Shawn Graham's Liberal government has backed away from a commitment to release information on what individual companies in New Brunswick will save under the NB Power-Hydro-Québec deal.

Energy Minister Jack Keir has been arguing in the legislature that the deal would be good for local companies, including those in the electoral districts of opposition Progressive Conservative MLAs.

"Jiffy Products is saving $200,000 a year on their electricity bill," he said Friday.

That day, Keir committed to release a list of power bill savings for all of the province's businesses. He repeated the promise when asked specifically about the savings for J.D. Irving Ltd., the province's biggest industrial player.

"We'll put those numbers out there," he said. "There's nothing to hide on that."

On Tuesday, Keir said he has released the power rate savings only for companies that had given him permission to do so and he was not sure he could do it for every company.

"I'm just not so sure I'm allowed to, from a proprietary point of view for those companies, whether you've allowed to release it," he said.

Tory MLA Paul Robichaud said the public has a right to see the information.

"It was one of the first things they mentioned after they signed the [memorandum of understanding], that big companies in New Brunswick will save 30 per cent," he said. "So, who are they? How many of those companies will save 30 per cent, so we'll have a better idea, a better picture, of what this deal is, basically.

"I don't understand why they are so afraid to give the list to us and to the general public, or to New Brunswickers, about those big companies."

Robichaud said it may be that the power savings to J.D. Irving Ltd. would be so large that it would further inflame public opinion against the proposed deal.

J.D. Irving Ltd. did not respond to requests for their power savings figures.