After more than six months of discussions, consultations, and information sharing, we have reached a settlement (Tuesday, September 2, 2025) in collaboration with customer representatives. This settlement outlines to the Nova Scotia Energy Board (NSEB) revenue required to support the investments needed to meet the needs of customers in Nova Scotia—today and into the future.
The customer representatives we worked with to reach a settlement include the Consumer Advocate (CA), the Small Business Advocate (SBA), the Industrial Group (IG), the Berwick Electric Commission, Riverport Electric Light Commission, the Town of Mahone Bay, the Town of Antigonish, and Port Hawkesbury Paper (PHP).
In the coming weeks, and in alignment with this settlement, we will file a General Rate Application (GRA) with the Energy Board. As part of regular process, the NSEB will evaluate the Settlement Agreement and GRA filing, hold a hearing in November, and ultimately set rates for all customers.
If approved, the residential rate impact of this settlement is expected to be in the range of approximately 4.1% average annual increases for both 2026 and 2027. Other customers, including small business and industrial customers, would see similar or lower increases. The settlement proposes an average 2.1% rate increase across all customer groups for 2026 and 2027, including residential, small business, and industrial customers.
The Energy Board will make a final determination on rates for each customer group.
Read our letter to the Energy Board >
Together with customer representatives, we were committed to finding a solution to the ever-increasing need to invest in reliability, balanced with the very real cost pressures on customers. At the core of the settlement are the critical reliability investments required to make the grid as strong and resilient as possible. Our existing Reliability Plan includes over $1.3 billion in reliability-focused upgrades over five years, including storm hardening, vegetation management, and grid modernization. This Settlement Agreement supports the first two years of our five-year plan.
Investments in reliability will allow us to:
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Community engagement has been an essential part of our Five-Year Reliability Plan and rate application process. Over the past two years, we have enhanced how we engage with customers across Nova Scotia to incorporate their feedback on their needs and priorities.
Meetings have been taking place in communities across the province to help incorporate feedback into our local plans to improve reliability for customers.
Did you know? Over 40 community meetings occurred in 2024 and are continuing throughout 2025 and beyond.
A new Reliability team was established, including Reliability Advisors hired in each region of the province to engage with customers and help address local reliability related issues in their communities.
Did you know? We’ve also hired 53 powerline technicians, 33 apprentices, and 32 more field support roles since 2023.
Working closely with low-income advocates and stakeholders, we’ve enhanced our solutions to ensure customers who are struggling know how to find the help they need.
Did you know? This work has led to a reduction in residential disconnections—from 3,183 in 2023 to 1,782 in 2024.
Earlier this year we established a Community Advisory Committee, including community and business leaders from across Nova Scotia who meet quarterly to discuss and provide feedback on topics related to Nova Scotia Power and how we serve their communities.
The Nova Scotia Energy Board (NSEB) will make a final determination on rates for each customer group as part of their decision on the General Rate Application. The below scenarios provide examples of how customer bills could change under the proposed settlement agreement.
Jamie owns a three-bedroom house with electric baseboard heating and an electric water heater. She works from home a few days a week, watches TV recreationally, and likes her home to be a bit warmer. Due to electric heating, her bill tends to be higher in the winter, so she’s considering Equal Billing to have a consistent monthly payment.
After the proposed 2026 increase takes place:
Alex lives in a one-bedroom apartment, works part time, and enjoys playing video games with their friends.
After the proposed 2026 increase takes place:
Sam owns a four-bedroom home with their partner Charlie. They have three teenage kids and heat their home with electric baseboards, so their energy use is a bit higher than average.
After the proposed 2026 increase takes place:
Sam can expect increased usage in the winter months:
What does it mean to reach a settlement?
Together with customer representatives, we were committed to finding a solution to the ever-increasing need to invest in reliability, balanced with the very real cost pressures on customers. After more than six months of discussions, consultations, and information sharing, we reached a settlement with customer representatives. The settlement outlines to the Nova Scotia Energy Board (NSEB) what we require through power rates to meet the needs of customers in Nova Scotia.
Why are you requesting a rate increase?
At the core of the settlement are the critical reliability investments required to make the grid as strong and resilient as possible. Our existing Reliability Plan includes over $1.3 billion in reliability-focused upgrades over five years, including storm hardening, vegetation management, and grid modernization. The settlement supports the first two years of our five-year plan.
Who was part of the settlement discussions?
Customer representatives, including Consumer Advocate (CA), the Small Business Advocate (SBA), the Industrial Group (IG), the Berwick Electric Commission, Riverport Electric Light Commission, the Town of Mahone Bay, the Town of Antigonish, and Port Hawkesbury Paper (PHP).
What are you doing to help low-income customers?
We have designed and implemented several new initiatives to help customers in need based on input from low-income advocates—including our increased financial support of the HEAT Fund, expanding flexibility of our payment plans for customers to best support their situation and increased promotion of equal billing to ensure a predictable bill each month of the year. We encourage any customers struggling to pay their bill to call our Customer Care team. We are here to help.
How do power rates in Nova Scotia compare to neighbouring utilities in Atlantic Canada?
Across the country, other power utilities are also forecasting increased capital costs to support the needs of customers. In Atlantic Canada specifically:
