POWERING A GREEN NOVA SCOTIA, TOGETHER

We’re on a path to building a cleaner, greener energy future for our province. It’s why we’re moving off coal and working to reach 80% renewable energy by 2030.

Like any goal worth striving for, there is a lot to consider. It’s critical that we listen to and engage with our customers, stakeholders, and communities across the province as we work to build a greener Nova Scotia, together.

 

our energy stats

We have a responsibility to provide our customers with clean, reliable electricity, every day. That’s why we’re committed to meeting provincial and federal goals to reach 80% renewable energy and moving off coal by 2030. The only way to get there is by working together to enable a clean energy future.

How we’ll reach 80% renewable energy

Our roadmap for the Path to 2030 is aligned with the province’s Clean Power Plan. It’s going to take a mix of energy solutions to enable us to reach 80% renewable energy. Together, we know we need to reach our climate goals while doing what’s best for Nova Scotians—balancing costs and ensuring that as your electricity gets greener, it stays reliable, too.

Wind is a low-cost source of clean energy that will play a crucial part in our transition. We’re lucky to have an abundance of it in Nova Scotia! In addition to the 600 megawatts of wind we use today, up to 1,500 megawatts of wind energy will be added to the system over the next several years.

Solar is another way to add more renewable energy to the grid. And with government programs and rebates available through Efficiency Nova Scotia, solar has become more accessible for many Nova Scotians. Not everyone is able to install solar panels on their home or business. That’s why in 2021, we launched our first community solar garden. It’s a simple way for all Nova Scotians to have access to solar energy, without having to install their own panels.

community solar garden

workers-in-hard-hats-safety-coverallsAs we add more wind and solar, we also need to be able to shift that energy to periods when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Grid-scale batteries will help us store renewable energy and bring more of it onto the grid when customers need it most. We’re excited to be collaborating with local communities in the early stages of planning for three new proposed battery sites in Bridgewater, Halifax Regional Municipality, and King’s County. This includes financial support from the federal government, as well as an investment agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and Wskijnu'k Mtmo'taqnuow Agency (WMA).

Our filing to the Utility and Review Board outlines the important and collaborative work to help mitigate the cost impacts of the project for our customers.

Battery Storage

NS-NB Reliability Tie:

A proposed second transmission line from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick will strengthen our connection to our neighbours, providing a steady, reliable flow of energy as we add more renewables onto our system.

Maritime Link:

The Maritime Link enables us to connect to clean, reliable hydropower in Newfoundland & Labrador—helping us grow our use of renewable energy through consistent clean energy imports.

NS-NB Reliability Tie
As our population grows and demand for electricity continues to increase, we’ll need access to reliable, fast-acting generation—like natural gas, and with an eye on the potential future use of hydrogen. This will help ensure we can generate back-up energy on demand, supporting our system on days when Nova Scotians are using the most electricity—like during extremely cold winter days.

As we move away from using coal to make electricity, we’ll be making some changes at our coal plants, including our Lingan and Point Tupper Generating Stations in Cape Breton. At Lingan, some existing coal units can already generate power using heavy fuel oil and at Point Tupper, we would convert the facility to operate on natural gas. Since these units wouldn’t be used very often, their annual carbon emissions will be low and continue to meet all emissions requirements and regulations.

 

How You Can Get Involved

The transition to a cleaner energy future will take all of us working together to do the right thing for our communities and for generations to come. You can get involved by asking us questions and for updates, attending a future open house and/or signing up for a newsletter. Please fill out the form below and let us know how you would like to be engaged.

You can also contact us at any time at engage@nspower.ca.
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Engaging Our Communities

Listening to our communities is a critical part of our clean energy transition. Your input is helping inform our decision making, as we transform how we make and deliver energy. That’s why we’re committed to conducting transparent and inclusive engagement processes that are responsive and accountable.

Our teams have been having productive conversations about our clean energy transition, engaging communities impacted by this transition through a number of meetings and town-hall events.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Don’t you need coal as a reliable back-up source of energy?

Coal has been an important part of our history here in Nova Scotia, but we know it can’t be part of our long-term future. As part of our path to 2030, we’re removing coal from our energy mix, and transitioning to renewable energy.

