Understanding Your Bill

Understanding Your Bill

Seasonal changes have an impact on electricity use – and winter is when customers experience higher bills because the weather is colder and we spend more time indoors, use more lighting, cook more meals, and—most significantly—heat our homes. We know that estimated bills, combined with this seasonal shift, are causing concerns for customers and we’re here to help. It’s important to be aware and prepared for seasonal shifts in your bill. Learn more here.


We are continuing to work on restoring all regular services to our customers following the cyber incident.

Meters are now being reconnected to our billing system. Completing this process will take time. As meters are reconnected, more customers will receive a bill based on actual usage.

Your bill will continue to indicate whether it is estimated or has been read. If your bill is based on an actual meter read, this may have been done either physically by a meter reader or remotely. We will update customers when all meters have been reconnected to our billing system and have committed to have this process complete by March 31, 2026.

How to tell if your bill is estimated or read

At the top of your bill, there will be a note to confirm if your usage has been estimated or has been read for that billing period.

estimated bill

meter read bill

Estimated Bills

We know estimated bills are causing significant concerns for our customers. Please know that an estimate is just that—an estimate—and it will be reconciled on your bill when your meter is read – either remotely or by a meter reader. That means that in the end, you will only pay for the energy you actually used and will receive a credit if an estimated bill was higher than your usage. We are not applying late charges or penalties on any outstanding balances, and we will communicate with customers before reintroducing any late fees on unpaid amounts.

We recommend paying the estimated amount, or the amount from the same billing period last year, to help manage account balances.

If you are concerned about an estimated bill and have not had a meter read, you can take a photo of your meter display and send it to us. We’ll use this information to adjust your bill based on your actual usage. Submit a photo of your meter here >

Answering your questions about estimated billing

WHAT WE'RE DOING

Location pin iconMeter Reading

As of the end of 2025, meters have begun to be reconnected to our billing system and more customers are having meter reads completed remotely. Meter readers are out every day and will continue until all meters have been reconnected, which will happen by the end of March 2026.

Blue spark iconCustomer Service Team

We've hired additional Customer Service team members to take your calls and help answer your questions.

Battery iconNo Interest Charges

We are not applying late charges or penalties on any outstanding balances, and we will communicate with customers before reintroducing any late fees on unpaid amounts.

Meter Read Bills

YAWA-What-will-I-see

Once we’ve received an actual meter read from your property, either remotely or by a meter reader, your next bill will be adjusted to remove any estimated usage. This video highlights what you'll see on your next bill following a meter read.

Watch the video >

Meter Readers

We have hired meter readers who are gathering energy use data from residential and business meters across the province. Reading a meter takes only a few minutes and you do not need to be home for your meter to be read.

Our meter readers wear Nova Scotia Power branded clothing and have a Nova Scotia Power identification badge with the word "Contractor" in the blue stripe at the bottom of the badge. Our contractor often uses rental vehicles for their work. These vehicles may have license plates from other provinces depending on the inventory that was available when the vehicle was secured.

A meter reader looking at a power meter on a home

Billing Support

We are here to help. Whether you have questions about your bill or need help managing your balance, our Customer Care team is available at 1-800-428-6230. They can offer you flexible, interest free payment plans like Equal Billing.
 

Equal Billing

Our Equal Billing Plan can help you manage your budget by spreading the cost of your annual electricity use over 12 equal monthly payments. Learn more here.

For current Equal Billing customers: The January 2026 review and update of equalized monthly payment amounts will not occur as usual. Your monthly payment amount will remain the same. We will resume account reviews mid-year when we have additional actual usage data to determine if your payment amount needs to be updated.

If your household electricity usage has changed over the past year (including installing a new heating system), you can request to have your monthly payment amount updated using our online form.

 
Upcoming Community Sessions

We’re holding a series of community sessions across the province to meet with customers to answer questions about their bills and help them understand the options to manage them. While the Customer Care team continues to be available to support customers over the phone (1-800-428-6230), these sessions are designed to give customers another option to speak in person with a member of our Customer Care team.
 

