From: Holt, Susan Premier (PO/CPM) <Susan.Holt@gnb.ca>
Date: Fri, Nov 15, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: I shook my head as I listened to Randy Hatfield the man on a mission to lower NB Power bills yap on CBC this morning
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Thank you for your email. This account receives a high volume of emails. Thank you for your patience as our team prepares a response.
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Merci pour votre courriel. Ce compte reçoit un grand volume de courriels. Nous vous remercions de votre patience pendant que notre équipe prépare une réponse.From: Chiasson, Alain (OAG/CPG) <Alain.Chiasson2@gnb.ca>
Date: Fri, Nov 15, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: I shook my head as I listened to Randy Hatfield the man on a mission to lower NB Power bills yap on CBC this morning
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
I am presently away on vacation until Wedmesday November 20th, 2024 and I will have limited access to my emails. If your matter is urgent, you can contact John Gillis, who will be acting as the Public Intervener in my absence at 506-259-2164 or at john.gillis@gnb.ca.
From: Moore, Rob - M.P. <Rob.Moore@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Fri, Nov 15, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: I shook my head as I listened to Randy Hatfield the man on a mission to lower NB Power bills yap on CBC this morning
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Thank you for contacting the Honourable Rob Moore, P.C., M.P. office. We appreciate the time you took to get in touch with our office.
If you did not already, please ensure to include your full contact details on your email and the appropriate staff will be able to action your request. We strive to ensure all constituent correspondence is responded to in a timely manner.
If your question or concern is time sensitive, please call our office: 506-832-4200.
Again, we thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns.
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Office of the Honourable Rob Moore, P.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal
Too many N.B.ers are living in 'energy poverty,' says Saint John activist
Human Development Council's Randy Hatfield says N.B. Power rate hikes causing hardship
A group that studies social issues and advocates on behalf of New Brunswickers with low incomes is disappointed in a recent decision on power rates.
The Energy and Utilities Board approved N.B. Power's application to raise rates by about 19 per cent over two years.
That will mean another increase next April, almost as high as this year's, of 9.25 per cent, which was ratified Nov. 8 by the board.
"Much like death and taxes, I think increases in N.B. Power rates are probably baked-in in this province for the foreseeable future," said Randy Hatfield, executive director of the Human Development Council, based in Saint John.
"And if that is the case, then we have to be very much aware of the hardship that that's going to leave a number of New Brunswick ratepayers in."
Many New Brunswickers would already be classed as being in energy poverty, said Hatfield, though there is no universally accepted threshold to define that.
New
Brunswick was the province with the highest rate of households paying
over six per cent of their income on energy, according to a report
published in March by the Human Development Council. (Human Development Council)
According to a report by the council, the federal government defines energy poverty as paying more than 10 per cent of household income on energy, which would affect 14.6 per cent of households in the province. Other groups use a six per cent threshold, bumping the numbers up to 36.3 per cent of households in the province.
With higher electricity rates, the portion of people in energy poverty can be expected to grow.
Some older couples living on pensions, for example, don't have the flexibility to afford an additional $30 to $50 for electricit when other expenses, such as rent, are also up by about $300 a month, said Hatfield.
To help people cope with that type of situation, the council is calling for a comprehensive policy on energy poverty.
These exist in many other provinces and have for quite some time.
"Nova Scotia is 20 years ahead of us," Hatfield said.
One pillar of such a program is emergency benefits, he said, noting this type of funding is already available in New Brunswick for both fuel and rent.
A number of other programs are also available to help cut down energy use and costs, said Dominique Couture, a spokesperson for N.B. Power.
N.B. Power says it's open to constructive feedback on ways to deal with customers who struggle to pay their bills. (Michael Heenan/CBC)
Some pay for or subsidize the cost of heat pumps and other heating upgrades, while others help defray the cost of energy efficiency renovations, such as new windows and doors, or provide in-store rebates on products such as clotheslines and weather stripping.
"We understand that rising rates are difficult for our customers and know that electricity is an essential service," said Couture.
"N.B. Power is committed to doing everything we can to manage and reduce our own costs to help limit rate increases for customers," she said.
Some other measures that Hatfield believes would help include changes to the way N.B. Power deals with customers who fall behind on their bills, incentives for landlords to make efficiency upgrades and direct financial assistance to those most in need.
"The glaring omission in New Brunswick that we see in other utilities throughout North America, including Ontario, is a low-income rebate," he said.
Hatfield would like to see a monthly rebate applied directly on the energy bills of those living in energy poverty.
