FREDERICTON (GNB) – The position of a full-time public intervener will be created and the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board will be restructured under two pieces of legislation introduced today.

An Act Respecting a Public Intervener for the Energy Sector and An Act to Amend the Energy and Utilities Board Act were introduced by Energy and Mines Minister Craig Leonard. Both bills stem from action items in the energy blueprint unveiled by the provincial government in October 2011.

Having a full-time energy public intervener will replace the system of the attorney general appointing private-practice lawyers to represent the public interest in energy-related proceedings before the board. Instead, a permanent public intervener position will be created within the Office of the Attorney General.  
 
The public intervener will have the legislative mandate to represent the public interest in energy matters, not the interests of any particular customer class, interest group or provincial government department. Having a permanent, full-time lawyer dedicated to energy issues will ensure long-term consistency and expertise in such matters as rate hearings.  
 
The costs associated with this position will be collected from the regulated utilities through the board in much the same manner as were the costs of the privately appointed interveners in the past.
 
"There will be many important and complex issues before the Energy and Utilities Board in the months and years ahead, including the re-integration of NB Power, as well as petroleum pricing reviews, and natural gas distribution issues,” said Leonard. “Having a dedicated intervener will serve the province very well."
 
Anticipated increased activity in the energy sector is also a reason why the board is being restructured. The intent is to ensure that there is a greater continuity and consistency of experience and expertise on the board. Currently, the board is composed of two full-time and eight part-time members appointed by the provincial government.
 
Under the new structure, the board will be composed of five full-time members who will be nominated based on a merit-based recruitment and selection process. This will allow the board to function with a greater degree of flexibility, consistency and expertise in its decision-making.
 
The board provides regulatory oversight of the transmission and distribution of electricity, natural gas distribution, pipelines and the motor coach industry. It also administers the weekly price regulation of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel and furnace oil and undertakes occasional reviews of industry margins. Funding for the board comes entirely from assessments charged to the utilities it regulates.
 
"We are pleased that, on the heels of unveiling the new Electricity Act and the release of a new Oil and Natural Gas Blueprint, we are able to continue to implement even more of the action items outlined in the energy blueprint," Leonard said. "There is a great deal of movement in the energy sector, and by adapting to these changes, it will serve New Brunswickers well in the long-term."
 

23-05-13