Big emissions estimate a worst-case scenario, gas plant builder says

Jacques Poitras · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 17, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

The U.S. institution hired to physique a earthy state works successful southeast New Brunswick says an yearly greenhouse state emissions estimation of 900,000 tonnes per twelvemonth is simply a worst-case script that is improbable to travel to pass.

That figure, contained successful the company's biology interaction appraisal submission, is 9 times higher than what N.B. Power said erstwhile the works was archetypal announced past December.

But a spokesperson for ProEnergy said the fig comes from a "stressed case" script successful which the works would beryllium "responding to a large upheaval successful the grid," operating astatine afloat capableness for astir one-third of the year.

"In our experience, this benignant of cognition would not hap implicit a agelong duration play arsenic marketplace conditions and grid operations would respond appropriately," spokesperson Chris Evans said successful an emailed connection ot CBC News.

WATCH | Gas works volition assistance little N.B. emissions overall, institution says: 

Evans said the estimation of 100,000 tonnes from N.B. Power is "the expected, emblematic cognition of a peaking plant" similar the 1 it plans to build.

Green MLA Megan Mitton, whose Tantramar riding is wherever the works volition beryllium built, called the quality betwixt the estimates "an astounding gap."

Following ProEnergy's explanation, Mitton said she inactive questioned the request for a caller earthy state works to make electricity.

"This expected modulation fuel — this modulation is taking mode excessively long," she said.

"It's not really a transition. It's keeping america locked successful with this benignant of infrastructure. We shouldn't beryllium gathering caller fossil substance infrastructure."

N.B. Power said it volition bargain energy from the works to supply backup powerfulness to the utility's increasing usage of renewable upwind and star energy.

Because those sources aren't constant, the grid requires a much reliable basal load of energy it tin crook connected and disconnected rapidly erstwhile it's needed.

Both N.B. Power and ProEnergy said the state works volition let the inferior to usage little energy from substance lipid astatine the Coleson Cove works and from ember astatine Belledune, starring to a nett simplification successful greenhouse state emissions of 250,000 tonnes a year.

Mitton said there's statement astir whether earthy state is immoderate amended than ember due to the fact that of methane leakage that tin hap successful the earthy state proviso chain.

ProEnergy's EIA appraisal said N.B. Power looked astatine different options, including vigor conservation to little consumption, and large-scale artillery retention of renewable vigor to conscionable highest demand.

But different options weren't capable to caput disconnected a imaginable shortfall of energy procreation arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2028, the submission says.

ProEnergy is seeking support for a works with 10 turbines susceptible of generating 500 megawatts of power, though the statement with N.B. Power is for 400 megawatts from 8 turbines.

The inferior said this week it could motion agreements with different provinces to adhd those 2 turbines and export the energy regionally.  

Mitton said people successful her Tantramar riding are conscionable starting to perceive astir the state works and are questioning whether it's needed and wherefore N.B. Power selected an American institution successful the midst of a commercialized quality with the U.S.

N.B. Power vice-president Brad Coady said the inferior invited bids agelong earlier the commercialized quality began, and 5 companies submitted bids, including Canadian companies.

"We went with who could present the least-cost solution connected the docket that N.B. Power is demanding to conscionable our vigor information needs," helium said.

"If you look astatine it done those 2 lenses, our chosen spouse successful this task by acold was the champion solution for New Brunswickers." 

The task indispensable spell done a national biology assessment. The provincial authorities is capable to waive the request for a abstracted provincial review.

Work is projected to commencement astatine the tract aboriginal adjacent year, with the works operational successful the 3rd 4th of 2028.