MR. GRAHAM STEELE: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Energy. Nova Scotia Power has recently been on the hot seat about last year's power outage. The company has suggested that cutting down more trees may be part of the answer. Others, like the Halifax Regional Municipality have weighed in in favour of more underground wiring. I have a special interest in this topic because the Cowie Hill neighbourhood in my constituency has enjoyed underground wiring for the past 30 years, but on this issue the provincial government has been conspicuously silent. My question to the minister is, what is the provincial government's policy on underground electrical wiring?

[Page 7370]

HON. CECIL CLARKE: Mr. Speaker, I truly want to thank the member for the question and for a question here. Actually, he does raise an important point. He's speaking about an existing development. Obviously in the instance of Cowie Hill, any expenditure over $25,000 would therefore be regulatory and goes to the URB. What I'd like to know is some specifics around that because then we can look at it, but obviously the utility is to put in place infrastructure at a competitive price for all you ratepayers in the province and this is I think a historical arrangement and one that we'd have to look at as a policy if we were going to engage that province-wide.

MR. STEELE: Mr. Speaker, many residents of Cowie Hill point out that they lost power for only an hour or two during Hurricane Juan, when other parts of the city were without power for days or even weeks. Yet, Nova Scotia Power has told Cowie Hill homeowners that when the system has to be replaced it will pay only to put the wires back above ground. If Cowie Hill homeowners want to keep their wires underground, they, the homeowners, will have to pay for it. Quite simply the cost is more than most Cowie Hill homeowners can afford. My question to the minister is, what steps is the provincial government taking to promote the use and retention of underground wiring in neighbourhoods like Cowie Hill?

MR. CLARKE: Mr. Speaker, and to the honourable member opposite, one of the things we have to do in the first instance here is to start talking about underground wiring across the province, and look at it as a policy and also a rate-impact analysis. But with regard to that particular development, and it was a private development at the time, is to go back, there was an agreement with Nova Scotia Power - it's important to look at the premises and the details of that agreement and the obligations that are pursuant to that agreement. That's something I would be prepared to do and that's something with regard to a wider policy consideration with regard to underground wiring, I'd also be willing to examine it.

MR. STEELE: Mr. Speaker, the municipal government has weighed in on the side of the homeowners. We're glad for their help but more help would be welcome. When this matter comes for a hearing before the Utility and Review Board, as it eventually will, we expect to see HRM there with us arguing in support of the homeowners. My question to the minister is, when this hearing commences, which side will the province be on, Nova Scotia Power's or the people of Cowie Hill?

MR. CLARKE: Mr. Speaker, what I can say is the province is going to be on the side of all ratepayers in this province and what is fair and balanced. As I indicated to the member, I am willing to consider the agreement that was in place and the implications associated with that with regard to Cowie Hill. If we're going to look at other implications province-wide then we'll keep the interests of all ratepayers in mind, but I am prepared to review the case in question.