The governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have received approval from the federal government for their plans to increase the use of renewable energy and stop using coal to generate electricity by 2030.
The plans advanced by the two provinces amount to a modified version of the Atlantic Loop, the massive project that would have seen improved transmission lines between the two provinces to allow for the importation of hydroelectric power from Quebec. "That was a common theme throughout our meeting, that we have to find a way that people can afford to live and work in our respective provinces," Higgs told reporters.As part of Monday's news conference, Wilkinson announced a first phase of funding for the two provinces while talks would continue about broader funding requirements. That includes:$7 million to support pre-development work for the Arc small nuclear reactor at Point Lepreau, N.B.
"At the end of the day, the grid of the future needs to be one that is clean, but it also needs to be reliable and it also needs to be affordable," said Wilkinson.