Utility board defies Nova Scotia government, allows 14 per cent power rate hike – Halifax | 24CA News

Nova Scotia’s utility regulator has defied the provincial authorities and authorised a mean 14 per cent improve in electrical energy charges over two years.

Premier Tim Houston stated final November that his authorities opposed the rise of 6.9 per cent in each 2023 and 2024, which had been agreed to by Nova Scotia Power and most buyer consultant teams.

The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board stated right now it would persist with the speed hikes within the settlement, defying the federal government’s place.

The Houston authorities adopted Bill 212 final fall that capped annual fee will increase to 1.8 per cent — however that cap didn’t embody prices associated to gas or vitality effectivity packages.

Houston had argued that by accepting projected gas prices as the premise for the 2024 fee hike, the utility can be much less motivated to mitigate these prices.

The board says in its choice that it couldn’t permit “reasonable” prices to make charges extra reasonably priced.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 2, 2023.