The Utility and Review Board washed its hands of Nova Scotia Power’s biomass plans yesterday, ruling they were outside the board’s jurisdiction.
NSP had sought advance approval with partners NewPage Port Hawkesbury Ltd. and Strait Bio-Gen Ltd. to generate 60 megawatts of energy from biomass sources, such as burning wood and waste wood.
The Ecology Action Centre had criticized the plan, saying it could be too taxing on the province’s biomass resources.
But the Nova Scotia UARB ruled they did not have the authority to approve or deny the project. They said doing so would unduly intrude in management of the utility, would be contrary to the public interest and would be inconsistent with prior board decisions.
“The Board finds it is outside the jurisdiction to approve, in advance, the prudency of this expenditure,” reads the decision.
“The (Public Utilities Act) does not expressly confer authority on the Board to do so.”
