The Public Utilities Board today dismissed the Consumer Advocate’s request for a rehearing of Newfoundland Power’s application to recover the costs of an electric vehicle load management pilot projects.

Dennis Browne had been asking the PUB to reconsider its decision to provide Newfoundland Power with $1.5 million of ratepayers’ money on the pilot.

Browne’s argument was that ratepayers were already paying the utility $1.9 million for a complete load study on electricity needs, including what may be required for electric vehicles.

The PUB says it believes the information to be gathered through the pilot will be “useful in the near term and will be informative as to load management strategies as EV uptake increases.”

The PUB says after careful consideration, it found that there was “no basis for a rehearing or deferral” because, among other things, the order is likely to lead to positive outcomes for customers in the long run.