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.