A message from our CEO

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A message from our CEO 

Dear customer,  

Over a year ago, I wrote to let you know NS Power was filing a request to increase rates. I am writing today to update you on the recent decision by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB) regarding changes to your power bill.

I know an increase to power rates is not welcome news. Especially at a time when the cost of living continues to rise. Our team understands the impact and works hard every day to manage costs and to ensure we are making the best decisions on when and how to invest to best serve our customers. 

Together with customer representatives and advocates, we reached a collaborative agreement that was recently approved by the UARB after a thorough regulatory review process. The approved agreement follows direction from the Government of Nova Scotia, enabling us to continue to invest in the reliability of the power system for customers. It will also recover the cost of fuel and energy efficiency programs in a way that will best serve Nova Scotians, as our province continues to transition to more clean, renewable sources of energy.  

The decision means an average rate increase of 13.8% over the next two years.   

Understanding the rate increase.  

The breakdown of the rate increase looks like this:    

  • 1.8% - reliability investments (as legislated by the Province)  
  • ~4% - energy efficiency programs (also referred to as Demand Side Management or “DSM”)  
  • ~8% - fuel costs  

For residential customers, this means an average increase of $10 a month this year (2023), and another $11 a month next year (2024). The new rates took effect February 2, 2023, the day the settlement agreement was approved by the UARB.    

Working together for reliable, clean energy. 

We know power outages are challenging and frustrating and we are working hard to strengthen the grid against increasingly severe weather. On average, we have invested between $20 to $25 million each year on tree trimming. Going forward our plans include increasing this investment year over year, and nearly doubling our annual investment in tree trimming over the next five years to continue to improve the reliability of your service.  This is essential, as trees coming into contact with our power lines is the number one reason for outages.

Provincial legislation also requires NS Power to achieve 80% renewable energy by 2030, and federal policy requires moving off coal in the same timeframe. We are continuing to have discussions with both the federal and provincial governments, and other stakeholders on next steps and how to move forward to achieve these targets together. 

There is a lot of important work ahead. Our team is committed to being a partner and enabler in helping our province and communities secure a clean energy future, while ensuring we continue to provide safe, reliable power.   

Thank you. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.  

If you have questions about your bill or would like to find out about support programs and resources, please reach out to our Customer Care team at 1-800-428-6230. Our team is always here to provide support and guidance to those who need it. 

For more information on the rate increase, please visit: nspower.ca/rates. 

 

Sincerely, 

Peter Gregg  

NS Power President & CEO

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