N.B.
Power bills went up 9.8 per cent for residential customers this year
and another increase almost as large has been approved for next year. (N.B. Power)
Susan Holt, New Brunswick's new premier, has said the 10-per-cent provincial portion of sales tax will be removed from residential power bills by April 1.
That will help, said Hatfield, but may not be the best bang for the buck.
"I think we have to ask ourselves if we need to target investments and resources and scarce subsidies to those that are struggling the most," he said.
There are a couple of good things came out of the rate hearing, from Hatfield's perspective.
The utility agreed to set up a vulnerable customer liaison committee to identify who is struggling and tailor assistance for them.
The utilities board ordered N.B. Power to report on how that committee is doing every June, said Hatfield.
The purpose of the committee is to better understand and improve the customer experiences of those facing energy poverty or disabilities, said Couture.
It will be a forum for open dialogue and is expected to provide constructive input on how to address and respond to vulnerable customer needs and concerns, she said.
Hatfield is also pleased that the board said energy efficiency programs must have separate categories for customers with low incomes instead of lumping them in with applicants who have moderate incomes.
This was the first time the Human Development Council took part in a power rate hearing.
Hatfield acknowledged it was a lot of work, but said the council made an important contribution on behalf of low-income ratepayers. Other provinces do a better job of including them in the process, he said.
"We are pretty far behind in terms of civil society and advocacy," he said.
Hatfield noted that during the hearing no one disputed the findings of the council's researchers.
"There is an energy poverty issue in New Brunswick, and it's one that's going to require dogged determination," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Information Morning Saint John
NB Power's $64M 'political' costs detailed in rate hearings report
Figures filed to Energy and Utilities Board strip away politically imposed costs
Electricity customers are getting closer to finding out what the total amount of politically imposed costs on NB Power are, although the public may never see the final amount.
Preliminary calculations, reported to the Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) as part of NB Power's current rate hearing, suggest NB Power could be providing electricity to customers for $64.1 million less than it does, if not for a variety of requirements imposed on it, mostly by the legislature.
However the utility has requested that an updated estimate of that $64.1 million amount be kept confidential, raising the likelihood the public will never know the full cost.
The Energy and Utilities Board told NB Power to do a 'real economic dispatch' for its upcoming hearing in May.
The EUB and its chairman, Raymond Gorman, were challenged by NB Power critic and self-represented intervener Greg Hickey during last year's rate hearing to dig into the issue.
This year, they did just as Hickey asked.
"My observation, Mr. Chairman, is that decisions in this province get made in the halls of power based on political influence, and I don't think sufficient in-depth engineering technical analysis gets done on the making of the sausage," Hickey told the EUB in his final comments last June.
Hickey then asked that NB Power be allowed to pretend it wasn't stuck with a number of costly long-term contracts imposed on it over the years so it could compare prices it pays to what it could generate on its own or buy in the open market.
He called it a "real economic dispatch."
"Take the cuffs off and let the professionals at NB Power who know what to do, do their job," said Hickey. "And let's find out what the political burden is on this utility."
Hickey is not participating in this year's rate hearing, but the EUB picked up on his request and had NB Power do as he asked as part of preparing its evidence for this year's hearing, which begins in May.
"Please complete a 'real economic dispatch' for 2016-2017, as described by Mr. Hickey during summation for Matter 272," requested the board as part of a series of written questions to NB Power.
NB
Power's overall bills are higher because the utility must accept power
from provincial wind farms, buy renewable power from large industry, and
take all of the electricity from two natural gas generators at the
Irving Oil refinery, as well as other politically imposed deals. (CBC)
NB Power came back with a report showing it could save an estimated $64.1 million next year if, among other issues, it weren't forced to:
- Accept power from provincial wind farms when cheaper alternatives are available.
- Buy renewable power from large industry and sell it back to them at nearly half the price.
- Take all of the electricity from two natural gas generators at the Irving Oil refinery, no matter what the price.
Figures incomplete
The EUB wasn't completely satisfied with that answer. It asked for additional calculations that assumed NB Power wasn't tied into one other long-term contract.
Although NB Power supplied an updated estimate last week, it has requested the new total be kept confidential.
Greg Hickey did not immediately respond to a request to be interviewed on the ongoing impact his appearance last year is having, but Chris Rouse, who also attended last year's rate hearing as a self-represented intervener, applauded the EUB for not letting go of the issues raised by Hickey.
