Help urged for low-income households struggling with rising power rates
CBC
A pair of Saint John poverty researchers have told N.B. Power's rate hearing that rising electricity prices are a serious affordability problem for low-income households and the utility or provincial government should match programs in place elsewhere that would help.
"One of our recommendations is designing and implementing a low-income affordability program because that is a gap we recognize," said Heather Atcheson during testimony Wednesday.
"The low-income affordability piece is something we recommend be looked at."
Atcheson and Liam Fisher work for the Human Development Council in Saint John and were the final witnesses in N.B. Power's two-week-long rate hearing in front of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board.
N.B. Power is seeking approval to raise rates 4.75 per cent in the coming year. It's part of a long-range financial plan that, if approved, will see power rates increase by 50 per cent over six years by March 2028.
Although the rate hearing has been primarily focused on N.B. Power's financial needs, there has also been attention paid to the affect rising rates to meet those needs are having on N.B. Power customers.
Evidence unearthed during the hearing showed 4,297 customers were disconnected by the utility for non-payment of bills in the fiscal year ended in March 2025, a 35 per cent increase from the year before
On Tuesday, the Human Development Council's executive director, Randy Hatfield, criticized the utility for not having more innovative solutions for those behind on their bills other than setting up payment plans to collect outstanding balances or disconnecting those who cannot keep up with what they owe.
"At present, even when hardship is persistent, N.B. Power's primary tool remains repayment over time rather than any formal arrears relief mechanism," said Hatfield in an exchange with Gord Perry, N.B. Power's senior manager of customer care.
"I would agree," replied Perry.
"We do not have any arrears forgiveness at this time."
N.B. Power executives have been conceding during the hearing that escalating prices for electricity does worsen affordability problems for many customers but has questioned whether it is the appropriate body to deal with that.
"It is not the utility's single accountability to address those," said N.B. Power senior vice-president Darren Murphy about solving customer affordability issues.
Atcheson said, whether it is N.B. Power or the provincial government targeted, help is needed by low-income households and recommended an existing model in Ontario as one worth considering.
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