Environmentalists unite in protest against the building of the RIGS gas plant.
Spearheaded by the Atlantic Wildlife Institute (AWI) and the Protect the Chignecto Isthmus Coalition, many environmental justice groups are uniting in protest at the opening of legislature on Oct. 20 in Fredericton to oppose the building of the Renewables Integration Grid Security (RIGS) gas plant in the Tantramar municipality. On this day, the ceremony will begin a new legislative session, opening the floor for the passing of bills. Protestors desire these bills to oppose the 500-megawatt natural gas plant, proposed by NB Power in July 2025, that would be built, run, and owned by ProEnergy, a United States company. ProEnergy targets the site becoming operational in 2028.
According to AWI, the protest is titled “Voice of the People Rally,” and is concerned that projects such as the RIGS gas plant “will endanger our health, pollute our air and water, worsen climate change, and raise our electricity rates, while leading us away from the affordable future and transition to clean, inexpensive energy that we need and deserve.” ProEnergy’s “Centre Village Renewables Integration Grid Security (RIGS) Energy Atlantic Project” PowerPoint says they will “minimize the footprint of the plant to approximately 15 acres” as a mitigation solution.
According to the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment’s (CAPE) website, the gas plant poses issues with air quality and the health of citizens as stated in a letter signed by over 300 doctors. “It locks our communities into airborne emissions that will directly drive preventable illness and hospital visits for decades to come,” the site reads. Additionally, in their information pamphlet, AWI shows concern for the depletion of groundwater, noting, “[the] diesel spill risk threatens wells and aquifers in a rural, groundwater-dependent region.”
NB Power argues that the gas plant is necessary due to the rapid growth in population in the province over the last few years. It has stated the intention of the gas plant is to avoid having “energy shortfalls” during “extreme weather conditions.” However, the gas plant stands in direct opposition to NB Power’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2035 as highlighted in its Energizing our Future Strategic Plan.
Along with the environmental factors, natural gas is the most expensive due to its volatility in price during “extreme weather conditions.” These periods, when this energy is intended to be used, coincides with the highest demand and prices. It also varies due to the market value of fuel changing increasingly aggressively due to border relations.
The project has been approved by the New Brunswick Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under 45 conditions. These conditions are in place to limit the impacts on air quality, water depletion, and the risk of forest fires. According to the EIA, there is “on-going information sharing with Elsipogtog First Nation throughout the project in relation to any impacts on plants or wildlife.”
The info pamphlet of “The Voice of the People Rally” argues there are many more ecological and economical alternatives to achieve this energy goal. One of the many solutions they offer is battery storage, which uses grid-scale batteries to provide hours of energy during winter storms. This is already being used in Saint John, N.B. However, NB Power argues a battery system at the scale of the province would be ineffective due to the limited amount of voltage produced for its cost, “estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.”
The rally also proposes virtual power plants. This consists of using a network of small items such as household solar panels, electric vehicles, and smart thermostats to coordinate the distribution and allocation of electricity to limit the strain on the grid, a system that has already been implemented through the PowerShift Atlantic project.
The AWI says, “If you care about any of these issues and want to make your voice heard, this is the time to act.” An act can be making a sign, or listening to and sharing your stance with friends and allies. The AWI adds, “Your presence will send a strong message to the government.”