Nova Scotia Power
Nova Scotia's vertically integrated electric utility, supplying generation, transmission and distribution services to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Last updated October 15, 2026
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Overview
Nova Scotia Power Inc. is the principal electric utility serving Nova Scotia, Canada. The company operates as a vertically integrated utility: it generates or purchases electricity, transmits it across the province, and distributes it to most residential, commercial and industrial customers. Its activities are subject to provincial regulation by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, rather than being conducted as an unregulated retail electricity business. The utility traces its institutional origins to the Nova Scotia Power Commission, created by the provincial government in 1919. The commission initially expanded through hydroelectric development and later absorbed or acquired assets from private and municipal utilities that failed or sold their systems. Nova Scotia was connected to New Brunswick's electricity system in 1960, creating Canada's first interprovincial electricity interconnection. Rapid demand growth in the late 1960s led to the construction of several thermal generating stations and shifted the system toward a broader mix of coal, oil, natural gas, hydroelectricity and other resources. A major restructuring occurred in 1972, when the provincial government acquired Nova Scotia Light and Power Company and leased its assets to the renamed Nova Scotia Power Corporation. In 1984, the corporation opened the Annapolis Royal tidal generating station, one of the earliest large tidal-power facilities of its kind. The Crown corporation was privatized in 1992, creating Nova Scotia Power Incorporated. In 1998 and 1999, the business was reorganized beneath a holding-company structure. The holding company was initially called NS Power Holdings Inc. and was renamed Emera Inc. in 2000. Nova Scotia Power subsequently became an Emera subsidiary while retaining its role as the regulated Nova Scotian utility. The company has faced recurring public and regulatory scrutiny over reliability, fuel procurement, rates, storm restoration, environmental performance and the administration of energy-efficiency programs. Following severe winter storms in the 2000s, municipalities, political parties and public-interest organizations criticized the utility's grid maintenance and outage-response practices. A regulatory audit also concluded that customers had been overcharged because the company paid too much for fuel over a two-year period. These issues have contributed to the utility's broader reputation as an essential but closely scrutinized public-service provider. Nova Scotia Power has also participated in regional transmission and clean-energy initiatives. Through its parent company Emera, it entered into arrangements with Newfoundland and Labrador's Nalcor Energy connected to the Maritime Link, a subsea transmission project intended to provide Nova Scotia with access to hydroelectric power from the Lower Churchill development. The company has purchased electricity from independent producers, including wind, hydroelectric and biomass generators, and has operated or supported renewable facilities within Nova Scotia. Demand management and grid modernization have become increasingly important parts of the business. Nova Scotia Power began administering energy-efficiency programs in 2008, but responsibility for many demand-side-management activities later moved to the independently governed Efficiency Nova Scotia organization. The utility also pursued outage-management, distribution-management and geographic-information-system improvements, and received regulatory approval in 2018 for a province-wide smart-meter deployment costing up to C$133.2 million. Nova Scotia Power remains a central participant in Nova Scotia's electricity transition, balancing reliability and affordability with provincial efforts to reduce dependence on coal and increase renewable generation.
History
Nova Scotia Power's origins lie in the creation of the Nova Scotia Power Commission by the provincial government in 1919. The commission opened a hydroelectric plant at Tantallon in 1920 and expanded during the following decades as private and municipal electricity providers encountered financial difficulties or transferred their assets to the public system. This process gradually produced a province-wide utility rather than a collection of disconnected local networks. In 1960, Nova Scotia was connected to the New Brunswick Electric Power Commission. The interconnection was the first between two Canadian provinces and gave Nova Scotia an additional source of system flexibility. During the late 1960s, demand from households and industry grew rapidly. The commission responded by building five thermal generating stations, establishing a generation portfolio that would remain substantially dependent on fossil fuels for many years. On January 27, 1972, the provincial government acquired Nova Scotia Light and Power Company, Limited, an investor-owned utility. Its assets were leased to the renamed Nova Scotia Power Corporation, consolidating the province's electricity business under a Crown-oriented structure. The corporation continued to develop hydroelectric resources and thermal generation. In 1984 it opened the Annapolis Royal Generating Station on the Annapolis River. The facility was notable as the world's first tidal power station of its type, although tidal generation did not become a widely deployed technology. The province privatized Nova Scotia Power in 1992 under Premier Donald