Meeting New Brunswick’s Growing Energy Demand

Background

NB Power is taking action to meet New Brunswick’s growing electricity needs while keeping power reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible.

With demand rising faster than expected, additional supply is needed by 2028. We are investing in renewable energy like wind and solar, supported by reliable backup solutions that keep the grid stable when weather‑dependent resources are not available.  

What is RIGS?

RIGS will provide reliable back-up power and is an important part of our strategic plan to deliver cleaner, greener energy while ensuring customers have the electricity they need when they need it. By supporting more renewable energy on the grid, RIGS helps us move toward a more sustainable energy future, while making sure we’re doing it right: with reliability, affordability and customer needs at the centre.

The project is a proposed new generation facility that will maintain a stable and reliable energy grid. It consists of dual-fuel combustion turbines and grid-stabilizing synchronous condenser technology, which is necessary for adding more renewable energy to the grid.

Combustion turbines will play a critical role across Canada in the cost-effective transition to cleaner electricity. Batteries are an important part of the solution, and NB Power is evaluating energy storage proposals received from our December 2025 Request for Expressions of Interest. We need a mix of sources – including combustion turbines, batteries, wind and solar – to build a reliable, cleaner grid. Through recent wind contracts, NB Power plans to triple wind generation in the province by 2030. The RIGS project is just one of the many options to ensure energy security for New Brunswickers.

Who is PROENERGY?

PROENERGY is the developer and operator of the RIGS facility. Selected through a competitive process, PROENERGY is responsible for designing, building, operating and maintaining the plant, as well as leading the Environmental Impact Assessment. NB Power retains ownership of the land and transmission infrastructure and controls when the facility operates. 

Why Not Batteries?

All options are evaluated through careful due diligence, including environmental assessments and cost analysis. While batteries are one piece of the energy mix, they are not yet a viable solution for long-duration, province-wide electricity needs:

• The cost to build a battery storage facility with enough capacity to power the province for an entire day is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars – a massive investment that would ultimately be passed on to customers
• Battery storage can only put energy on the grid for a short period of time
• Batteries do not provide the level of voltage needed during extreme weather events

A balanced mix of solutions allows us to support a cleaner energy future while ensuring New Brunswickers have the power they need, when they need it.

Project Benefits

The RIGS facility serves two purposes:

• To provide backup energy and would run approximately 7% of the time to keep the grid stable
• To help bring more renewable energy on the grid

Renewable energy, from sources like wind and solar, is a priority, but they are not always available when needed. The RIGS facility will only run when we don’t have access to renewable resources like when the wind isn’t blowing, or the sun isn’t shining. It can also be used on extremely cold days when we can’t get power from our neighbours who might be dealing with their own high energy demands.

Dual-fuel turbines provide flexibility by allowing us to use the most cost-effective and readily available fuel while supporting a transition to cleaner energy sources over time. Lower-emitting natural gas will be used most often when the facility is generating electricity (about 7% of the time). As cleaner options like hydrogen or biodiesel become available, the facility can transition to those fuels.

Where Will the Facility Be Located?

The proposed facility will be in Centre Village on NB Power-owned land.  

We evaluated many locations in the southeast of the province based on population and how close they were to existing natural gas and electrical transmission infrastructure.

We selected Centre Village as our preferred location because it offers the best opportunity for timely project delivery and cost savings over other potential locations. Environmental factors were evaluated including wetlands, watercourses, protected species and archaeological potential. PROENERGY is currently leading an Environmental Impact Assessment, which is necessary before proceeding.

Proposed Project Timeline

More questions?

For more information on this project, contact us at RIGS@nbpower.com.

Download project fact sheet