Hearings have restarted at the Public Utilities Board (PUB) for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro’s general rate application.
It may seem like there are constant requests for higher power rates at the PUB these days, but these hearings are actually a continuation of proceedings that started in April, when media reported widely on a request by N.L. Hydro for a power rate increase.
A break in the proceedings allowed the board to tackle some necessary, unrelated hearings on vehicle insurance rates. The power rate hearings started again on Monday.
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There are no plans for the board to sit the weeks of July 30 or Aug. 20, but otherwise time has been set aside through to the end of August to allow the rate review work to be completed.
Witnesses brought in since the restart of hearings include Jennifer Williams, N.L. Hydro’s vice-president of production; Ron LeBlanc, vice-president of transmission, distribution and the new system operator; and Terry Gardiner, vice-president of engineering services.
With the review of proposed rates ongoing, the PUB did award an interim increase to N.L. Hydro, until the request could be fully evaluated and a final decision reached by the board.
The interim rate made up part of an increase in prices for all power customers in the province, introduced on July 1.
Whatever the final decision is on this N.L. Hydro rate request, an increase is expected on Jan. 1, 2019. With Muskrat Falls costs still to be addressed, further increases are expected thereafter, with the province yet to lay out its full plan for power rate mitigation.
The Telegram is following the current hearings and will have more from the PUB.
