N.B. Power sees 'no issues' with bills so far, but can't explain anomalies

N.B. Power says it doesn't see any flaws with its smart-meter program and billing system, but is acknowledging it still can't explain anecdotal evidence of unusually high electricity consumption in some residential bills.

CEO Lori Clark told a committee of the legislature that early indications from an audit still underway are that the fault does not lie with the new units.

"No issues have been identified," she said.

When ratepayers started complaining about shockingly high December power bills, Clark said it was likely caused by a combination of a colder month than December 2024, a longer billing period and the utility's recent rate increase.

But Clark wasn't able to explain how a family in Green Leader David Coon's riding of Fredericton Lincoln had a bill showing a 45 per cent increase in their electricity consumption compared to a year earlier.

"Their conclusion is that they simply aren't consuming the amount of power that N.B. Power says they are," Coon said.

"That's exactly why we need to do more work," Clark responded.

"I can't give a broad-brush answer. … Those are the things that we actually need to dive into deeper, to understand exactly what is happening with our customers." 

MLAs from all three parties told Clark they were disappointed that the audit, ordered in January, wasn't ready in time for this week's meeting as promised.

"We are very disappointed to learn that we can't ask questions based on the audit," said Moncton East Liberal MLA Alexandre Cedric Doucet.

"New Brunswickers need answers."

N.B. Power's board chair wrote to Energy Minister René Legacy Tuesday to say the audit wouldn't be finished in time. 

Clark explained to the committee that so far, the audit has only looked at 20 of the utility's new smart meters and 20 of its older meters.

While the process has found no problems with the equipment, it's too small a sample for definitive conclusions, Clark said.