The Public Utilities Board has been regulating fuel prices in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2001. (CBC)

Newfoundland and Labrador's fuels regulator has erred in a decision to withhold explanations for its pricing changes on gas and home heating oil, critics say.

The Public Utilities Board, which adjusts the prices of gas and other fuels every second Thursday, has decided to stop providing commentary with its decisions, which have tended to focus on international market conditions.

Gas researcher George Murphy does not like the PUB's decision to refrain from commenting on its own decisions. (CBC)

George Murphy, who runs the Consumer Group for Fair Gas Prices, told CBC that the board is moving in the wrong direction.

"We're seeing them close doors, rather than leave them open to educating the public," Murphy said.

The PUB has regulating prices for gas, diesel and various home-heating products since 2001.

The board would not comment, other than to say it is bringing its petroleum regulation in line with the utilities that it regulates. For instance, decisions on applications from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Newfoundland Power are released without explanation.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael, however, said that unlike the situation with the pricing for petroleum products, applications from major utilities involve public scrutiny.

"They have to give their reasons for why they're looking for an increase and the PUB makes its decision based on whether or not they think those reasons are reasonable," Michael said.

Liberal Leader Yvonne Jones agreed, and said the PUB's decision is unfair to consumers.

"Those entities have to go through public hearings in the province, so there's a very open and public debate in the province around why the prices have to be increased or decreased. So, there's always good rationale and the information is out there in the public," she said.

"What they want to do on their petroleum pricing products is they want to just automatically give those increases without providing any rationale, and that is just not acceptable."