The premier of New Brunswick says he would consider a move to overrule a rate hike by the province’s power utility that would have customers see increased bills due to extreme weather events.
In an email obtained by CTV News, Premier Brian Gallant tells NB Power president and CEO Gaëtan Thomas, the so-called “weather tax” has caused “great uncertainty among New Brunswickers who are being led to believe that individual regions could face huge spikes for isolated incidents of severe weather.”
NB Power is currently in the process of asking the Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) for permission to add a levy to help pay for the uncontrollable events. The EUB will hear arguments over the next month.
"Over the last few years, we have encountered more frequent and severe weather events throughout the province. Because NB Power is not able to know when these major storms will occur and how much they will cost the utility, they are difficult to include in our annual budgets," NB Power spokesperson Marie-Andree Bolduc told CTV News Monday.
In the email to Thomas, the premier said he does not plan to interfere with the EUB’s hearing process, but says he’s “strongly opposed to the idea of a weather tax.”
He said he would consider overruling the adjustment mechanism through legislation, should it be supported by the EUB.
Nova Scotia Power has told CTV News it is not currently considering a new surcharge to cover severe weather events.
