Maritime Electric energy efficiency plan comments period extended

The deadline for public feedback on Maritime Electric's electricity conservation plan has been extended by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.

The $11-million, five-year proposal includes rebates on LED light bulbs and heat pumps installed under certain circumstances.

Initially, people had until July 10to submit comments but IRAC has extended that deadline to Sept. 30.

"This is summer and consumers' minds are perhaps not on sitting in front of a computer and writing out public comments or providing feedback to the commission," said Mark Lanigan, who is responsible for the electricity file at IRAC.

"So the commission felt that the application wasn't particularly time sensitive for the summer, so an extension until September was felt to be in the best interests of getting the most feedback possible."

Some questions and comments have already been submitted on IRAC's website.

Lanigan hopes ratepayers will also take a look at the second application Maritime Electric has filed to build a 50-megawatt generator at a cost of just over $70 million.

The comment period for that closes Aug. 14.