Our Executive Director, Lois Corbett, weighed in on NB Power’s Dec. 13 announcement that the public utility is seeking a new fuel source for the Belledune coal-fired generating station, with the goal of eliminating coal by 2030.
Corbett welcomed news of the transition, telling CTV News Atlantic, “I don’t think that New Brunswickers want to stand around and have the last coal plant standing. Jurisdictions all over the world are getting out of coal.”
Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet said NB Power will spend up top $7 million to explore alternatives such as hydrogen, biomass and natural gas.
Speaking to the Canadian Press for a story that also ran on Global New Brunswick, Corbett said the plan to phase out coal from Belledune “will make a significant contribution to the New Brunswick Climate Change Action Plan and it will certainly help the federal government on its path to make Canada coal-free by 2030.” She noted other coal-fired plants have already been successfully converted in Canada, such as Thunder Bay, Ont.’s plant that now runs on biomass.