A critical part of this transition is ensuring that we can continue to meet demand and deliver reliable electricity to our customers, every day. This will take a mix of solutions, one of which is on the conversion of two of our coal units to natural gas, while ensuring we’re planning for the future and the potentially eventual use of hydrogen for these units.

Natural gas is a fast-acting source of energy, meaning it can be activated quickly as a reliable back-up. The potential for hydrogen is incredible--not just for utilities, but many other applications, including buildings and transportation. Hydrogen can be produced from diverse local resources with the potential for near-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

What will be the next coal plant to close? Will they all be closed by 2030?

We are committed to continuing to work toward the 2030 renewable energy goals. This is a huge undertaking, and it has to be done in a way that manages the cost impacts to customers.

There’s a lot of important work ahead, and we know it will take all of us—government, stakeholders and customers—working together to achieve these goals. We are committed to doing that and are having productive conversations with government and key stakeholders.

How big are the battery sites?

On average, a battery site is typically 3 acres. Battery containers are long rectangular structures with a low profile, which closely resemble the shape of a shipping container. The project team is still finalizing details about the total size, MW and number of structures/containers that will be included in each site.

Do the battery sites pose any environmental concerns?

Because of the small footprint of our three proposed battery sites, an environmental assessment is not needed. Our environmental team is completing reviews of the potential project locations to identify and mitigate any environmental considerations. This includes the completion of Archaeological Resource Impact Assessment on all sites, to identify potential Mi’kmaw archaeology at or near the project sites.

Are there any safety concerns for the battery sites?

Safety is our first priority in project design, construction and operation of future grid-scale battery facilities.

We will ensure all aspects of the design and construction meet the highest safety standards, as well as meet or exceed industry practice.

Fire prevention is another component of the design of battery facilities. We’re engaging subject matter experts in the review and evaluation of fire suppression system design. We also plan to engage with all local fire departments regarding the three proposed sites.

Why were these locations chosen for the battery sites?

There are three potential communities chosen as future battery sites:

  • Bridgewater, Queens County
  • Waterville, Kings County
  • Spider Lake, HRM

These sites have been chosen because they:

  • were identified as part of the IRP process as ideal locations in the province to balance the grid and support the reliable supply of energy to customers across the province;
  • are adjacent to 138 kV transmission lines, necessary to transport electricity from nearby renewable sources; and
  • are close to nearby substations, needed to convert and distribute electricity to customers in surrounding communities and across the grid.

 

Are electromagnetic fields a health concern near powerlines?

The electricity distributed to our homes produces an electromagnetic field which the Government of Canada considers extremely low. In your home, the electric fields from transformer boxes and power lines are often weaker than the fields from household appliances. For more information, visit Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) - Canada.ca.

How does solar play a role in Nova Scotia’s clean energy transition?

Solar is a part of Nova Scotia's future. We launched our utility’s first community solar garden in Amherst. It produces about 2700 MWh of electricity a year – enough to power about 240 homes. This pilot project is providing us a better understanding of the benefits for both customers and the grid to help form future decisions. You can learn more about this at: nspower.ca/communitysolar.

How will the transition to renewable energy impact my bill?

Delivering electricity that’s clean, reliable and affordable for our customers is our priority.

As we work towards 80% renewable energy, we’re committed to working with all levels of government and stakeholders to ensure an affordable transition for Nova Scotians.

Why should I get involved?

The transition to cleaner energy future will take all of us Nova Scotians working together to do the right thing for our communities and for generations to come. 

Having our customers, Indigenous groups and other stakeholders involved enables them to continue informing our planning and approaches.

Can you still meet governments 2030 climate goals?

These goals are less than seven short years away, and there is a lot of work to do. It won’t be easy.

Provincial legislation still requires us to reach 80% renewable energy by 2030, and federal policy requires the closure of coal plants by 2030, and we’re committed to reaching these goals.

We’re 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 goals together.

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Modernizing our grid

As the energy our customers use continues to get greener over time, we’re also modernizing our grid to offer more choice and convenience to all Nova Scotians when using electricity.