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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Auditor General Points Out Discrepancies In Provincial Government Service

NB Power did not adequately address the risks posed by the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant even though it has a rigorous oversight process in place, according to the latest annual report from the auditor general.

Kim MacPherson says even though the decision making process took four-and-a-half years from 2001 to 2005, as late as the spring of 2005, there was still substantial uncertainty about what should be done to meet future provincial electricity needs.


She warns the province has a structural deficit where expenses exceed revenues and if this continues, buildings, roads and bridges may not be maintained and renewed as they should be.

MacPherson notes, in general, to correct a structural deficit, programs and services need to be reduced, revenues need to be increased, or some combination of the two needs to occur.


According to her report, the money owed the provincial government more than doubled between 2002 and 2012, increasing to $2.6 billion from $1.1 billion.