"I think they're really demonstrating that they're listening," said Rouse. "This is something that concerns all New Brunswickers, not just Greg Hickey. It took a lot of courage for him to get up and do what he did and so I think they (the EUB) appreciate that."
NB Power had no immediate comment on the information it supplied to the EUB on Hickey's question, but said it welcomes individuals like Hickey and Rouse involving themselves in its hearings.
"This is a wonderful way for NB Power and the EUB to learn more about what customers care about and how we can improve our business to their benefit," NB Power spokeswoman Deborah Nobes stated in an email to CBC News.
"We are very supportive of the process because it allows individual customer voices to be heard along with groups who may be represented by other types of interveners."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
All Comments
pat
The silence from the jdi newspaper chain is deafening, as well the silence from the various political parties is interesting, and says a lot.
This subsidy is only a wedge from the nb govt subsidy pie to the large forest industries especially jdi
David Amos
Reply to pat
In 2004 one of their newsrags reported a little bit about what I was saying about shady backroom deals etc while I was running in the election of the 38th Parliament against John Herron who later made malicious decisions against me within the EUB Now 20 long years later Herron is the NB Cabinet Minister who oversees the EUB and JDI has sold their newsrags to Postmedia and the Public Corruption goes on and on and on
NorthOf45
Who'd a thunk that green energy would cost more?
It's all about the $$$ for the AGW fear mongers.
David Amos
Reply to NorthOf45
"Who'd a thunk" Is an expression the "Al Clark" loves to use
NB Power first full rate hearing gets questions about big paper mills
The utility has applied for a two per cent rate hike beginning on July 1
Hickey registered to participate as a concerned citizen at the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board hearing. (CBC)Multi million dollar subsidies NB Power is forced to provide the province's big paper mills took centre stage at the utility's rate hearing Monday with a retired NB Power engineer criticizing the practice as thinly veiled corporate welfare.
"I'd like to understand the program and I would like all the documentation that's available on the program that will explain it to people," said Gregory Hickey as he questioned a panel of NB Power executives about the practice of buying renewable energy from paper mills and reselling it back to them at a substantial loss.
"I think the people of this province deserve to know,"
NB Power is in front of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board for its first full rate hearing, where all of its operations are open to scruitny, since 1993.
The utility has applied for a modest two per cent rate hike beginning on July 1, but for the first time in 22 years the application requires full disclosure and that is subjecting the utility to some tough questioning.
Hickey registered to participate as a concerned citizen and was given wide latitude by EUB Chairman Ray Gorman to ask NB Power any questions he had, with the same standing as the corporate lawyer for Enbridge who went before him and the corporate lawyer for JD Irving who came after.
Hickey made the most of his chance.
I think the people of this province deserve to know.
- Gregory Hickey
He was especially curious about NB Power's Large Industrial Renewable Energy Purchase Program which was unveiled by the Alward government in 2011.
It requires NB Power to buy renewable electricity generated by paper mills at a high price - mostly hydro and biomass - and then sell it back to the companies at a low price to help bring their power costs down.
NB Power says in the first 27 months of the program it bought 858.9 thousand megawatt hours (mwh) of electricity from the mills for $81.6 million and then sold it back to the mills at $57.2 million.
NB Power lost $24.2 million on those transactions and Hickey told the hearing if the utility is rich enough to subsidize industry, it should be denied a rate increase.
Forestry company JD Irving Ltd. is one of the biggest users of the program and its lawyer at the hearing Gary Lawson tried to argue the $95 per mw/h mills are paid for power is the going rate - and a fair price - for renewable energy.
But NB Power has already disclosed in the hearing it only pays $84 for wind energy and NB Power's director of strategic planning and regulatory affairs, Neil Larlee, hinted current renewable prices are much lower than that.
"The price has actually come down in the last couple of years," said Larlee.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reporter
Robert Jones has been a reporter and producer with CBC New Brunswick since 1990. His investigative reports on petroleum pricing in New Brunswick won several regional and national awards and led to the adoption of price regulation in 2006.
David Amos
Reply to David Amos
I talked to Mr. Hickey as I stepped up to the plate and began swinging away
JTCNB1
Thank you Mr. Hickey for opening the eyes of all New Brunswickers!
As other people have said, the EUB should be demanding that NB Power drop its rates to the general public!
David Amos
Reply to JTCNB1
Dream on
DennisofDouglas
Good to hear from you Greg. After guys like you and I have seen some of the BS that happened to NB Power after MacKenna was elected and Art O'Connor was fed up with Gov't meddling, we become knowledgably cynical. Well stated Greg.
