight between those who think it's about generation of electricity and those who just wanna " Save the Lake " although they'll try to make everyone think it's about electricity !!

Tim Biddiscombe

@Lou Bell Its far more about electricity than saving the headpond.

David Amos

@Lou Bell YUP

David Amos

@Tim Biddiscombe NOPE

David Stairs

plain to see that they are fudging the numbers to get a rate raise...climate change...what's their next move...oh,I know...let's do an external audit and see what happens..

David Amos

@David Stairs Methinks everybody in the know knows that I am a whistleblower against KPMG and they audit NB Power right now N'esy Pas?

 

Murray Brown

Boohoo... NB Power always has some excuse to raise rates. The weather seems to be their favourite go to when it comes to this sort of nonsense, but that Orimulsion fiasco with Venezuela cost them roughly $100 million per year. That disaster makes their weather woes look like a pittance and the people responsible were paid out with bonuses and extra cash when they retired. See the 400 thousand dollar houses around Fredericton... NB Power employees are living in them. NB Power needs to stop wasting taxpayer's money, not asking for more of it

Rosco holt

@Murray Brown
"See the 400 thousand dollar houses around Fredericton... NB Power employees are living in them. "
Allot of questions has to be asked?
Is the employee single or coupled?
If coupled are both working?
What's the job of said employee?

Before painting someone or group, know what you're talking about.
Of course some are crooks, but others aren't.

David Amos

@Murray Brown I agree

David Amos

@Rosco holt Methinks such questions about private home ownership are none of our business However NB Power is our business N'esy Pas?

Steve Murray

I am from New Brunswick and only mowed my lawn about 3 times this summer which used to be once a week. I have never experienced unrelenting stifling heat like that in my life. I fear for our future if this is the "new normal".

David Amos

@Steve Murray Methinks raising you power rates will not ease your fear N'esy Pas?

Roland Godin

Best we buy HydroQ electricity through Maine, this way we would have access to a better value and satisfy the must not buy from Québec whoever...et voilà.

David Amos

@Roland Godin Methinks everybody knows I have been saying that on the public record since 2004 long before Bernie Lord decided to refurbish Lepreau N'esy Pas?

 
Marc Martin

What a mess the complainers did when they stopped NB power from being sold...

David Amos

@Marc Martin Cry me a river

David Amos

@Marc Martin Methinks everybody knows nobody stopped Quebec from buying NB Power The French men wisely did their due diligence and did not go forward with the deal for the benefit of their fellow Quebeckers and did refurbish their nuclear reactor as wellN'esy Pas?

Craig O'Donnell

Funny ya know; natural gas fired power plants don't really care what the river water level is. And it seems we have scads of this fuel under our feet; a fuel that is much greener than coal or oil.

David Amos

@Craig O'Donnell Methinks we already have more than enough electricity fro our needs there is no need to start fracking in order to sell more cheap power to the Yankees N'esy Pas?

 
Robert G. Holmes

It should be all about the Atlantic Grid, interconnect upgrades throughout the region. Recognize that NB section has great potential, due to it's ideal proximity to HQ, (clean surplus hydro), Maine, (market access), NS/NL, (alternate generation+market access). Time to step up Premier. You, an Engineer by trade can develop the climate action plan for Eastern Canada and US East Coast.

David Amos

@Robert G. Holmes True

David Amos

@Robert G. Holmes Go Figure

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/eub-hearing-nb-power-rate-design-smart-meters-1.4305685

Weather woes push NB Power hydro production to a 30-year low

The utility's finances face another bleak year after major flood causes generation problems at 7 river dams

Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Dec 17, 2018 9:46 AM AT 

Mactaquac Dam is the largest hydro electric generation station in New Brunswick but has struggled to produce power at historical levels this year because of the spring flood.

A combination of too much water in the spring and not enough in the summer, helped sink production at NB Power's river dams to a 30-year low during the first six months of the year — a $30 million to $40 million hit that has the utility struggling to meet its financial targets once again.

"The last time NB Power saw hydro generation this low was 1988," said Marc Belliveau, a spokesperson for NB Power, in an email to CBC News, regarding results posted by the utility's seven river dams between April and September.

The utility's second quarter financial statements show it posted a loss of $9 million during the first six months of its current fiscal year — a weak result once again traceable to unfavourable weather events attacking its bottom line.

NB Power operates seven hydroelectric dams including three large ones on the St. John River at Grand Falls, Beechwood and Mactaquac and four smaller ones on the St. Croix, Tobique, Sisson and Nepisiguit rivers.

• New Brunswick flood damage seen from above 
• New Brunswick floodwaters to recede, but effects could last for weeks 
• NB Power can't hold St. John River back at Mactaquac dam 

The network is budgeted to produce more than 2,700 gigawatt hours of electricity a year — about $200 million worth.

It has easily beaten that target most years since 2003, a rare bright spot in the utility's finances over that time.

Spring flood a major problem

But it has been the opposite this year with the dams producing electricity at just 69 per cent of their long-term averages between April and September. That's one of the worst results ever posted.

Problems started in late April with a rapid spring thaw that sent too much water into the river system too quickly and caused record flooding in the lower parts of the St. John River Valley.

NB Power's second quarter financial statements show a loss of $9 million during the first six months of its current fiscal year. (CBC)

The torrent also overwhelmed the capacity of dams to harness the flow and most of the water ran freely through dam spillways, and never touching power producing turbines.

"Although the province experienced unprecedented spring flooding, the spring runoff started later than usual with high flows over a shorter period of time resulting in lower power production," the utility reported in its first quarter financial results.

Dry weather plays a factor

The problem worsened this summer with unusually dry weather in areas that feed the rivers, including areas like northern New Brunswick.

"The whole north was dry," said Jill Maepea, a meteorologist with Environment Canada
"If I were only to take the northern half of the province this summer, they only saw about 65 per cent [of normal precipitation]."

At this point, NB Power can't say this variance from normal is a result of climate change but we are monitoring it to see if a trend develop.- Marc Belliveau, spokesperson for NB Power

Light rains caused low water flows that further cut electricity production from the dams, eroding NB Power's ability to export into the United States throughout the summer — revenue the utility had been counting on.

NB Power has missed its corporate profit targets three years in a row by a combined $200 million and is now significantly below earnings targets this year, which were originally set at $62.3 million.

In its own second quarter financial update earlier this month the province reported it was expecting a $45.6-million reduction in its return on investments this year, "mainly as a result of lower net income being projected by the New Brunswick Power Corporation."

Most of that lower income is the result of the production problems experienced by the dams.

NB Power worries over climate change 

NB Power has become increasingly concerned with the impact adverse weather is having on its operations and has been openly blaming climate change for some of its escalating costs and poor results.

Ice storms that hit the province during the 2013 Christmas season followed by post-tropical storm Arthur in 2014 and more ice storms in January 2017 cost the utility a combined $65 million in repairs and cleanup over the last five years.

New Brunswick Finance Minister Ernie Steeves announced the province is projecting a $131.4 million deficit this year, nearly one third of that is caused by lower profits than expected being posted by NB Power. (Philip Drost/CBC)

And although the dip in hydro electric production this spring and summer is potentially the most expensive weather related event to hit NB Power in recent years, Belliveau says the utility does not view it to be in the same category as damaging storms.

"At this point, NB Power can't say this variance from normal is a result of climate change but we are monitoring it to see if a trend develops," he said.

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