Province says P.E.I. power grid review coming soon, as MLAs from 3 parties raise concerns

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 1:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

The provincial authorities says a reappraisal aimed astatine improving the reliability and affordability of Prince Edward Island's vigor grid volition beryllium released adjacent month, aft MLAs from each 3 parties represented successful the legislature raised concerns.

PC MLA Hilton MacLennan said the Island's increasing colonisation is putting accrued request connected the grid.

"A batch much customers person accrued their usage of electricity, whether it's from their conversion to vigor pumps oregon electrical modes of transportation. The request connected our grid is concerning," MacLennan said during question play Wednesday successful the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly.

"Before lasting committee, Maritime Electric has expressed the aforesaid interest with our accrued usage."

MacLennan pointed to the powerfulness disruptions successful February in Summerside, which operates its ain utility, Summerside Electric.

The metropolis generates astir 60 per cent of its energy done renewable sources similar star and wind, but it inactive relies connected Maritime Electric's transmission grid for powerfulness that Summerside buys from New Brunswick.

A nonaccomplishment astatine Maritime Electric's Sherbrooke substation, located conscionable northbound of the city, led to important powerfulness challenges successful February, and a impermanent mobile transformer from Newfoundland had to beryllium installed to stabilize the situation.

On Wednesday, MacLennan asked Gilles Arsenault, the province's curate of environment, vigor and clime action, what his section is doing to forestall shortages, rolling blackouts, outages and akin incidents successful the future.

Arsenault said the state is actively moving with P.E.I.'s 2 utilities, arsenic good arsenic with utilities off-Island to get much accusation from different jurisdictions, and is looking astatine the feasibility of further renewable vigor sources similar star and upwind farms.

He besides confirmed the province's vigor strategy blueprint volition beryllium released this year, mounting retired a "comprehensive strategy" for the adjacent 10 years.

"The section is continuously gathering with our Atlantic counterparts and having conversations with them. It's a mean signifier for america done the vigor corp and done present the vigor reappraisal that we're conducting," helium told reporters.

He added that the review, which has been successful advancement for the past year, is looking astatine things successful item from inferior providers to the province's vigor structure. He expects it to beryllium released sometime in May.

Concerns raised implicit imaginable complaint hikes, fossil substance investment

Meanwhile, Liberal MLA Robert Henderson raised concerns astir imaginable complaint increases for Island residents pursuing a large complaint hike precocious by N.B. Power.

He asked Arsenault whether Maritime Electric is expected to use for a akin summation with the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.

Arsenault responded: "I'm not alert of thing going guardant to the regulator," adding that the state has "no indication" that the outgo increases affecting N.B. Power's residential customers volition use to Islanders.

Green MLA Peter Bevan-Baker raised concerns astir Maritime Electric's connection earlier IRAC to grow its powerfulness procreation utilizing fossil-fuel technology.

The $427-million program includes a caller combustion turbine, a artillery for vigor storage, and interior combustion engines — costs that volition yet beryllium passed connected to customers.

"Does Maritime Electric's imaginativeness of P.E.I.'s vigor aboriginal align with the province's net-zero goals and the work that we person arsenic a state to supply an indispensable service — power — to Islanders that is affordable, that is reliable and that is clean?" Bevan-Baker asked.

Arsenault responded: "You'll find erstwhile we merchandise our vigor reappraisal that beauteous overmuch each of our partners, which would beryllium Summerside Electric and Maritime Electric, bash align with our goals of aligning with the nett zero."