New Brunswick’s public intervener believes a rate increase application by NB Power is too high.
The New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board spent 16 days this summer hearing the utility’s application.
The utility has applied for an average 9.25 per cent increase in each of the next two years.
For residential customers, the increase would work out to 9.8 per cent in each of the two years.
Alain Chiasson said he does not think NB Power made its case for the full increase during the review.
“If we were to have a rate increase of around four to five per cent, I think that would be more reasonable, but I don’t know what the board is going to do,” Chiasson told our newsroom in an interview.
NB Power already received approval for an interim rate hike while it awaits a final ruling from the board.
Chiasson said this size of an increase two years in a row could cause rate shock for consumers.
“Some businesses might not be able to pay their power bill. Some people who don’t have the money to pay their power bill will have to choose between rent and paying their power bill,” he said.
The Energy and Utilities Board is expected to rule on the application this fall. Chiasson expects it will take board members several weeks.
