Latest news with #NBPower
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
6,000 N.B. Power customers without power, some schools closed
Over 6,000 N.B. Power customers woke up in the dark on Thursday morning in the western region of the province, closing several schools. Dominique Couture, spokesperson for N.B. Power, said the issue is an outage in the transmission system. She said it is suspected that the outage may have been caused by contact with trees, but the cause remains under investigation and will be confirmed as more information comes in. She said the outage began last night and crews have been working overnight. N.B. Power's estimated restoration time on its website says noon to 1 p.m. The Anglophone West School District closed several schools because of the outage: Carleton North High School Florenceville Elementary School Florenceville Middle School Centreville Community School Bristol Elementary School Bath Community School
CBC
23-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Holt Liberals pick 3 leaders for N.B. Power review
Social Sharing The Holt government has announced the names of the three people who will lead a major review into the future of N.B. Power. Two energy sector veterans and a former legislative watchdog will oversee the process, which will include public consultations and which is expected to wrap up with recommendations by next March. It's a thorny task that must reconcile the public appetite for affordable power rates with the utility's need to undertake multibillion-dollar power station projects while managing a debt that now exceeds $5 billion. "I know enough about the people in New Brunswick to know the will and strength of spirit," said Duncan Hawthorne, a former CEO of Bruce Power in Ontario and one of the three review leaders. "We've just to line it up in the right place. "And the way to do that is to talk about options and have people buy into those, because it cannot be achieved without support. … There's a number of things that people will have to do in every single household in New Brunswick to make this transition work." But Anne Bertrand, another review leader and a former provincial information and privacy commissioner who later sat on N.B. Power's board, said the recommendations will not be hostage to public opinion. "The public does not have a veto," she told reporters. "Comments and opinions will be taken into consideration, and are very important. We need to know what the expectations are. But the expectations can't dictate what the future of N.B. Power will be." Michael Bernstein, the third appointee and a former CEO and investment fund manager in the energy sector, said the review team would point out the positives and negatives of each of its recommendations. "Ultimately, it's up to the government and, really, New Brunswickers to decide what direction to take," he said. Premier Susan Holt launched the review in the wake of a controversy over a perceived spike in the January power bills of some N.B. Power customers. While that phenomenon has been explained by an independent audit, the utility has acknowledged it faces deeper, longer-term problems. These include the need for a multibillion dollar overhaul of the Mactaquac Dam, west of Fredericton, the utility's largest hydroelectric generating station. The Point Lepreau nuclear plant in southern New Brunswick has also faced costly shutdowns, and the Belledune generating station in the north must be converted from coal burning to comply with federal climate policies. Holt has not ruled out selling the utility, as a previous Liberal government tried to do in 2009, as one possible outcome of the review. "We have not restricted the three leaders on discussing anything," Energy Minister René Legacy said Friday. "If that's what New Brunswickers want to discuss, then we should have an open discussion about it, and put the subject to bed one way or another." Hawthorne, who as CEO of Bruce Power oversaw one of the world's largest nuclear power sites, said the process will not be "a talking shop, where we will tell you what we're doing. We're really going to spend a fair amount of time listening to you." Legacy said the review process would be covered by his department's budget, and the government committed to release more information soon about what the three review leaders will be paid. The government is promising not only recommendations but a decision on those recommendations by March 31, 2026.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Power outage closes pair of schools in New Brunswick
Inglewood School in Grand Bay-Westfield, N.B., is pictured on May 23, 2025. Students at a pair of schools in Grand Bay-Westfield, N.B., got their weekend started early Friday. Both Inglewood School and Westfield Elementary School closed their doors early Friday due to a power outage in the community. The decision was made around 9:30 a.m. Friday morning when kids were already in the classrooms. Buses returned to bring students home. The outage left several hundred residents in the community in the dark this morning, with power since having been restored to all customers in the area according to NB Power's outage map. Students are expected to be back in class Monday morning. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Hamilton Spectator
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
N.B. announces 3-member panel who will review future of debt-laden power utility
FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government has announced a three-person team who will lead a review of the province's debt-laden public power utility. The members are Michael Bernstein, who has worked in the Canadian power and utilities sector; Anne E. Bertrand, the province's former information and privacy commissioner; and Duncan Hawthorne, an expert on utilities. In a news release, the province says the review first announced in April will include the utility's financial sustainability and its attractiveness to investors. Premier Susan Holt has said the status quo is not acceptable at NB Power, which is struggling with a $5-billion debt and rates that have increased more than 20 per cent in two years. Holt has refused to speculate on whether a sale of the utility would be part of the review. Final recommendations from the review panel are expected by the end of March 2026. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025.
Global News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
N.B. announces 3-member panel who will review future of debt-laden power utility
The New Brunswick government has announced a three-person team who will lead a review of the province's debt-laden public power utility. The members are Michael Bernstein, who has worked in the Canadian power and utilities sector; Anne E. Bertrand, the province's former information and privacy commissioner; and Duncan Hawthorne, an expert on utilities. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In a news release, the province says the review first announced in April will include the utility's financial sustainability and its attractiveness to investors. Premier Susan Holt has said the status quo is not acceptable at NB Power, which is struggling with a $5-billion debt and rates that have increased more than 20 per cent in two years. Holt has refused to speculate on whether a sale of the utility would be part of the review. Final recommendations from the review panel are expected by the end of March 2026. Story continues below advertisement This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025.
