NS Power wants ratepayers to cover $22M bill for last year's storm damages, repairs

Nova Scotia Power has filed an application with the province's Utility and Review Board (UARB) to have ratepayers cover the cost of last year's storm damage to the tune of $22 million.

It's a request that isn't sitting well with Premier Tim Houston.

“I wish Nova Scotia Power would have more empathy towards Nova Scotians,” Houston says.

“Folks are already paying a lot in Nova Scotia when it comes to power. If you look at the last couple of years, you’ve seen combined increases near 15 per cent bills and people just can’t afford this,” adds Jay Goldberg, the interim Atlantic director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

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The power company says it spent $32 million last year as a result of severe storms.

The $22 million it's now looking for ratepayers to pay is what's not already covered by the current rates.

The UARB had previously given them approval in their general rate application to seek compensation if storm damage costs exceeded $10.4 million.

“Nova Scotia Power has got to realize that the Nova Scotia taxpayer and ratepayer are not a piggy bank they can keep going back to,” says the province’s Liberal leader, Zach Churchill.

NDP leader Claudia Chender says simply asking the utility to rethink its application isn't enough.

“Nova Scotia Power is a company, that’s not their job. Their job is to maximize return for their shareholders and so at the end of the day, if we want to influence our relationship with Nova Scotia Power, we do that through provincial legislation," says Chender.

Houston says he would like to see the utility to be more proactive instead of reactive when it comes to dealing with severe weather events.

“They should constantly be investing in upgrading their lines. That’s their obligation to make sure people have reliable power,” he says.

If the rate hike is approved, Nova Scotian's will see an average increase of 1.3 per cent on their bills beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

The utility says that increase will only last for one year and will be removed from ratepayers' bills in 2026.

Houston says it's possible his government will step in and fight the request.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.