David Amos
Reply to DennisofDouglas
Hmmm
stevenaustin
Echoing the same concern raised by others on this subject - the current Liberal government which recently targeted seniors who are included in the group of "'those that can afford to pay more will be asked to do so" - makes this question raised by Mr.Hickey all the more important - apparently we are not even asking industry to pay their fair share under this energy purchase program - call it what it is - another gift or subsidy - when we are broke as a province with 12Billion in debt - citizens should be outraged .Industry will bemoan that job losses will result in cancellation of this welfare - bully capitalism and corporate welfare must end - wouldnt 24 million go a long way to keep some of our schools on the chopping block open - no com[pany would sign contracts to intentionally operate at a loss and it should be illegal of our government to do so when dealing with our money!
David Amos
Reply to stevenaustin
Listen to what the latest mandate is saying today
J.D. Irving and N.B. Power tangle over electricity costs charged to big mills
Company asks EUB to change formula, but N.B. Power says this would hurt residential customers
Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Nov 07, 2024 5:51 PM AST
Methinks the latest minister of natural resources is a nervous camper today N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to David Amos
John Dutton
Here you go Holt this is your moment to shine!
Tom
Reply to John Dutton
That is funny.
Crystal Ann
Reply to John Dutton
Not a chance, she has already stated she would not interfere between NB power and EUB
David Amos
Reply to Crystal Ann
Go Figure
Reply to David Amos
Energy and Utilities Board grants utility almost all of its requested rate increase
Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Nov 08, 2024 2:10 PM AST
"Residential customers may not feel that increase, however. Premier Susan Holt has pledged to try and drop the province's 10 per cent sales tax on residential electricity bills by April 1, close to the same amount residential rates are set to increase on the same day."
whatfreespeech
Shame on us all for allowing so, so much of this to go on.
Class action lawsuit anyone????
2Right4U
Who would we sue? Ourselves for keeping electing these clowns?
David Amos
Reply to 2Right4U
Good question
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Everybody knows I sued the Queen
Why is it we keep electing people who reach into our pockets and steal from us and still afford them respect they never earn and certainly don't deserve?
2Right4U
Reply to gs1000s
because they said they would do things differently than the thieves that were in power.
David Amos
Reply to 2Right4U
Oh So True
This should be the straw that breaks the Irving's sweet deal with NB Power! !
The corporate welfare ENDS HERE JD!
Rosco
Reply to JusPasn
But Irving owns the government.
2Right4U
Reply to Get them out
Or least the "back room boys" who control the government - all three "leading" parties (Lib/Con/Dper)
Rosco
Reply to 2Right4U
There's only been 2 leading party in the province Libs & CONS and we don't know if NDP are bought yet since they've never been in power.
David Amos
Reply to 2Right4U
Yup
Corporate greed from the Irving's with political acceptance from the id!0ts in suits has destroyed this once great province. When does it stop.
Rosco
Reply to Liberal Boondoggles aka taxedtodeath
When we start jailed the lot of them for fraud and corruption.
David Amos
Reply to Rosco
Expect your wish to come true on or about the 12th of Never
Thank you Mr. Hickey. I wish there were more people like you who would come forward to tell it like it is. The people of this province not only need to know ... they deserve better. Why are people not being charged with theft?
David Amos
Reply to Ken
What am I chopped liver?
Atticus_Finch
In addition, the electricity is generated by burning biomass that they buy from the Province of New Brunswick at a highly discounted rate. I would not be surprised if the NB also provided a subsidy for the boiler as well. No wonder we are the Greece of North America...
David Amos
Reply to Atticus_Finch
Nothing surprises me anymore
Daddybear
Special energy rates, special water rates, special tax rates for the most wealthy who need it the least at the expense of everyone else who has to leave the province to find a future. Why don't people care? I suppose a story like this would not make the front page of the print media AKA The Irving family Newsletters. People have no idea what is happening in back room deals until it's too late.
David Amos
Reply to Daddybear
Thats the reason for a back room deal
Al Clark
Reply to Daddybear
You could just assume it's happening every day, because it is!
Content Deactivated
Brenda
I assumed there had already been an increase in the power rates. My power bill increased $100 per month, over the same time last year, for the months of Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, and Apr. That's $100 per month needed for grocery money. What kind of men want their fellowmen to go hungry?
