Nova Scotia Power ordered to file yearly report on how it's greening the grid

Nova Scotia Power has to report on its progress to decarbonize the grid every year leading up to a major deadline at the end of the decade.

The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB) made the order this week. It comes after Nova Scotia Power delivered a progress report in January at the regulator's request.

That report detailed how Nova Scotia Power will retire its coal-fired power plants and hit 80 per cent renewable energy — about double where it is now — by 2030. 

The UARB said the plan laid out by Nova Scotia Power earlier this year seems to be appropriate, and projects appear to be on track.

"That said, the timeline is very tight, many uncertainties remain, and a concerted effort by N.S. Power, and collaboration by federal and provincial governments will be required to maintain the current momentum," the board explained in a written decision.

Nova Scotia Power is mandated by provincial law to achieve its renewable energy goals. It's facing a $10-million fine for failing to meet an earlier target.

Included in the 2030 plan are a handful of new wind and solar projects operated by third parties that Nova Scotia Power is counting on to bring 1,100 megawatts of clean energy online in the next few years.

The utility is also starting to build three major battery storage facilities, and it is planning to build a new transmission line connecting Nova Scotia to New Brunswick. The estimated cost of that intertie has risen over the past year to $811.5 million from $459.5 million.

The yearly progress report ordered this week is to be included in Nova Scotia Power's annual capital expenditure plan. It's supposed to detail how projects in the original report are advancing and any challenges that come up.

Improving resiliency and reliability

The order was one of several pieces of homework assigned by the UARB to Nova Scotia Power this week. Among the other assignments: better reporting on efforts to make its grid more resilient and reliable.

Those efforts are regularly scrutinized by the board and other stakeholders who participate in board proceedings. 

"Questions from the board and intervenors remain as to whether N.S. Power is investing enough in the right things to fundamentally improve the reliability and the ability of the system to withstand more severe weather events," the board wrote.

A consumer advocate recommended bringing in a third party to review Nova Scotia Power's reliability investments and programs. But Nova Scotia Power said that would be "duplication of an effort and an unnecessary additional cost to customers." The board agreed with the utility.

However, the board said Nova Scotia Power needs to look into developing better metrics for analyzing whether it's effectively spending money on resiliency and reliability efforts. It has to report back on that work in 2025.