Jonathan Wilkinson, the minister of natural resources, said in an interview Monday the utility’s move is a challenge to a concept dubbed the Atlantic Loop, which envisions a $5-billion transmission project giving the region more access to Labrador and Quebec hydroelectricity.Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
The legislation states the 1.8 per cent increase must be to build a more reliable grid following widespread outages that occurred during hurricane Fiona. However, Wilkinson says with both federal and provincial legislation setting out carbon emission goals, the loop remains an important project.Article content
The federal minister’s mandate letter from the prime minister calls on him to support efforts to achieve a net-zero electricity system by 2035, and to consult with the provinces to remove carbon from the systems.Article content The power company said last week in a news release that even its plans to make the grid more resilient in the face of more intense storms could face “limits” due to the province’s proposed rate hike limitations.
A study released last May by the Halifax-based Ecology Action Centre concluded the Atlantic Loop is only a part of the solution to meet future demand for clean electricity.