The province is stepping in to soften the blow from your power bill this winter.
New legislation will cap how much Nova Scotia Power can ask for things like operations and maintenance.
It would limit any increases in those areas to 1.8 per cent over two years and effectively blocks NSP’s 11.6 per cent rake hike.
However, these changes do not cover fuel.
Minister Tory Rushton says fuel costs are unavoidable, but they can control other areas such as like maintenance.
A decision on new rates is expected in December.
Premier Tim Houston talks about amendments to the Public Utilities Act introduced today to help protect ratepayers from power rate increases from Nova Scotia Power's general rate application before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. pic.twitter.com/vfdvE09Ndq
— Nova Scotia Gov. (@nsgov) October 19, 2022
NS Power Responds:
The President and CEO of Nova Scotia Power says yesterday’s legislation overrides what should be a politically independent process.
In a statement, Peter Gregg says it poses serious risks to future energy needs in the province.
He says $500 million was requested in the rate application to strengthen infrastructure and create 60 new front-line jobs, and the legislation would limit that investment.
Gregg says as Hurricane Fiona made clear, severe storms will keep coming, and putting off the investments until later is not a solution.
He says it would also impede their ability to meet the 80 percent renewable energy target for 2030.
(with files from Kevin Northup)
A message regarding today’s proposed amendments to the Public Utilities Act.
Read the full statement by Peter Gregg, our President & CEO, here: https://t.co/NEqPqZePL9 pic.twitter.com/SexrnxdBgn
— Nova Scotia Power (@nspowerinc) October 19, 2022
