Changes to Power Rates

Changes to Power Rates

On January 1st, 2025, power rates changed.


What does that mean for you?

The standard residential energy rate changed from $0.17703 per kWh to $0.18094 per kWh on January 1, 2025. To learn more about how this rate change impacts your bill, visit our detailed customer rates pages below: 

A mother holding a child
Residential Rates

Choose a rate plan that's right for you and your home!

Rates for Residential Customers
Family of three standing in front of a house
Business Rates

Whether you're a small, medium or large business, we've got a rate plan for you!

Rates for Business Customers

Why are rates changing? 

This increase is for the recovery of significant storm costs from 2023. This includes things like storm preparedness, wages, costs of external service providers, materials and supplies. These 2023 storm costs will be included in the energy rate on all customer bills for a period of one year from January 1 to December 31, 2025. 

A smaller portion of this rate increase is for independently managed energy efficiency programs, through Efficiency Nova Scotia.



What does this mean for my bill? 

This change will be reflected in the energy rate of your bill.  The energy rate is a charge that includes fuel, operational costs, reliability investments and Energy Efficiency programs. This charge is variable - meaning it changes with your usage.  

There is no change to the base charge. 

 

Save Energy and Money

There may be more rate changes in 2025. We are committed to letting our customers know of any changes when the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board finalizes their decisions. We know that any rate increase can be challenging as the cost of living continues to be high.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How are you preparing for storms and more serve weather?

As our province continues to face increasingly severe weather conditions, we are working hard to improve reliability for our customers through increased investment in storm hardening, damage prevention and vegetation management. This includes investing in stronger poles that are less affected by trees and can withstand the elements, and more robust insulators that are designed for exposed coastal areas.  

Our investment in tree trimming has increased to $45 million, which is nearly twice what it was over the past five years. We plan to continue our investment at this level, or more, for the next five years. 

Overall, we have increased our annual investment in reliability from $180 million a year over the past five years to approximately $240 million in 2024. This increased investment is on key projects and solutions that will make power more reliable for our customers and improve resiliency of the power system.  

Going forward this work will help to minimize the impact of storms on our customers.

Why are the costs for efficiency programs recovered on power bills?

The cost of delivering energy efficiency programs that encourage cost savings for customers are collected through power bills. This is a requirement set out by the province. Learn more about Energy Efficiency Programs.

Why do rates continue to increase?

This rate change is for the recovery of significant storm costs from 2023. This includes things like storm preparedness, wages, costs of external service providers, materials and supplies. A smaller portion of this rate increase is for independently managed energy efficiency programs, through Efficiency Nova Scotia.

We are regulated by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB)—they are responsible for ensuring customers receive power at fair rates. The NSURB uses a “cost of service” method which ensures that rates are set at a level that will allow us to recover costs plus a reasonable profit. Without a reasonable return, investors would not be willing to invest in the utility.  

Are there more rate increases coming?

Additional rate changes are expected in early 2025. Once the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board finalizes a decision we will communicate the impacts to our customers. 

See more FAQs

Customer Support

To support our customers, we offer income-based programs, such as the HomeWarming program, as well as tools like equal billing and MyEnergy Insights to help you manage your heating bills. There are also support programs available through the government and Efficiency Nova Scotia. We continue to work with customer advocates, including the Affordable Energy Coalition, as well as the provincial government, on ways to ensure support for our customers living on a lower income. We also continue working on providing more convenience, choice, and control for customers over the energy you use.

MORE INFORMATION