Cameron. The sale was controversial and was driven in part by pressure to reduce public deficits and debt-servicing obligations. The privatized enterprise became Nova Scotia Power Incorporated. In late 1998, shareholders approved a restructuring that placed the regulated utility beneath a holding company. NS Power Holdings Inc. was established, shareholders exchanged their Nova Scotia Power shares for holding-company shares on a one-for-one basis, and the holding company's shares began trading on the Toronto and Montreal stock exchanges in January 1999. The holding company changed its name to Emera Inc. in July 2000, leaving Nova Scotia Power as a wholly owned regulated subsidiary. The company encountered increased criticism after major winter storms in 2004. Municipal organizations, political parties and public-interest groups questioned whether sufficient resources had been devoted to preventive maintenance, grid instrumentation and outage monitoring. A proposal to create a regional system operator was studied by SNC-Lavalin, but Nova Scotia Power continued to operate as a vertically integrated utility. Regional electricity politics became particularly important after a proposed 2009 transaction involving New Brunswick Power and Hydro-Québec. Nova Scotia officials worried that Hydro-Québec control of much of New Brunswick's system could restrict Nova Scotia's access to transmission routes and weaken its plans to export renewable electricity to New England. The proposed sale was reduced and ultimately abandoned following public opposition in New Brunswick. Nova Scotia subsequently explored a transmission-loop concept intended to connect Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and potentially Prince Edward Island without relying exclusively on Quebec or New Brunswick routes. In November 2010, Emera announced an agreement with Nalcor Energy concerning the first phase of the Lower Churchill project and associated transmission infrastructure. The resulting Maritime Link included overhead transmission in Newfoundland and a submarine cable across the Cabot Strait. The project was designed to give Nova Scotia long-term access to a block of hydroelectric power from Muskrat Falls and to support regional electricity trading. Nova Scotia Power later acted as an agent for the Maritime Link utility in commercial dealings and agreed to provide transmission services in Nova Scotia. Energy efficiency became another major area of institutional change. Nova Scotia Power began implementing energy-efficiency and conservation programs in 2008, initially serving large commercial and industrial customers. Critics questioned whether an electricity seller should administer programs intended to reduce electricity sales. Following public consultations, responsibility for demand-side management shifted toward independent administration. Efficiency Nova Scotia was created in 2010, with an independent board and regulatory oversight, while conservation costs were recovered through a charge on customer bills. The utility also pursued digital-grid modernization. It announced plans in 2013 to extend Schneider Electric geographic-information-system technology with outage-management and distribution-management functions. After withdrawing a smart-meter pilot application in 2017 amid consumer criticism, Nova Scotia Power submitted a broader proposal. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved province-wide smart-meter deployment in June 2018, authorizing costs of up to C$133.2 million. Installation began in 2019, with completion planned for 2021. Nova Scotia Power's operating system has included thermal, hydroelectric, tidal and wind resources, as well as electricity purchased from independent producers. Its customers include most Nova Scotian households and businesses, major industrial facilities and municipalities whose local utilities remain separate from the provincial utility. The company continues to operate under provincial regulation while participating in the province's efforts to improve reliability, integrate renewable energy and reduce carbon-intensive generation.
- 2018
Province-wide smart meters receive regulatory approval
[1]The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved the utility's smart-meter deployment application.
- 2013
Grid-management modernization is announced
[1]Nova Scotia Power announced plans to extend Schneider Electric systems with outage-management and distribution-management capabilities.
- 2010
Maritime Link agreement is announced
[1]Emera and Nalcor announced arrangements associated with the Lower Churchill project and transmission links to Nova Scotia.
- 2010
Efficiency Nova Scotia is created
[1]Demand-side-management responsibilities were transferred to an independently governed nonprofit organization.
- 2008
Utility-administered conservation programs expand
[1]Nova Scotia Power began implementing energy-efficiency and conservation programs, initially focusing on large commercial and industrial users.
- 2000
NS Power Holdings becomes Emera
[1]The holding company changed its name to Emera Incorporated.
- 1999
Holding-company restructuring is completed
[1]NS Power Holdings Inc. became the publicly traded holding company above the regulated utility.
- 1992
Nova Scotia Power is privatized
[1]The provincial Crown utility was privatized and became Nova Scotia Power Incorporated.
- 1984
Annapolis Royal tidal station opens
[1]The Annapolis Royal Generating Station began operation as an early large-scale tidal-power facility.
- 1972
Nova Scotia Light and Power is acquired
[1]The provincial government acquired Nova Scotia Light and Power and leased its assets to the renamed Nova Scotia Power Corporation.
