▁the ▁future ▁of ▁the ▁plant ▁began ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁N B ▁Power ▁estimated ▁the ▁ref urb ishment ▁cost ▁at ▁C $ 7 5 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁N B ▁Power , ▁with ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁Government ▁and ▁opposition , ▁pushed ▁for ▁ref urb ishment . ▁However , ▁the ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Energy ▁and ▁Util ities ▁Board ▁ruled ▁that ▁" there ▁is ▁no ▁significant ▁economic ▁advantage ▁to ▁the ▁proposed ▁ref urb ishment " ▁of ▁Point ▁Le pre au ▁and ▁that ▁" it ▁is ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁interest ". ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁a ▁report ▁author ed ▁by ▁former ▁British ▁Energy ▁chairman ▁Robin ▁Jeff rey ▁estimated ▁the ▁plant ' s ▁ref urb ishment ▁would ▁cost ▁$ 1 . 3 6 ▁billion ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁C $ 9 3 5 ▁million ▁figure ▁quoted ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁by ▁the ▁provincial ▁utility . ▁Jeff rey ' s ▁report ▁made ▁no ▁recommend ations ▁on ▁whether ▁to ▁undert ake ▁the ▁plant ' s ▁over ha ul ▁or ▁not ▁but ▁ad vised ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁decision ▁mak ers ▁to ▁seek ▁compet itive ▁b ids ▁for ▁new ▁foss il - f uel ▁fired ▁generation ▁capacity . ▁ ▁Despite ▁being ▁denied ▁a ▁federal ▁grant ▁to ▁fund ▁the ▁project , ▁N B ▁Power ▁announced ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁award ing ▁At omic ▁Energy ▁of ▁Canada ▁Limited ▁a ▁$ 1