NDP wants provincial auditor to probe smart meter 'fiasco'

TheNDPOpposition says "smart" power meter questions aboutfires and contracts should besubjected toan independent investigationnot one where the government investigates itself.

NDP leader Cam Broten said Wednesday he'd like the provincial auditor to "get to the bottom of this mess" and Premier Brad Wall should make that happen.

Over the past year, there have been a series of fires at homes where the new meters have been installed.

The NDP, calling the smart meter program a "fiasco", also released documents showing eight previous fires when the smart meters were in a test phase.

They're called smart meters because they letSaskPowertake powerreadings without using meter readers.

Broten says havinggovernment use its own Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) to investigate smart meters, including the contract that went out to a private firm, makes it an internal process.

That's why it has to be the auditor, he said.

"The provincial auditor reports to the people of the province to everyone and can give an honest assessment of everything that has happened," Broten said.

"So why even have this potential problem where we have the government investigating itself?"

Bill Boyd, the minister responsible for SaskPower, said the auditor can investigate whatever she wants. He also said the government review will be independent, too.

"I think it's in everybody's interests including the government to ensure that the public get the details of if there were problems related to the contract," he said.

The government is now replacing some 105,000 smart meters that were installed.

Boyd says the potential cost ofreplacing the meters is still estimated at about $47 million.