FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2026
Statement from the Green Caucus: Islanders need leadership for our energy future
Charlottetown, PE – Next week, Prince Edward Island is facing one of the biggest energy decisions in decades, and Islanders deserve to have a voice in it. Maritime Electric currently has a proposal in to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) looking for approval to purchase two 50 megawatt used diesel Combustion Turbines at a cost of over $350 million. That cost will be passed on to Island ratepayers through rate increases.
Every Islander with a power bill has a stake in this decision — but Premier Lantz and his government have remained silent. The Green Party is the only political party on PEI standing up for Islanders on these decisions that will impact our energy future for generations to come.
We have a singular goal — that Islanders have the best possible economic and environmental outcome, both present and future.
And expert conclusions are crystal clear: the Maritime Electric application before IRAC does not represent the best value for money, is not the best investment in our grid, does not align with our province’s climate and environmental goals, and finally, is designed to benefit Maritime Electric, not Islanders.
The need to invest in a modern, reliable grid is real. But the solutions Maritime Electric has presented don’t prioritize fiscal responsibility and long-term planning. Experts have been clear that a combination of battery storage and renewal energy options as well as formal collaboration with our neighbouring provinces is the best and cheapest way for Islanders to have long-term reliable access to energy.
Just last month, Premier Lantz signed a Memorandum of Understanding with our neighbouring Maritime provinces to begin a collaborative approach to energy generation and distribution. The Premier and his Minister should ensure that the importance and potential benefit of this new relationship not be hindered by a decision made in haste behind closed doors.
The Green Caucus is calling on all elected officials to stand up for Islanders to ensure that we get a reliable grid that we can afford.
A decision like the one before IRAC where the ratepayers of this province have no advocate is simply wrong. The Green caucus will always be ready to represent the best interests of Islanders.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Katie Rankin
Chief of Staff
Office of the Third Party
Tel: (902) 213-6378
Email: kerankin@assembly.pe.ca