Products and positioning
A regulated, vertically integrated provincial electric utility providing essential power infrastructure and electricity services across Nova Scotia.
Electricity retail
Residential electricity service
Electricity supply, billing and distribution service for the majority of households in Nova Scotia. Residential customers receive power through Nova Scotia Power's regulated distribution network, with rates and related charges overseen by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.
Electricity retail
Commercial and industrial electricity service
Electricity service for businesses, institutions and large industrial customers. The offering is supported by the province-wide generation, transmission and distribution system and includes rate classes tailored to different load profiles and customer sizes.
Electric grid infrastructure
Transmission and distribution
The utility operates the infrastructure that transports electricity from generating stations and purchased-power sources to communities and end users throughout Nova Scotia. This includes high-voltage transmission assets, local distribution networks, outage response and system-management functions.
Power procurement
Renewable and purchased power integration
Nova Scotia Power supplements its own generating fleet by purchasing electricity from independent producers using wind, hydroelectricity, biomass and landfill gas. This function allows renewable generation and regional imports to be incorporated into the regulated provincial system.
Grid modernization · 2019
Smart-meter services
A province-wide advanced-metering program approved in 2018 and initiated in 2019. The project was intended to provide remotely readable meters and improve operational information, outage response and network management.
Controversies
2026
Nova Scotia Energy Board hearing examines Nova Scotia Power's 2025 cyberattack response
The Nova Scotia Energy Board opened a hearing on August 18, 2026, examining Nova Scotia Power's cybersecurity training, customer data retention before the 2025 cyberattack, and the credit protection offered to customers afterward. The breach, discovered on April 25, 2025, affected nearly 400,000 former and current customers.
2009
Fuel-cost overcharge audit
A regulatory audit by Liberty Consulting Group found that Nova Scotia Power had overcharged customers by C$21.8 million because it paid too much for fuel during a two-year period. The report became the subject of controversy because of redactions in its initial release; the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board later ordered the unredacted report released.
Brand decisions
2018
Province-wide smart-meter rolloutProduct launchBackground
The utility had withdrawn an earlier pilot proposal after consumer criticism and returned with a broader application.
Action taken
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved installation of smart meters throughout the province.
Aftermath
The project began in 2019, with completion planned for 2021.
Approved smart-meter project cost. Up to C$133.2 million (2018 regulatory approval)
2010
Participation in the Maritime LinkStrategyBackground
Nova Scotia sought to reduce dependence on coal-fired generation and improve access to regional renewable electricity.
Action taken
Emera and Nalcor pursued transmission infrastructure connecting Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, including a subsea cable across the Cabot Strait.
Aftermath
Nova Scotia Power became involved in transmission services and commercial arrangements associated with the project.
Announced project and related development deal value. C$6.2 billion announced deal (2010 announcement)
2010
Independent administration of energy efficiencyStrategyBackground
Advocates questioned whether a utility that earns revenue from electricity sales should administer programs designed to reduce demand.
Action taken
Demand-side-management functions were transferred to Efficiency Nova Scotia, an independently governed nonprofit organization subject to regulatory oversight.
Aftermath
Conservation programs continued under a separate institutional model funded through regulated customer charges.
1992
Privatization of the Crown utilityStrategyBackground
The provincial government faced pressure to address deficits and debt-servicing costs.
Action taken
The government sold the Crown electricity corporation, creating Nova Scotia Power Incorporated as a privately owned utility.
Aftermath
The privatization remained politically controversial and was followed by the creation of an Emera holding-company structure.
Recent events
Reported
Nova Scotia Power announces CEO succession[4]
Nova Scotia Power announced that executive vice-president Chris Smith will become president and CEO on Nov. 2, 2026, replacing Vivek Sood, whose one-year contract ends and who decided not to renew it.
Reported
Nova Scotia Energy Board hearing examines Nova Scotia Power's 2025 cyberattack response[3]
The Nova Scotia Energy Board opened a hearing on August 18, 2026, examining Nova Scotia Power's cybersecurity training, customer data retention before the 2025 cyberattack, and the credit protection offered to customers afterward. The breach, discovered on April 25, 2025, affected nearly 400,000 former and current customers.
Reported
Emera appoints Rick Janega interim CEO of Nova Scotia Power[5]
Emera announced that Rick Janega would become interim President and CEO of Nova Scotia Power Inc. effective June 1, 2020.
Sources5 sources
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