Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Nova Scotia Power decide to move to the Lower Water Street location?Nova Scotia Power's lease on space for its head office and corporate support functions in Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, ends in March 2011. To plan for its future space requirements, the company looked at three options: renew the lease at Barrington Tower (continue renting); renovate the Water Street facility (use an existing Nova Scotia Power space); or construct a building outside of the downtown core. After a thorough evaluation process, the option that was most cost efficient and in the best interests of customers was the renovation of the company's Water Street facility. This approach involves the lowest lifecycle cost of all of the alternatives. It will cost $5 million less than the second lowest alternative.

How much will the move and renovations cost?Relocating Nova Scotia Power's head office staff to the former Water Street Generating Station will cost $53.4 million. The cost has been approved by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Are rate increases funding this project?Customers already pay for the rental of our current office space in Barrington Tower in their power rates. This is part of our company's basic operating costs and has been approved by the regulator.

How will the boardwalk along the waterfront be affected?There will be no changes to the waterfront`s boardwalk as the renovated building will take up no more space than it did beforehand.

How will parking in this area be affected?Parking for Nova Scotia Power employees will be in a parkade within the building. There will also be some outside parking on the grounds. Parking in the area will not be affected and will stay largely as it is today.

How long will construction take and when will Nova Scotia Power move into the building?Construction will take about two years, with a move-in date scheduled in Spring 2011.

How noisy will the site be during construction?Noise at the site will vary based on the stage of construction. There may be crusher noise if concrete is being crushed on site. Other noise may include concrete cutting and pile driving. Please check the Latest News section to see which activities are underway and upcoming to anticipate noise levels.

Will the alFresco Film Festo still use the back of the building to project movies?We are a proud sponsor of Atlantic Film Festival programs, and we will continue to provide support in the future. But unfortunately, the renovations to the building will mean the site is no longer suitable to project films. The Atlantic Film Festival has been notified of this change, and information on the alFresco Film Festo can be found on their website www.atlanticfilm.com.

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