High heat bills could spell bad news for St. Stephen man's cold-blooded pets
Due to rising power bills, Doug Harper says he can no longer afford to heat his reptile room
When you walk into Doug Harper’s newly renovated house, you are greeted by his two dogs who start licking your hands and jumping in excitement. On the kitchen’s counter sits an African grey parrot named Rocky who squawks at you from his wooden perch.
However, the most unique part about Harper’s home is in the basement where he built a room dedicated to his collection of snakes, lizards and frogs.
“These are ones that were family pets before we got started that I've had for up to 14 years,” said Harper.
“My biggest fear is not being able to keep them.”
Harper was the former owner of Harper’s Exotic Animals and Pet Supply in St. Stephen but had to move his operations to his basement after the store closed in January 2024.
His reptile room is lined with tanks of various shapes and sizes. Above them sit an array of neon heat lamps and humidifiers.
Harper and his wife said they have been struggling to afford their power bill. He said his bill this month was a $600 increase from this time last year.
This poses a significant challenge for him keeping reptiles because of their cold-blooded nature, which requires electric heat lamps and pads to stay alive.
"I’ve got about 45 minutes, if that happens, to find these guys some place warm," said Harper.
He said that in an emergency he has a backup generator to keep his reptiles warm, but it wouldn't be sustainable in the long-term if his power was shut off.
“In my eyes, these guys deserve a quality living, no different than someone's dog or cat,” said Harper.
In October, N.B. Power asked for regulatory approval for a 4.75 per cent rate increase to electricity bills in the province.
This comes on top of almost 10 per cent increases over the past two years, which were approved by the province’s Energy and Utilities Board.
Saving power amid rate hikes
Because of these rising costs, Harper made power- and heat-saving additions to his home.
“The power bill just seems to keep being increased,” said Harper. “We've actually done a lot of updates in the home such as new windows, doors, roof — the whole nine.”
Harper has been operating his reptile room for two years.
With no significant changes to how he manages the room, he said his power bill has doubled since last year.
“When we did our mortgage, we had a budget set for every month,” said Harper. “When you have an $800 unpredicted bill that isn't justifiable, where does it come from?”
Adam Wilson, an electrical engineering professor at the University of New Brunswick, said heating is one of the largest contributors to a high power bill.
“People will feel that most in the cold months,” said Wilson. “If you can install a heat pump, whether it be a mini-split heat pump or a whole-home-style heat pump, those tend to provide much more efficient forms of heating.”
According to Wilson, these high heat costs mixed with rate hikes are what cause such high and sometimes unpredictable power bills.
“Recently we’ve seen massive swings in temperature, you know, plus-10 some days and then minus-20 another day,” said Wilson. “That certainly adds to a huge unpredictability with your power bill.”
N.B. Power responds
Brent Lockhart, an accounts specialist with N.B. Power, works directly with large organizations to advise them on their energy management.
“Rate increases are to kind of keep our infrastructure safe and reliable,” said Lockhart.
“When a need does come in the winter months and we are at peak load, we can provide it in a reliable and safe manner.”
According to Lockhart, the colder the temperature outside, the higher customers should expect their bills to be.
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