Advocates dissatisfied with answers on link

3/20/2013

Too many questions in the Maritime Link hearing aren’t being answered, say consumer and small-business advocates.

Consumer advocate John Merrick told the provincial regulator Monday that he and small-business advocate Nelson Blackburn were refiling about 50 questions after getting either no response or an inadequate one from NSP Maritime Link Inc. and Nova Scotia Power last week.

“This is of particular concern in the context of this application because of the importance of this hearing to the province of Nova Scotia and because of the extremely tight time constraints that the board and all parties are forced to meet,” Merrick said in a regulatory filing.

The Halifax lawyer said he will ask the provincial Utility and Review Board to intervene if the questions aren’t properly answered this time.

Interveners submitted a list of 400 more questions to the Emera Inc. subsidiaries Tuesday. The companies have until April 2 to provide additional information on the proposed subsea cable project.

An Emera Inc. official told the board Tuesday he was surprised to hear the consumer and small-business advocates felt their questions weren’t being answered.

“(NSP Maritime Link) is fully committed to helping Nova Scotians understand all aspects of the Maritime Link project,” wrote Rene Gallant, Emera’s vice-president of legal and regulatory affairs.

Gallant said Emera and its affiliates have taken several steps to provide interveners with information about the subsea cable plan, and the companies will ensure the advocates’ questions are answered.

(The Chronicle Herald)