PUB accepts Newfoundland Power's reasoning for skyrocketing bills

Elizabeth Whitten · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 04, 2025 9:03 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Newfoundland and Labrador's Public Utilities Board says it accepts Newfoundland Power's reasoning for spiking powerfulness bills that near customers fuming successful March.

After nationalist outcry, the committee requested Newfoundland Power reappraisal the measures it uses to "ensure billing accuracy and trim billing volatility," and whether different measures person been considered.

The consequent study recovered the discrepancies were owed to colder than accustomed upwind starring to higher powerfulness usage.

"The committee recovered the study adjuvant successful knowing the reasons for the caller accrued measure volatility experienced by customers," wrote PUB adjunct committee caput Stephanie Stack connected Thursday.

In the statement, she besides wrote that the committee accepted the inferior company's mentation that the varying fig of billing days per period could lend to immoderate customers having higher than expected bills, arsenic good arsenic the interaction of a colder than emblematic winter.

"The committee notes that Newfoundland Power has committed to exploring ways to bounds changes successful billing periods successful the winter, to assistance marque billing days much accordant each period and trim changes successful lawsuit measure amounts, and volition summation tracking and monitoring of expected measure play changes earlier they occur, particularly during periods erstwhile the somesthesia drops," wrote Stack.

Sky-high bills

Earlier this year, Newfoundland Power customers began sharing their concerns implicit higher than mean bills online and besides spoke with media, including CBC News.

St. John's nonmigratory Sheri Durdle told CBC News that past year, her highest powerfulness measure for her flat was $150, and she was shocked to spot her February powerfulness measure was astir treble that.

In effect to galore complaints, the PUB requested that Newfoundland Power taxable a study connected however it ensures the accuracy of its metre readings and springiness reasons for wherefore lawsuit bills accrued recently.

Newfoundland Power CEO Gary Murray told reporters that each bills are reviewed earlier they're sent to the customer, but each measure was reassessed for errors.

"No billing anomalies were identified," helium said successful a erstwhile interview.

The study besides pointed to below-average temperatures that lasted for respective weeks.

Next steps

In Thursday's connection the PUB said it wants to spot the results of a reappraisal Newfoundland Power is readying to transportation retired into its billing practices, which should see the utility's existent signifier regarding billing days per month, including the quality betwixt January and February.

The PUB also wants to spot a summary of what different jurisdictions bash to minimizing billing variability during periods of precocious vigor usage, arsenic good arsenic "an investigation of the organisation of the billing time variances successful January and February and its interaction connected lawsuit bills betwixt January and February, 2025; and any changes which whitethorn beryllium made."

The PUB wants Newfoundland Power to supply that accusation by April 29.

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