*Sessions are subject to change in the event of adverse weather conditions
 

DateCommunityLocationTime
Tuesday, January 13Middleton
Rosa M. Harvey Middleton & Area Library
45 Gates Ave, Middleton 
2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Wednesday, January 14Digby
Digby Fire Hall
163 First Ave, Digby
2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday, January 19Sydney/Membertou

Sydney River Fire Hall
36 Lewis Dr, Sydney

Postponed due to weather
Tuesday, January 20
Guysborough
Chedabucto Lifestyle Complex
60 Green St, Guysborough		Postponed due to weather

 

Additional sessions to be determined 

 

Frequently Asked Questions


Bills

I had a meter reading, and my bill is much higher than I expected. How can you help?

We are sorry for the challenges that estimated bills are causing for our customers. We also know a true up bill after an actual meter read may result in a larger bill than expected. We are here to help with options such as enrolling in our Equal Billing program and spreading your annual electricity costs over 12 months. If you need more time to pay, call us to talk about other payment plans with longer payment terms. All our payment plans are interest free.

How will you determine my bill amount?

Meters are now being reconnected to our billing system. Completing this process will take time.  As meters are reconnected, more customers will receive a bill based on actual usage. Your bill will continue to indicate whether it is estimated or has been read. If your bill is based on an actual meter read, this may have been done either physically by a meter reader or remotely. We will update customers when all meters have been reconnected to our billing system and have committed to have this process complete by March 31, 2026.

Why are there adjustments on my bill. What do they mean?

When we resumed billing, we provided an estimated bill. For many customers, we are now able to provide a bill based on actual usage through a physical meter read. An adjustment for the actual power used will be reflected on your latest bill. Details on the billing period and charges for usage in kilowatt hours are outlined on your statement. Your adjustment also accounts for taxes and the provincial energy rebate.

My bill shows that I have a credit balance. Do I get that money back?

Yes. An account credit from an overpayment or as the result of a “true up” bill following an actual meter read will always be credited back to you. You do not need to take any action. Account credits are automatically applied to your next bill.

If you want to receive a refund in the form of a cheque, please call us to discuss. We can review your account along with any new billing charges to ensure you make an informed decision.

I’m on Equal Billing. How does this affect me?

Customers on Equal Billing will continue to be billed their current monthly amount. The January review and update of equalized monthly payment amounts will not occur as usual. Our systems will be restored by the end of March 2026, and we will review your account by July once we have additional usage data to determine if your payment amount needs to be updated.

If your household electricity usage has changed over the past year (including installing new heating systems), you can request to have your monthly payment amount updated using our online form.

What happens if you estimate my bill higher or lower than it’s supposed to be?

When we are able to retrieve your current energy use from your meter, your bill and account will be adjusted to reflect your accurate usage. Customers will never pay for power they do not use.

If the estimate is based on last year, my bill won’t be accurate. I have since installed a heat pump, bought an electric vehicle, etc.

Please know that an estimate is just that—an estimate—and it will be reconciled on your bill when your meter is read – either remotely or by a meter reader. If you are concerned about an estimated bill and have not had a meter read, you can take a photo of your meter display and send it to us. We’ll use this information to adjust your bill based on your actual usage. Submit a photo of your meter here >

How will I know if my bill was estimated?

At the top of your bill, there will be a note to confirm that your usage has been estimated for the billing period. Learn more about how to read your bill here >

estimated bill

Are you charging late fees penalties?

We are not applying late charges or penalties on any outstanding balances, and we will communicate with customers before reintroducing any late fees on unpaid amounts.

I'm not comfortable paying an estimated bill. What are the other options?

If you are concerned about an estimated bill and have not had a meter read, you can take a photo of your meter display and send it to us. We’ll use this information to adjust your bill based on your actual usage. Submit a photo of your meter here >

How long are you going to be estimating my bill?

Meters are now being reconnected to our billing system. Completing this process will take time. As meters are reconnected, more customers will receive a bill based on actual usage. Your bill will continue to indicate whether it is estimated or has been read. If your bill is based on an actual meter read, this may have been done either physically by a meter reader or remotely.

