New Democrats oppose Nova Scotia Power rate hike, call on Energy Minister Houston to act

HALIFAX –On Wednesday, ahead of the closing statements to the Nova Scotia Energy Board, Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender opposed raising rates by eight per cent and called for meaningful action from both the Houston government and The Board to hold Nova Scotia Power accountable.

If Nova Scotia Power’s rate application is approved, next year families will be paying $600 more a year for power than they were when Tim Houston first became premier. It would also mean Nova Scotia Power’s profits will increase by 50 per cent in just four years.

“Residents can’t afford to keep paying more for this essential, expensive, unreliable service,” said Chender. “We need both the review board and the Houston government to hold Nova Scotia Power accountable, make real changes to the way this company has been allowed to operate, and to make sure we can all heat our homes in this very cold season.

“The Premier recently made himself the Energy Minister, yet so far he’s been absent. He’s refused to launch a full review of the company, provide real protections, and take meaningful action to lower people’s power bills. People want more than finger-pointing – we need real changes.”

The board heard from advocates like the Affordable Energy Coalition who pointed out that 43 per cent of Nova Scotian are paying more than 6 per cent of their net income on energy bills – over 185,000 households or 418,000 people.

“Nova Scotia Power wants you to pay more while they increase their profits – meanwhile, your paycheque is stagnant, our data has been breached, and trust in the utility is at an all-time low,” said Chender. “We need a review; we need the government to use every tool it has to lower power costs for families, and residential rate payers can’t be expected to pay through the nose to pad a private company’s profits.”

-30-