Did anyone notice?
Certainly not the newscasts that focused on the drama and ignored the substance.
The Dunderdale government just passed legislation to give Nalcor the right to recover billions of dollars in costs of Muskrat Falls from Newfoundland electricity users — also known as “us.”
Out of your pocket
The law now says that whatever costs are associated with building Muskrat Falls are to be passed on directly to ratepayers — no Public Utilities Board review, no recourse.
And for good measure, industries are banned from generating their own electricity.
Provincial monopoly
Nalcor is now the only entity in the province that can legally generate electricity for sale in the province.
The provincial government has unilaterally decided to spend $9 billion, the equivalent of our total, current, over-sized provincial debt.
Despite the propaganda from this government, the project has never been subject to review either by a regulator or by the government meeting the standards of a regulator.
Again, Newfoundlanders can only live in hope.
Hope that maybe the law of unintended consequences will mean that even the most obtuse decision will result in some ultimate benefits.
Maybe, if our power rates go up enough, this may spawn a renewable energy and conservation industry in this province.
Harold Chislett
St. John’s
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I am not sure to the official answer to your questions, but as a taxpayer and voter, I would be okay with NALCOR simply hiking the rates to ensure cash flow in the even of decreased energy consumption. I support MF no matter the cost.