It’s the 64-million-dollar question.

Concerns are being raised about a provincial government social policy subsidy which, for the most part, is buried in our light bills. It’s an approximate 10 per cent subsidy which customers pay to offset costs incurred by rural communities that are not on the grid and have to rely on diesel fuel to manufacture electricity.

It’s called the “Rural Rate Subsidy” but you will not find it anywhere on your bill.

Former Public Utilities Board Chairman Andy Wells believes that government, not ratepayers, should be the ones to pay for a government subsidy. Wells says it is unfair that someone living in St. John’s who is barely able to meet expenses has to take $10 out of every $100 on their light bill to pay someone else’s bill.

Consumer Advocate Dennis Browne says it has been an issue for years and should have been dealt with by Nalcor years ago.

He says, of course, Nalcor was asleep at the wheel and concerned about other things, (Muskrat Falls) at the time.