Frequently asked questions

1. Who is performing the review? Is it the government or a private company?
We are an independent three-member panel conducting this review. While we are funded by the Government of New Brunswick, we do not represent the government, NB Power, or the public. Our mandate is to provide an impartial, evidence-based review.

2. Who is paying you?
We are paid by the Government of New Brunswick, specifically through the Department of Energy.

3. Who do you work for?
We are independent experts. We do not work for NB Power or the government.

4. How is this “independent”?
Our independence is maintained by ensuring that government employees only support us with logistics and data gathering. They do not participate in our review process or influence our recommendations.

5. Why do people believe NBP execs get bonuses?
Contrary to public belief, NB Power does not pay bonuses to any level of staff, including executives. It is the only utility in North America with this policy.

6. Are more renewable generation options in the province being reviewed?
Yes. We are reviewing NB Power’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which includes solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear. We are assessing the advantages and disadvantages of increasing renewable energy sources.

7. What expertise and experience does the panel have with renewable energy such as wind and solar?
We bring extensive experience to this review:

• Michael Bernstein has over 20 years in solar and wind development and served on the International Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) board. He also served as the Chairperson for the Association of Power Producers of Ontario board.
• Duncan Hawthorne oversaw Ontario’s first wind farm.
• Anne Bertrand brings oversight experience from her time on NB Power’s board.

8. What is the plan to leverage past work that already has unique insights and customer engagement effort?
We are conducting a jurisdictional scan, reviewing past stakeholder engagement, and analyzing NB Power’s historical data and surveys to inform our recommendations.

9. Will your review provide an opportunity for private sector developers and investors to actively explore partnership opportunities?
Yes. We encourage written submissions and are reviewing strategic alliances and private sector partnerships as part of our mandate. If you have ideas to share, please email us at: [email protected]

10. Will there be formal opportunities for industry input to the review and/or written submissions?
Yes. We welcome input from industry stakeholders and any interested New Brunswickers. You can submit your thoughts via our dedicated email: [email protected]

11. Would you be able to explain how bills doubled and tripled last winter for some people?
We receive many questions about increases in electricity bills. While our review does not investigate individual billing cases, we strongly recommend that homeowners contact NB Power directly to discuss specific concerns and request that their situation be looked into further.

We have reviewed the independent audit conducted in response to these concerns. The audit found no evidence of anything unusual or wrong. It identified three key factors contributing to higher bills last winter:

• Rate increases
• Colder-than-usual temperatures
• No major outages, unlike the previous year, which had periods of reduced consumption due to power failures

For homeowners looking to better understand and manage their energy use, we recommend requesting an energy audit of your property. This can help identify opportunities to reduce consumption and improve efficiency, especially in homes with electric baseboard heating or older insulation.

12. Are there any limitations on recommendations regarding NB Power’s future?
We are focusing on analyzing and providing recommendations related to:

• Financial sustainability
• Governance and utility structure
• Investor attractiveness and strategic partnerships
• Customer expectations