Younger mum on power pact position JOANN ALBERSTAT BUSINESS REPORTER The Liberal government will take a stance on a proposed market ¬priced energy deal related to Muskrat Falls once it has a chance to study evidence filed in the case, Energy Minister Andrew Younger says. Younger said Friday his depart¬ment will be represented at a Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board hearing that starts Thursday in Halifax. But the en¬ergy minister couldn’t say what the province’s position will be. “Because the evidence has just been filed . . . we’re just in the process of analyzing what the different experts have said, Younger said in an interview. The province will file a closing statement in the hearing, he ad¬ded. A consultant working for the provincial regulator’s lawyer said Thursday a plan aimed at ensur¬ing Nova Scotia Power can buy Labrador hydro at market rates should be approved by the board. But energy experts hired by the advocates for the consumer and small businesses raised concerns in their filings about the recent agreement between Halifax-based Emera Inc. and Nalcor Energy of Newfoundland and Labrador. Another group, the Lower Power Rates Alliance of Nova Scotia, also urged the board to reject the agreement. The alli¬ance’s consultant, Philip Raphals of the Montreal-based Helios Centre, said the deal doesn’t include enough energy and may not ensure the province can get hydro power when it needs it. Emera and Nalcor are partnered on the overall $7.7-billion Muskrat Falls project. Nova Scotia ratepayers are being asked to fund the Maritime Link, a $1.5-billion subsea cable across the Cabot Strait that’s part of the venture. The board approved the link plan in July but ordered the partners to produce a guarantee that Nova Scotia can buy additional energy at market prices via the cable. Younger said he expects that questions raised by interveners will be answered during the hearing. “Those questions absolutely have to be addressed, in my mind. Certainly, unlike the previous government, I’m not blowing off the concerns or the questions raised by any intervener,” the energy minister said.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:08:36 +0000