New Brunswick’s opposition Progressive Conservatives are calling for a third-party audit into billing at the province’s electric utility.

Kris Austin, the party’s energy critic, said they are hearing concerns from many people about their December NB Power bills.

Austin said members of the party’s caucus met with officials from the utility on Monday to discuss what they have been hearing.

“We shared customer concerns about high consumption amounts that are double or more in some cases, driving bills much higher than expected,” Austin said in a statement.

“Our MLAs will continue to gather information from constituents and are calling for a 3rd party audit of data/meters to provide independent oversight and provide New Brunswickers with the assurance that this aspect of the billing process is operating as it should.”

Austin added that he hopes the Holt government will support his party’s call for the audit.

Meanwhile, an NB Power spokesperson said colder temperatures in December compared to last year seems to be a major contributing factor in the higher bills.

Dominique Couture told the River Valley Sun that it is unrelated to any rate hike and has little to do with higher service charges.

“The only rate change since April 1, 2024, was a reduction in December following the EUB decision,” she said. “Additionally, customers would have noticed a small adjustment to their monthly service charge, an increase or decrease of about $1, and a one-time credit or debit of approximately $11, to comply with the EUB decision.”

Couture added that smart meters do not affect power usage calculations, noting that the new, higher-tech smart meters collect the same information as traditional meters.

“Bills are based on how much energy is consumed, not the meter itself,” she said.

NB Power encourages anyone with ongoing concerns to contact their customer care team at 1-800-663-6272, noting advisors are available to investigate high bills and troubleshoot if there is an issue.

With files from the Local Journalism Initiative/River Valley Sun