The New Brunswick Energy and Utilities board spent Wednesday hearing closing statements on the matter of province-wide smart meter implementation.
Nine days after the public hearing began, five out of seven interveners who appeared before the board voiced their approval of the project.
It’s a different story than when NB Power last brought the matter before the board in 2018.
That hearing ran 31 days, spread out over three months, and many of the interveners who now support the project didn’t in 2018.
Christopher Stewart, a lawyer for J.D Irving, Limited noted that NB Power’s updated business case seemingly addresses his previous concerns.
Public intervener Heather Black agrees the case heard this time around is “considerably positive.”
Those who remain opposed cite questions over costs and NB Power’s ability to bring a project of this size to life.
At the hearing’s end, the board commended the professionalism of all parties, crediting the displayed efficiency for their ability to close things out on time.
The board says they’ll begin going through all evidence presented starting Jan. 23.