Food banks denied break on power bills

subscribe

Food banks in Saint John won't be getting a break on power rates this winter from Saint John Energy.

Saint John Common Council had requested a subsidy or discount on power rates for food banks in the city, but the utility says it doesn't have the money.

That's disappointing news for food banks that rely on donations to survive.

Carolyn Danells, chairwoman of the Saint John Community Food Basket's board of directors, said they were hoping for extra help.

"We would like very much to see our electrical bill cut down some for us in some way because the less we have to pay in bills, the more we have to buy the essential foods that people need that are relying on us," she said.

The power bill last month at the Saint John Community Food Basket was over $700 — a lot of money for a non-profit organization, Danells said.

Eric Marr, president of Saint John Energy, said the utility can't afford a discount across the board for food banks without driving up power rates for other customers.

"It would be an impact on the rest of our customers in order to provide free power or subsidized power to those customers," he said.

Marr said charitable organizations are already given the lowest rate possible. They are classified as residential customers, which means they are given 25 per cent-benefit.

"We also offer them various energy savings or energy conservation-type advice," he said.

Non-profit groups should confirm their charitable status with Saint John Energy to make sure they're already getting the best rate, Marr said.

Related News

duke energy

Report: Duke Energy to release climate report under investor pressure

HOUSTON - One of America’s largest utility companies, Duke Energy, is set to release a report later this month that sketches a drastically changed electricity mix in a carbon-constrained future.

The big picture: Duke is the latest energy company to commit to releasing a report about climate change in response to investor pressure conveyed by non-binding but symbolically important shareholder resolutions. Duke provides electricity to more than seven million customers in the Carolinas, the Midwest and Florida.

Gritty details: The report is expected to find that coal, currently 33% of Duke’s mix, gone entirely from its portfolio by 2050 in a future…

READ MORE
london-underground-power-outage-disrupts-rush-hour

London Underground Power Outage Disrupts Rush Hour

READ MORE

Why the Texas Power Grid Is Facing Another Crisis

READ MORE

pense morrison

Australia stuck in the middle of the US and China as tensions rise

READ MORE

justin trudeau

Ottawa hands N.L. $5.2 billion for troubled Muskrat Falls hydro project

READ MORE