David Amos
Reply to Brenda
Greedy men
olddawn
It would be nice what the "Short Term energy purchases" are and where they are from because " approximately 25 to 35 per cent of total supply requirements, and approximately 50 to 55 per cent of total fuel and purchased power costs (p. 24)." Last report was $580M (p. 32) so we spent around $290M for 23-35% of our power. No deal for NBers. . http://www.nbpower.com/.../
I think, NB Power should rebuild the dam with two more turbines -- highly efficient renewable dispatchable power -- but do it without "partners". Plus, I think the power is from Emera's 285MW Bayside Power and Irving's Grandview Power Generating Plant. NB Power foes not own a natural gas fired plan but Emera and Irving do.
And, it is interesting the Irving owed the 285MW Bayside Power Plant until 2009 when they sold it to Emera. In Nova Scotia Emera is Nova Scotia Power -- so tey collect the revenue from ratepayers. The mills are also putting power on the grid using natural gas
NB Power needs to fire up the super clean 1000MW Coleson Cove Power Generator and whole take back the grid. NB Power was both the producer and deliverer of power until Bernard Lord opened it for private producers.
NB has been plundered by Irving. Heroes like Gregory Hickey are rising.
2Right4U
Reply to olddawn
Rebuild the dam - yes - two turbines would require more research.
As water flows through the slouch ways to get to the turbines, the water heats up which affects the temperature (thus fish, etc.) downstream
David Amos
Reply to olddawn
RIP JJanet
David Amos
Reply to olddawn
You are one of my Heroes
In principle, it is no different than if we were to pay Irving to bulldoze the Legislature, run the debris through a crusher, and use it to pave parking lots.
This province meets the definition of clinically insane.
Reply to garyogaryo
Reply to Al Clark
Reply to David Amos
The good news is that these subsidies are documented and able to be discussed. Back in the 90's, the government of the day removed NB Power from regulatory oversight and promptly dropped the rates charged such large customers, reducing them well below the regulated rate and the cost of service. And they kept them that low until the company became such a basket case that it had to go back under regulation, in the 2000's. They jacked up the rates at that time, in order to be in compliance with the lawfully ordered rates, and cause a great deal of stress for the companies tbat saw a sudden increase in their costs.
2Right4U
Reply to Roy Kirk
1990s - wasn't that Frankie
Rosco
Reply to 2Right4U
Yep Godfather Franky McKenna the worst government to take power. We still feel the effects from his time in office.
David Amos
Reply to 2Right4U
Yup
David Amos
Reply to Rosco
Yup
mad as hell
Of course Irving is involved. How does the Irving family sleep at night knowing that it is them that is causing the Maritimes to go broke? when is enough enough? time to break up the monopoly! The Irvings are crooks that would steal candy from a baby and then mark it up and re-sell it!
teg beck
Reply to mad as hell
Arrogance and greed has no conscience .
Rosco
Reply to mad as hell
They sleep very well on mattress full of money.
David Amos
Reply to teg beck
That is the awful truth
tomkatt
can of ironic that gary lawson sits on the anti poverty board and then comes to this hearing telling us what a great deal we are getting.
Liberal Boondoggles aka taxedtodeath
Reply to tomkatt
There is a reason lawyers are the lowest of the low on the food chain.
Tam
Reply to tomkatt
After reading taxedtodeath's reply I submit that this whole thread is a 'can of ironic'...
David Amos
Reply to Tam
Why do you think there are so many jokes about the bottom feeders?
Underdog5555
For God's sake will someone please stand up to the Irvings before they drive us into bankruptcy?
Rosco
Reply to Underdog5555
It may be too late.
no more1755
Reply to Underdog5555
to late you are bankrupt
David Amos
Reply to Underdog5555
Been there done that while everyone laughed at me
Subsidies for any and every Project, Property Tax Breaks, Income Tax Breaks, Subsidized Electricity, Twenty Five Years Crown Money Loosing Contracts, Canaport LNG Secret Property tax Deal, St.John Water Deal, Crown Lands and Forest Act, Forestry Royalties, Protected Area Secret Deal, Forestry Tolerance Impacting Negatively on Fish and Wild Life populations, Habitat loss to name a few , WHO IS MANAGING THESE BANKRUPT GENERATING NEW BRUNSWICK DEALS AND WHY???
Rosco
Reply to Paul Bourgoin aka RoaterB
WHO IS MANAGING THESE BANKRUPT GENERATING NEW BRUNSWICK DEALS AND WHY???
Backroom political hacks that get plumb jobs/ deals/ paychecks.
