Amendments will mandate PUB to consider environment
NDP flags concerns about hearings, temporary commissioners
On Tuesday, the provincial government proposed amendments to a couple of pieces of legislation key to power policy in the province: the Public Utilities Act and the Electrical Power Control Act.
One of the most significant proposed changes involves the Public Utilities Board’s (PUB) mandate. Currently, the PUB is mandated to only consider the least cost, reliable option in the delivery of power to consumers. A proposed amendment to the Electrical Power Control Act will mandate the PUB to also consider issues of environmental responsibility.
“It would be another factor that they’re allowed to consider, as opposed to being constrained to having to do (the) least cost option, which may not be the best green option,” Industry, Energy and Technology Minister Andrew Parsons told reporters Tuesday.
NDP leader Jim Dinn said that’s a “vast improvement.” However, Dinn said some other proposed amendments were “troubling.”
One of those is an amendment to the Electrical Power Control Act that would allow cabinet to direct the PUB as to whether or not a hearing is required on matters referred to the board.
Dinn said that will give future governments the power to forbid the PUB to examine an issue the board considers important. The NDP is suggesting an amendment to the wording so that the government can instruct the PUB to look into a matter, but cannot stop the board from investigating a matter it deems important.
APPOINTMENT CONCERNS
The NDP also flagged a concern with a proposed amendment to the Public Utilities Act that would allow for the appointment of temporary commissioners on six-month terms. These temporary commissioners would have the same powers as full-time commissioners. Their appointment to the PUB would not go through the Independent Appointments Commission (IAC).
“It makes sense to bring in expertise for consultation when needed,” Dinn said, “but why do we need to give full voting rights to a temporarily appointed expert? There is a potential here for future conflict of interest, which it would be wise to forestall now, at the legislative stage.”
The NDP suggested involving the IAC in the appointment of temporary commissioners, and removing the voting rights of temporary commissioners.
Progressive Conservative Opposition House Leader Barry Petten didn’t make specific recommendations on the proposed amendments. He told reporters there are a few issues the minister will need to provide some clarity on, such as how the PUB will make decisions considering both the least-cost option and the environment. He said the PCS will ask questions, and how the amendments will progress will depend on the answers provided.
At press deadline, legislators were still debating the amendments.