NB Power reverses 'weather tax' proposal after public backlash

NB Power's "weather tax"proposal is officially dead.

The utility was initiallyseeking permission to levy surcharges on customers following major storm damage and other expensive, unexpected events.

The Energy and Utilities Board granted NB Power's request to withdraw the proposal on Monday. The decision was made after a whirlwind of public opposition blew up around the proposalover the last two weeks.

"The board grants leave to NB Power to withdraw its request to implement a rate adjustment mechanism in this proceeding," saidFrancois Beaulieu, vice-chairman of the EUB.

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He made the announcementafter hearing arguments about terminating the plan on Monday at NB Power's ongoing rate hearing.

"The board will treat the proposed rate adjustment mechanism as no longer an issue in this proceeding."

NB Power had proposed the idea of recovering storm costs from customers directly to help shore up its annual profit targets.

Those profitshave been battered by severe weather events three times in the last four years, draining the utility of more than $60 million.

Strong public opposition

But the idea of a storm surcharge generated strong public opposition, including criticism fromPremier Brian Gallant.

Last week, the premiercomplained to the utility directly about the potential tax, stating he was "strongly opposed"to the idea and might overrule it if approved by the regulator.

Meanwhile,John Furey, a lawyer with NB Power, told the EUB the proposal had no future.

"NB Power has received input both from its shareholder and from customers with respect to the rate adjustment mechanism that was proposed in the application," said Furey.

"That input was overwhelmingly negative."

Furey's motion to retract the plan was not met with significant resistance.

ButEllen Desmond, a lawyer with the EUB,said if it was withdrawn, she did not want to see the proposal come back to life at a later date.

"We would be concerned if this request came back in its current form in a very short period of time," said Desmond.

"I think that would call into question theintegrity of the process."

This rate hearing is the last one before a provincial election is held in September.

Furey said the utility plans to seek public input before developing any alternative proposal, but said hewould be "shocked" if itresulted in anything similar to the suggested "weather tax."

"NB Power's intention today is that this specific mechanism will not be brought back before the board," he said.