Natuashish, Hydro in court for PUB oversight on electricity
Representatives of the Innu community of Natuashish are in court Wednesday and Thursday in St. John's, fighting for provincial oversight of its electricity.
The northern Labrador town is the only place in the province using power from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro without oversight by the public utilities board.
The reserve asked Hydro and the provincial board for oversight last fall, but faced a challenge on the issue.
"Before the relocation of our community, when we were living in Davis Inlet, hydro was regulated by the PUB," he said. "We asked to have the same oversight after the move to Natuashish, but (Hydro) refused."
According to Hydro communications director Erin Squires, the company did not refuse PUB oversight.
Instead, she said, the Public Utilities Board questioned its jurisdiction to regulate the community because Natuashish is the only community in the province to own its electricity infrastructure.
Left alone by PUB after resettlement, chief says
The community began resettling from its former location in December 2002.
According to Nui, the people have been left to figure out their power supply on their own ever since.
Natuashish ran into trouble in the winter of 2013-2014 when the town was forced to ration its diesel supply. Since shipping to and from the town is cut off in the winter months, people had to consider evacuation, Nui said.
"Without electricity experts in our community to make sure our infrastructure is running the way we need it to run, we still have to cross our fingers and hope that we get through each winter without any problems."
The challenge will be heard in the provincial Court of Appeal.
Squires said Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro will co-operate with Natuashish on the matter, regardless of the outcome of the case.
