39
1970
the nineteen seventies - the energy crisis
The development of
Coleson Cove
(Wilson Studio, Saint John, NB.
October 1975)
producing power for
commercial use.
interconnections had an
become the largest on the
immediate impact on the
Commission’s system. It
utility. A participation
was designed to burn oil
Coleson Cove coincided
contract with New Eng-
which had become plenti-
with the worldwide
land utilities made it
ful and cheap following
energy crisis when the
possible to build three
the Second World War.
price per barrel of oil
355 megawatt units at
Construction, begun in
soared from $3 in 1972 to
Coleson Cove.This new
1972, was completed
almost $37 a decade later.
plant was destined to
by January 1977 when
Responding to the insta-
all three units were
The construction of
40
1970
the nineteen seventies - the energy crisis
bility of the world oil
New Brunswick, and
market, the federal
considered as early as the
that Commission officials
government guaranteed
1950s. At a district meet-
had been meeting annu-
loans for up to 50% of the
ing in Saint John in
ally with Chalk River
capital cost for the con-
November 1956, Reg
authorities, familiarizing
struction of the first
Tweeddale, then assistant
themselves with new
nuclear unit in a province-
chief engineer of the
developments in nuclear
at federal interest rates.
Commission, said that
power. Tweeddale told
In New Brunswick,
atomic power was not
his audience “possibly
nuclear power had been
being overlooked as a
within the next 15 years
generation possibility for
Dalhousie II was built to burn coal
but could easily be converted to oil
41
1970
the nineteen seventies - the energy crisis
atomic energy will be of
tion started in May 1975
vital interest in the Mari-
not until the 1970s that
and was completed in
time provinces in regard
serious planning was
1981. At peak construc-
to the development of
initiated.The Point
tion, the project employed
cheap hydroelectric
Lepreau site was chosen
3300 workers.
power.”
over 20 others because its
proximity to the Bay of
market during the 1970s
engineers were keen to
Fundy promised deep and
complicated planning to
get involved with this
relatively ice-free water
meet future demands for
new technology, it was
for the plant’s water-
electrical energy.The
Although NB Power
cooling system. Construc-
Point Lepreau calandria arriving,
1977
The instability of the oil
1970
the nineteen seventies - the energy crisis
Commission investigated
cial solid state high
without endangering the
was to buy hydroelectric-
network of interconnected (HVDC) converter station
ity form Hydro-Quebec
utilities in eastern North
was placed in service at
which had a surplus as a
America to which the
Eel River, New Bruns-
result of the recently
Commission was linked
wick. Another option was
developed Churchill Falls.
via its interconnection
to convert existing ther-
A problem presented
with the state of Maine.
mal plants to enable them
itself: how to import
This technical problem
to burn coal as well as oil.
power from Quebec
was resolved in 1972 when Consequently, future
the world’s first commer-
Solar energy panels and
wind-powered generator, Shediac
voltage direct current
a number of options. One
42
43
1970
the nineteen seventies - the energy crisis
generating units were
1984. Alternative energy
designed to burn more
such project involved
sources such as windmills
than one type of fuel or a
raising trout and Atlantic
and solar energy were also
combination of fuels.
salmon in ash ponds
considered not only to
heated with warm water
reduce New Brunswick’s
higher prices for oil came
from the Grand Lake
dependence on foreign oil,
renewed emphasis on
generating station.This
but also as a method of
energy conservation and
experiment in fish farm-
electrical generation that
environmental protection
ing was an unqualified
was less harmful to the
resulting in several
success and led to a
environment.
original projects. One
second fish farming
Hand in hand with
operation at Mactaquac in
Fish-rearing ponds at Grand Lake
The energy crisis
44
1970
the nineteen seventies - the energy crisis
contributed to an eco-
symbol to reflect its
modern operations.The
nomic recession in North
1975, life insurance was
America. As people
changed from a flat rate to new symbol of rotating
became more concerned
an amount equal to four
arrows and a bilingual
about income protection,
times and employee’s
“Énergie NB Power”
companies responded
salary and long-term
were adopted.The new
with new benefits for
disability benefits were
logo, used to identify NB
employees. At the
introduced.
Power on everything from
Commission, two major
During the 1970s,The
letterhead to hard hats to
changes in employee
New Brunswick Electric
service trucks, became
benefits materialized
Power Commission
synonymous with electric-
during the decade. In
sought to change its
ity in New Brunswick.
corporate name and
Dana Ellison examining artifacts
at the 25 Year Club Museum
Mactaquac, 1979