Press release
October 8, 2026
Households Need an Alternative to NB Power’s Runaway Power Costs
FREDERICTON – In the wake of NB Power seeking to increase people’s power rates by 17.4 percent over the next three years, a $500 annual increase in a typical power bill, Green Party leader and MLA for Fredericton Lincoln David Coon is calling on Premier Holt to take urgent action.
“For many New Brunswickers, the electricity they buy from NB Power is becoming unaffordable, so the Holt government must act to help people generate their own,” said Coon. “The Holt government must provide the means for New Brunswickers to cover their roofs with solar panels so we are no longer held hostage by NB Power’s out of control electricity prices.”
Coon wants to see the Holt government provide interest-free loans to any household or small business that wants to install solar panels and battery storage to take advantage of the sun’s free energy supply.
“Powering your home or business with the sun is less costly than buying power from NB Power. And once your solar loan is paid off, it’s free,” said Coon. “We need our government to loan the money to cover the upfront capital costs of solar panels so everyone can take advantage of this cheaper option for powering their homes and businesses. This will drive rapid growth in New Brunswick’s solar industry.”
NB Power’s recently released Integrated Resource Plan revealed that it will build new power plants to supply a growing number of hyperscale AI data centres for the benefit of American corporations and their billionaire investors, which will drive electricity prices through the roof, said the Green Party leader.