Over A Hundred Nova Scotians Spoke. Here’s What They Said.

Over the past few months, we asked Nova Scotians to share their experiences with Nova Scotia Power Inc. 126 people responded, and their stories paint a clear picture: the current system is not working for everyday people. 

Here’s what we heard:

1. Rising electricity rates are pushing households to their limit. 

Electricity is not a luxury; it is an essential service. Right now, too many Nova Scotians are being pushed to make impossible choices due to rate increases. 

More than 50 people specifically mentioned struggling to afford food or groceries because of their power bill. 40 described problems heating their homes or staying warm. 27 respondents were retirees, seniors, or people on fixed or disability incomes; those least able to absorb rate increases.

“We have to decide between groceries or medicine some months”. (McCallum Settlement)

“I will tell you that I am freezing in my house because I can’t afford to turn on my electric heat.” (Eastern Passage)

“It’s unaffordable when my power bill is almost as much as my rent.” (Halifax)

2. Billing practices are creating confusion, stress, and financial strain

Of the 107 people who answered our billing question, more than half reported inaccurate or unexpectedly high bills. For many, the shift to estimated billing following the 2024 data breach was the breaking point. Many respondents said they tried to resolve billing issues but were met with unhelpful customer service, long wait times, or unclear answers.

“When we first moved into our new house we got a bill for $7,000.00 from NSP. (Lower Branch)

“I was charged for 1556 days of power when there’s only 365 days in a one year period.” (Dominion)

“Life was hard enough on a single income, but with “estimated billing” from NS Power and the bill doubling, it’s hard to keep up.” (Eastern Passage)

3. Days Without Power Is Becoming Normal

Storms are part of life in Nova Scotia, but prolonged outages shouldn’t be. Respondents across the province described aging infrastructure, unmaintained power lines, and trees growing into poles for months or years without action. 

93 people reported experiencing at least one outage in the past year. Of those, 50 described outages lasting multiple days. 20 people discussed losing food to spoilage, and 16 had to purchase or rely on a generator just to get through.

“We lose power randomly, sometimes on a clear sunny day. The last time we lost power was for 37 hours, just last weekend.” (Hebbville)

“I had an outage lasting about two weeks! Shocking for us seniors with mobility limitations to have to haul water for daily life and lose our heating, lighting, and communication systems.” (Head of St Margaret’s Bay)

“We have young children, and we had to have them sleep by the woodstove to keep warm while the power was out.” (Parkdale)

4. More Renewables, Better Reliability, and Public Control.

When asked what energy projects or changes they’d like to see, 69 out of 121 respondents called for more renewable energy. The most common asks included wind, solar, and tidal energy projects that create local jobs; undergrounding power lines; better tree maintenance; and subsidies for rooftop solar and heat pumps that are genuinely accessible to low-income households. More than 50 people explicitly called for Nova Scotia Power to be returned to public ownership.

“I would like to see more investment in renewable and community-based energy projects, such as solar, wind, and energy storage, that actually benefit residents. These projects should improve reliability, reduce outages, and help lower household costs over time — not just increase profits for a private utility.” (Fall River)

“Nova Scotia has abundant wind and sufficient sun to generate power where it is used—cleanly and efficiently. Decentralized wind and solar mean fewer outages, protection during storms, resistance to large-scale failure, and energy money kept in communities, not monopolies. This will provide lots of local jobs too.” (Blind Bay)

“I would want the province to take back control of the energy system and not give up a public utility ever again. It makes complete sense to have a public utility owned and directed by the public.” (Cambridge)

5.  No Trust in For-Profit Climate Action

We asked Nova Scotians whether they trust Nova Scotia Power Inc. to deliver meaningful climate action without raising household costs. Of the 120 people who answered, only 4 expressed any degree of trust or optimism. Respondents consistently pointed to the same barrier: as a private monopoly with a guaranteed rate of return, Nova Scotia Power Inc. has no real incentive to transition quickly to clean energy. 

“NSP is a business only focused on quarterly profits for its shareholders and not on climate action. Any benefit to the climate, long term, feels entirely accidental.” (Lantz)

“I do not trust NS Power to deliver meaningful climate action at all based on their actions and on their legislated guaranteed profit which incentivizes and rewards them for profit over people and planet.” (Head of St Margaret’s Bay)

“So far, rate increases seem to be the solution every time, and the burden keeps falling on customers rather than the company. Climate action shouldn’t mean people can’t afford basic utilities.” (Fall River)

What’s Next?

Nova Scotia can choose an energy system that puts people first; one that keeps electricity affordable, improves reliability during storms, supports climate action, and is accountable to the public, not shareholders. Here’s what you can do to get us closer to this goal: 

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