FREDERICTON, N.B.- There appears to be conditional support from the opposition parties in New Brunswick following Wednesday’s announcement of a deal to develop ways to reduce energy consumption.

NB Power and Siemens Canada announced plans for Smart Grid technology to better match power generation with customer demand.

Liberal Energy Critic Brian Kenny says his party supports Smart Grid technology but there are still some unanswered questions. “What is it going to cost, what are the net benefits to rate payers in New Brunswick, and how is this going to unfold”?, asked Kenny.
 
NDP Leader Dominic Cardy says the deal should be subject to a full and public review. He says a lot remains unclear. ” What’s really not clear to me is whether or not the deal is putting consumers first, putting household users of NB Power electricity first”, says Cardy.

Customers will be encouraged to use technology such as programmable thermostats as a way to reduce power consumption.

Premier David Alward says by reducing power use, the utility will be able to keep rates stable for years