In other words it's done in the name of greed.
David Amos
Reply to Rosco
Yup
Commonsense 1
Yet another example of Alward bending over backwards for the Irvings. Add up all the money he paid the Irvings through the back door it is scary
2Right4U
Reply to Commonsense 1
just like the liberals before and after him and lord before graham and McKenna before lord and . . .
It is past time we voted in another option
David Amos
Reply to 2Right4U
I put my name on 8 ballots in order to debate them Intervened at the NEB and the EUB and sued the Queen What did you do?
Fundy Coast
Everything in NB is paid for on the backs of the little guy, we get NO political representation, all we get is greedy leaders who want more and more of our money.
2Right4U
Reply to Fundy Coast
In Canada, we elect people to GOVERN us not REPRESENT us.
David Amos
Reply to 2Right4U
Bingo
MCJ2015
Take a deep breath and everyone say QUEBEC HYDRO!!!!!!!!!!
Rosco
Reply to MCJ2015
Can you say getting royally screwed.
Underdog5555
Reply to MCJ2015
I agree. Hydro Quebec is a well-run, profitable company. We certainly cannot say the same for NB Power. We should beg HQ to buy NB Power.
Roy Kirk
Reply to Underdog5555
How do you know this? They are a Crown Corp., a class of companies that are notoriously creative in their book-keeping.
Rosco
Reply to Underdog5555
You forget our government is the worst at negotiating deals that's good for NBers & the province. They usually sellout to whomever business they negotiate with.
David Amos
Reply to Underdog5555
Hydro Quebec was clever enough to back away from the NB Power headache
LeMax
So, it's legal to cheat the NB taxpayers?
DennisofDouglas
Reply to LeMax
Yes..now be quiet!!! (sarcasm intended)
David Amos
Reply to LeMax
Everything is legal as long as you have the powerful lawyers
Saving The Endangered Truth
NB Power holds first full rate hearing, cites prom season as reason for price hike
New Brunswick — A retired NB Power engineer criticized his former employer heavily last night in an open hearing held in front of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board.
“I think the people of this province deserve to know,” stated Gregory Hickey as he grilled a panel of NB Power executives with questions that have been on the minds of New Brunswick citizens for months. “I’d like to see some documentation to justify this 2 percent rate hike, and more importantly to explain why it is companies like JD Irving are getting multi-million dollar subsidies at the same time. To me it seems it’s nothing but corporate welfare.”
Hickey,
in referring to the utility’s practice of purchasing renewable energy
from paper mills and reselling it back to them at a huge loss, came as
close as anyone ever has to demanding full disclosure from NB Power. He
was quickly put in his place, however, when NB Power exec Neil Larlee
suddenly interrupted him by blurting out, “Well, what about prom? You
think those fancy lights grow on trees? We’re the ones supplying you
with the energy for the DJ — you want your precious kids to go to prom
without music?”
Larlee then hauled out an old laptop and proceeded to project an embarrassingly amateur-looking PowerPoint presentation he’d created detailing the rising costs of electricity for springtime proms across the province. “Look at this!” he exclaimed to the captive audience, gesturing with his laser-pointer toward an enlarged photo of the FHS prom being held at the Student Union Building on campus that same evening. “The lighting alone at this event is consuming 5 times the energy that we are right now, and with all those sweaty teenagers crammed in there, the air-conditioner’s on full-blast. Who’s supposed to pay for that? And think of the energy used by all those girls blow-drying and curling their hair — you should consider yourselves lucky it’s only 2 percent!”
A confused Hickey tried desperately to return the conversation to the core problem — that while power bills are increasing for the average New Brunswicker beginning July 1, the filthy-rich Irvings are getting yet another break through NB Power’s Large Industrial Renewable Energy Purchase Program. “If NB Power is rich enough to subsidize industry, it should be denied a rate increase,” he stated emphatically.
Larlee, not to be defeated, cranked his laptop’s speakers to play Kanye West’s 2010 hit “Power” while displaying more and more photos of fancy cars, girls in sparkling dresses and glittering ballrooms. “This shit ain’t free!” he cried. Unfortunately for those in attendance with the capacity for reason, Larlee won the crowd with his bright, loud, poorly crafted presentation. The hearing ended when a strategically placed fog machine emitted a huge cloud of smoke, allowing the NB Power execs to escape unnoticed.
New Brunswickers can expect a 2 percent increase on their July energy bills and an even more lavish prom in 2016, which is rumoured to have planned help from Hydro Québec.
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