The EUB Process Continues

Jun 10

4 min read

SNBS's representative Patrick Bateman — appearing on behalf of the Behind the Meter Technologies Coalition (BTMTC), a joint initiative between SNBS and the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) — took part in the Public Interest Hearing Conference before the Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) last week, and will be representing us at the next EUB step, a Technical Conference to be held June 22.

It's all quite formal and technical, but part of the process as we, as official intervenors, work to represent the interests of the solar industry and system owners; plus ensure that the process is thorough, fair, and grounded in evidence.

More to come as the process unfolds!

TIME SENSITIVE: Questions for the Premier

Premier Susan Holt will be participating in a province-wide Question and Answer session on CBC Radio's Information Morning programs this Friday morning. The CBC is inviting the public to submit questions for her - but they must be received by 4 PM this afternoon: emailed to infoamnewbrunswick@cbc.ca, or phoned into 800-561-4222.

Sample questions

If you'd like to submit a question for the premier, here are a few suggestions to consider:

Solar is thriving elsewhere. For example, commercial scale solar capacity grew by 82% in Nova Scotia last year alone, and the industry employs hundreds of people. Why is New Brunswick so slow in adopting solar, and even putting up barriers through the proposed changes in net metering?
Solar is clean, emission-free, homegrown power. Shouldn’t NB Power be promoting more solar, rather than penalizing it with its proposed net metering changes?
The elimination of solar from the Total Home Energy Savings Program and the net metering changes proposed by NB Power threaten the very future of solar in NB just at a time when we need the ability to produce more energy to attract new opportunities and investment. Does the government agree with the attempt to limit renewable energy generation in New Brunswick?
Homeowners who invested thousands of dollars in solar systems did so in good faith, with the understanding they had a reliable contract with NB Power over the 25 year life of their investment. Now NB Power is breaking that contract (with just a 10 year grandfathering clause); how is that okay?

It's time sensitive!

If you do choose to send in a question, remember to do so by 4 PM TODAY, to infoamnewbrunswick@cbc.ca, or phoned into 800-561-4222.

Letters of Comment to the EUB: Your Chance to Participate!

The EUB allows members of the public who are not formal Interveners to share their experiences through a Letter of Comment. These letters help the Board understand how NB Power’s proposals may affect real customers. Submitting one is entirely optional, but the process is open to anyone who wishes to participate.

What Is a Letter of Comment?

The EUB describes it this way:

“A person or organization wishing to provide remarks in relation to a proceeding, but not intending to be an intervener, may provide a letter of comment to the Board… A letter of comment should include the person’s name and contact information and describe the nature of the person’s interest in the proceeding… All comments will be taken into consideration as part of the Board’s deliberations… Letters of comment are posted on the Board’s website.”

See EUB Rule 3.3 for full details.

If You Choose to Submit One

Letters of Comment in Matter EL‑002‑2026 have no formal deadline, but there will be more time for earlier submissions to be considered as the hearing progresses. Submitting before October 9 ensures your views are available to all parties during the main evidence and argument stages.

Letters can be submitted directly to the following email address: lettersofcomment@nbeub.ca, and should reference “EL-002-2026” in the subject line. All Letters of Comment are published online by the NBEUB.

Support our campaign - and our organization!

Running a formal intervention requires real resources — expert witnesses, legal support, technical analysis, and the time to do it right. If you believe New Brunswick solar customers deserve a fair hearing, we ask you to consider contributing to this campaign. Your support directly funds our ability to build and present the strongest possible case on behalf of our members and the broader solar community.

Options:

If you’re not already a Regular or Supporting Member, please consider becoming one today. It’s easy – just go to https://www.solarnbsolaire.ca/become-a-member, choose the membership level you’d like, complete the form and make your payment.
Support us by becoming a Gold, Silver or Bronze corporate sponsor! Just visit https://www.solarnbsolaire.ca/become-sponsor for details.
If neither of the above options work for you, contributions of any amount are welcome, and can be made by etransfer to solarnbsolaire@gmail.com. (Unfortunately, we’re not a registered charity so are unable to issue tax-deductible receipts.)

And – please help amplify our impact by following, liking and sharing our posts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and inviting anyone with an interest in solar to join us.

Thank you for your continued support. This proceeding matters — for existing solar customers, for the industry, and for every New Brunswicker who wants the option to generate their own clean energy. We will keep you updated as the process unfolds.