▁oil . ▁However , ▁finan cing ▁the ▁vent ure ▁was ▁a ▁problem ▁since ▁the ▁province ▁had ▁a ▁limited ▁borrow ing ▁capacity . ▁ ▁The ▁borrow ing ▁capacity ▁was ▁solved ▁by ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁with ▁the ▁announ cement ▁of ▁a ▁loan ▁program ▁covering ▁half ▁the ▁costs ▁of ▁a ▁first ▁nuclear ▁plant ▁in ▁any ▁province ▁in ▁Canada . ▁Premier ▁Richard ▁Hat field ▁announced ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁nuclear ▁generating ▁station ▁in ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁on ▁February ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Hat field ' s ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁was ▁re elect ed ▁in ▁that ▁fall ' s ▁general ▁election , ▁despite ▁mis giv ings ▁of ▁the ▁nuclear ▁generation ▁plan ▁by ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁population . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Hat field ▁declared ▁on ▁television ▁that ▁the ▁decision ▁was ▁final , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁re actor ▁would ▁be ▁built ▁regardless ▁of ▁the ▁on going ▁environmental ▁assess ment ▁process , ▁in ▁a ▁move ▁described ▁by ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁soci ologist ▁Ron ald ▁Bab in ▁as ▁the ▁" n uc lear ▁fait ▁accomp li ▁policy ". ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁At omic ▁Energy ▁Control ▁Board ▁author ized ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁two ▁ 6 3 5 - MW ▁react ors ▁on ▁a ▁site ▁designed ▁to ▁host ▁four ▁in ▁Point ▁Le pre au , ▁ 2 0   km ▁west ▁of ▁Saint ▁John , ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ' s