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COMEBACK KID DESJARDINS LOOKS TO REBOUND FROM INJURIES {page 20}
HALIFAX
Thursday, September 1, 2011 www.metronews.ca News worth sharing.
Mill closure may spread power pain
Waterfront. Tourney
NSPI forecasts 10.1 per cent less energy consumption in 2012 with NewPage closure
Germany’s Dominik Stork, left, tries to hit a shot over the block from Norway’s Robin Bergheim during an afternoon match at the under-21 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Junior World Championships yesterday on the Halifax waterfront. Germany squeaked past Norway in three sets. More coverage, page 4. RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
Junior volleyballers aim high
Nova Scotia’s privately owned energy utility says the closure of one of its biggest customers could result in higher energy rates for everyone next year. Rene Gallant, vice-president of regulatory affairs for Nova Scotia Power Inc., said yesterday the savings on fuel costs as a result of the NewPage mill closing would be offset by the utility’s fixed costs. “Fuel costs are lower when you don’t have to serve a load of that size,” he said, after a meeting with consumer and industry advocates. “However, (NewPage was) a customer that was paying a big portion of (NSPI’s) fixed costs, and all of those costs will be picked up, we expect, by other customers.” In a filing with the province’s Utility and Review Board yesterday, NSPI forecasted net fuel savings of $76.3 million. But, while in operation, the NewPage mill contributes $100 million to NSPI coffers. According to NSPI
Cost of business NewPage is scheduled to indefinitely close its mill later this month because of several factors, including high energy costs.
spokesman David Rodenhiser, that $23.7-million gap is what other customers may have to bear. The full details of the updated forecast aren’t publicly available. Customer advocates will examine the forecast — as well as a potential deal to spread rate hikes over three years — this week. But Al Dominie, an energy consultant, said the deal isn’t all that different from one proposed in April — four per cent increases over three consecutive years. “From what I’ve been able to see at the present time, I don’t think there’s a remarkable difference against what we’ve seen earlier,” he said. ALEX BOUTILIER