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Monday, February 1, 2010

Independent Panel Report on NB Power Deal with Hydro Quebec


A six member independent panel who evaluated the proposed NB power deal with Hydro-Quebec has concluded the deal is good for this province.
The panel, chaired by David Ganong and which included former Provincial NDP Leader Elizabeth Weir, was commissioned to study the proposed $3.2 billion sale of 10 NB Power plants, including the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station.
Ganong says the deal would result in lower power rates in the near and long-term and would reduce the financial risks associated with the aging facilities.
The panel is recommending the Energy and Utilities Board be given more authority to eliminate any government interference in its decisions. Opposition leader David Alward has been quick to dismiss the report as a public relations exercise.