We will update customers when all meters have been reconnected to our billing system and have committed to have this process complete by March 31, 2026. If you are concerned about an estimated bill and have not had a meter read, you can take a photo of your meter display and send it to us. We’ll use this information to adjust your bill based on your actual usage. Submit a photo of your meter here >

How many days are included in my bill?

In most cases, bills will be based on a similar ~60 day billing cycle that customers are used to seeing. There may be some exceptions. Please refer to your bill for more details.

I’m on the Time Varying Pricing Rate Pilot (Time-of-Use, or Critical Peak Pricing). What does this mean for me?

All Billing Process and Meter Reading updates above remain the same for your rate, however it is important to note the following:

In response to the cyber incident, the rate pilots have been temporarily paused for 2025-2026. You will be reverted to the appropriate Standard Rate until we restore full functionality to operate the rate pilot again. Once functionality is restored customers will be contacted with advance notice (at least 15 days), and your power rate will automatically return to the pilot rate. 

Applications for new participants of Time-of-Use Rate Pilot and Critical Peak Pricing Rate Pilot are closed. Join our mailing list to be the first to hear when applications reopen. 

 

How do I sign up for Equal Billing?

It’s easy to sign up for Equal Billing. Call our Customer Care team at 1-800-428-6230 to learn more.

Can I switch to paperless or create a new MyAccount?

If you want to create a new MyAccount profile and go paperless, please give us a call at 1-800-428-6230 to start the process.

See more FAQs


Payments

Did you get my payment?

Payments made through MyAccount, or your bank, will be applied to your account and reflected on your MyAccount dashboard and on your next bill. You may also confirm a recent payment by calling 1-800-428-6230 and using our self-service menu. Please have your account number ready to use this option.

Will my future automated payments be processed on time?

Yes. All payments moving forward will be processed as expected.

Can I cancel my pre-authorized debit arrangement?

Yes, if you wish to cancel or modify your payment method, please contact Customer Care. If you make automated payments through MyAccount, you have full control over your payments. Just login to MyAccount to view or adjust your scheduled payments or make changes to your payment preferences.

Should I trust Nova Scotia Power with my bank account information on payments?

We are working hard to continue strengthening the security of our systems by implementing additional safeguards to help prevent similar incidents in the future. There are numerous options to pay your Nova Scotia Power bill including through your bank via online banking.

How do I change my MyAccount password?

We do recommend updating your password to help keep your account safe.

The MyAccount login page has a new look, and we’ve added some helpful features. After you sign in, you can update your password and security question on your new profile page. If you just want to view or pay your bill, select View & Pay Your Bill.

See more FAQs


Meters & Data

Why is my meter saying “noSynch”?

Meters have continued to work and measure usage accurately throughout the cyber incident. The meters are not yet able to communicate the data to our systems and that is why the meter display may say "noSynch".

When my meter starts providing usage data again how will you know it's accurate?

Meters have continued to work and measure usage accurately throughout the cyber incident. The issue is with the sending of the data to our internal systems. When meters are once again able to communicate with our systems the data will transfer from the meter to us.

Will you be hiring meter readers to do physical meter reads?

Yes. To provide customers with a bill based on their actual energy use, we have hired meter readers who will be gathering energy use data from residential and business meters beginning in July 2025.

What should I expect if a meter reader is coming to my property?

Reading a meter takes only minutes and you don’t have to be home to have your meter read. In most cases our meter readers will access your meter through your property.

What happens if a meter reader can’t access the meter on my property?

If vegetation, pets, fencing or anything else is blocking access to your meter, you will receive an estimated bill based on an average of the previous energy used at your property during a similar time of year.

Where is MyEnergy Insights?

MyEnergy Insights remains unavailable. We continue working to restore access to MyEnergy Insights. We appreciate your patience as we work to restore all services following the cyber incident.

Do the hackers have access to my meter information?

The types of impacted personal information varied by individual customer and may have included your customer account history, such as power consumption, service requests, payments, billing and credit history, and customer correspondence.

I have opted out of smart meters and have an analog/digital meter. How does this affect me?

Your meter will continue to be read as part of the same process that has been in place for opt-out customers.

See more FAQs