Power rate increase irks P.E.I. Opposition leader Jamie Fox

P.E.I.'s latest electricity rate hike, approved this week by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission, is yet another hit for Island taxpayers, says Opposition Leader Jamie Fox.

• P.E.I. power rate increase approved by IRAC
• Wind energy project stores electricity in massive batteries at North Cape, P.E.I.

The request for the 2.3 per cent increase for each of the next three years came from a joint proposal from Maritime Electric and the P.E.I. government. The utility said most residential customers will see their bills increase by $2.60 a month. 

"This shows that Maritime Electric is right in bed with the province of Prince Edward Island," said Fox. 

More Islanders are struggling to get by and it's hard to understand why the MacLauchlan government thinks they can absorb another increase, Fox added.

Fox is also concerned about the impact of the increase on Island businesses. 

"In the house this spring there is going to be some very serious questions asked to Maritime Electric or — pardon me — to the province and the premier," Fox said. 

"I think he needs to stop travelling around the world and get back to running this Island and actually care about what's going on out in rural P.E.I. or in the province."

The opposition PC caucus voiced its concerns about the impact of a rate increase in a submission to IRAC during recent hearings, Fox noted.