Nova Scotia Power top brass sit out rate hike hearing
CBC
In a break from recent tradition, Nova Scotia Power’s most senior officials are not participating in the public hearing that will determine whether many of their customers see rates jump this year and next.
A lawyer for the energy board highlighted the absence as the hearing opened Wednesday, noting that Nova Scotia Power typically sends its top brass when general rate applications, or GRAs, come under the board’s scrutiny.
“Unlike all of the other previous GRAs dating back at least, by my count, to 2004, this is the first time we have no one from the executive leadership team appearing before the board to testify,” said Bill Mahody.
The utility’s witness panels on the first day were made up of directors from various Nova Scotia Power departments and outside consultants, and are set to have similar makeups in the days ahead.
The utility's president and CEO Peter Gregg was present at the hearing and spoke to reporters for three minutes before the proceeding got underway. But he was not available to the board or intervenors for formal questioning.
Blake Williams, Nova Scotia Power’s senior director of regulatory affairs, pointed out Gregg’s presence in the room to Mahody.
Williams said Nova Scotia Power chose the witness panelists because of their knowledge of the rate proposal, which was reached through consultation with customer representatives.
Williams said some executive team members participated in the consultation process, but not as regularly as he and the other witnesses did.
“We felt it was putting the board in the best position to get the best information, the most accurate information possible,” he said.
Nova Scotia's opposition leaders, who were at the hearing Wednesday to make opening statements as intervenors, took issue with the absence.
“There are a group of people that get paid those giant salaries to run this complex utility. The buck stops with them and they should be available to answer questions,” said NDP Leader Claudia Chender.
She said leaders “are not stepping up to their responsibility,” referring to both Gregg and Premier Tim Houston, who did not appear at the hearing.
CBC News asked the premier’s press secretary, Catherine Klimek, why Houston did not attend. She said in an email that his position on the rate proposal “is well-documented.”
Houston has said the utility is “out of touch,” and the proposal should be walked back or significantly reduced.
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