A provincially appointed panel gave the green light on Monday to a controversial agreement to sell major NB Power assets to Hydro-Quebec, but the endorsement isn't expected to curb the fierce opposition to the proposed deal in New Brunswick.


The panel was appointed last November by New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham to provide independent advice on the multi-million dollar proposal that would see Hydro-Quebec acquire most of NB Power's generating stations, its hydro dams and its diesel and nuclear plants.


Under the amended version of the agreement, watered down to $3.2 billion last Jan. 20 from $4.8 billion in Oct., Quebec would obtain transmission rights to send power to New England markets, while New Brunswick would maintain ownership of the province's transmission and distribution capacity.


http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Power+pr...8135/story.html