Topic:"Customer Service" in M12451

Good afternoon I am writing to oppose this rate increase in its entirety. As one of those affected by the recent cyber security breach at NSP, I feel that we the customers are being asked to cover the cost of NSP's complete and utter lack...

AI summary Nancy Selig opposes a rate increase by NSP, citing a cybersecurity breach and lack of due diligence. She argues customers should not bear costs of NSP's failures, highlighting the company's monopoly and inadequate security measures. Selig emphasizes that customers have no alternative power suppliers and criticizes NSP's prioritization of executive bonuses over reliable service.

\ \ EXTERNAL EMAIL / COURRIEL EXTERNE \ \ Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking on links / Faites preuve de prudence si vous ouvrez une pièce jointe ou cliquez sur un lien Nova Scotia Energy Board Crystal Henwood, Clerk of...

AI summary Christine Cameron reports that Nova Scotia Power (NSP) no longer proactively cuts trees near power lines unless they touch the lines, raising safety concerns for rural residents. She criticizes NSP's shift from preventive to reactive maintenance and links this to proposed rate increases, urging regulatory bodies to address the service decline.

Kim, Thank you for responding so quickly. It was a surprise to have my email handled in such a way. Is the board interested in further information? I ask because we received our current power bill last night, which is again estimated. Afte...

AI summary Christine Cameron writes to the Board expressing frustration with Nova Scotia Power (NSP) for providing estimated bills and poor service, citing a broken power pole and the CEO's high salary. She argues that NSP should reduce rates due to mismanagement and suggests better investment in staff and maintenance.

Special Terms and Provisions - (1) Green Power, as defined for the purposes of this rider includes energy produced from renewable resources that have minimal impact on the environment, and could be independently certified by third party en...

AI summary The rider defines 'Green Power' as renewable energy with minimal environmental impact, certifiable by third-party organizations. The Company reserves the right to limit service based on available green energy levels.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS - (1) Metering will normally be at the low voltage side of the transformer. Should the customer's requirements make it necessary for the Company to provide primary metering, then the customer will be required to make a c...

AI summary Special conditions outline customer responsibilities for metering costs, transformer ownership, and load integrity. Customers may incur capital contributions for primary metering, own transformers for non-standard services, and ensure their load doesn't compromise power system integrity. Factors like reliability, harmonics, and voltage flicker are considered in assessing system impacts.

Customer Obligations for Self-Supply and Third-Party Supply The customer obligation for self-supply or third-party supply of Regulation is equal to 3.5 percent of Reserved Capacity for Point-to-Point Transmission Service and 3.5 percent of...

AI summary The document outlines customer obligations for self-supply and third-party supply, specifying 3.5% of Reserved Capacity and Network Load for Point-to-Point and Network Integration Transmission Services, respectively, and 9.1% for Load Following. These percentages define the required contributions from customers under different service categories.

Customer Obligations The customer obligation for reserves is equal to 3.0 percent of Reserved Capacity for Point-to-Point Transmission Service and 3.0 percent of Network Load for Network Integration Transmission Service.

AI summary Customer obligations for reserves are set at 3.0% of Reserved Capacity for Point-to-Point Transmission Service and 3.0% of Network Load for Network Integration Transmission Service, establishing specific reserve requirements for different transmission service types.

Activation of Reserves When a contingency occurs, the Transmission Provider will activate, at its sole discretion, sufficient reserves from (i) those under contract with the Transmission Provider, (ii) those provided by Transmission Custom...

AI summary The Transmission Provider activates reserves during contingencies from contracted resources, Transmission Customers, or third parties, including NS Power resources. Activation aims to minimize costs and restore system conditions per NPCC and NERC standards. Reserve services are available for three hours post-contingency, with Transmission Customers responsible for addressing supply deficiencies. Unscheduled withdrawals are treated as Energy Imbalance under Schedule 4.

DOMESTIC SERVICE CRITICAL PEAK PRICING TARIFF Page 2 of 3 Rate Code 70 - (3) When a Critical Peak Event is scheduled, subscribers to this tariff will be notified in advance and the Critical Peak Event Energy Charge (higher rate) will be in...

AI summary The Critical Peak Pricing Tariff (Rate Code 70) outlines procedures for notifying customers of high-rate periods during winter, limiting events to 18 per season, and requiring customer responsibility for contact updates.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS - (1) Metering will normally be at the low voltage side of the transformer. Should the customer's requirements make it necessary for the Company to provide primary metering, then the customer will be required to make a c...

AI summary Special conditions outline customer responsibilities for metering costs, non-standard service provisions, and load management to maintain power system integrity. Customers may bear capital costs for primary metering, own transformers for non-standard services, and ensure their load does not compromise system reliability, harmonic levels, voltage stability, or fault levels.

MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS TIME OF USE TARIFF Page 3 of 3 Rate Code 89 metering as opposed to the cost of secondary metering. Adjustment to the metered kWh usage will be made when metering is on the high voltage side. Meter readings...

AI summary Adjustments to metered kWh usage by 1.9% when high voltage metering is used. Customers may own transformers for non-standard services and must ensure load does not compromise power supply integrity, considering factors like reliability, harmonics, and voltage stability.

Nova Scotia Power Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) Schedules 1 to 10 OATT Schedules Version Effective Dates Schedule 1: Scheduling, System Control and Dispatch Service January 1, 2026February 2, 2023 Schedule 2: Reactive Supply and V...

AI summary The document outlines Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) Schedules 1 to 10, detailing services such as scheduling, voltage control, frequency response, and transmission rates, with effective dates ranging from June 2016 to January 2026. Multiple schedules share overlapping effective dates, indicating potential revisions or updates.

SCHEDULE 1: SCHEDULING, SYSTEM CONTROL AND DISPATCH SERVICE This service is required to schedule the movement of power through, out of, within, or into an Operating Area. This service can be provided only by the operator of the Operating A...

AI summary Schedule 1 outlines the Scheduling, System Control and Dispatch Service, required for power movement within an Operating Area. The service is provided by the Operating Area operator or Transmission Provider, with charges passed through to Transmission Customers. Monthly fees apply, reflecting costs incurred by the Operating Area operator if it performs the service.

Nova Scotia Power Incorporated Page 14 of 23 Open Access Transmission Tariff overall cost of supplying reserves and to return the system to pre-contingency conditions within the time required by NPCC and NERC. Operating Reserve service wil...

AI summary Operating Reserve service is available for the hour of a contingency and the following two hours, adhering to NPCC and NERC standards. The Transmission Customer must address supply deficiencies by the end of this period, with unscheduled withdrawals treated as Energy Imbalance under Schedule 4.

Nova Scotia Power Incorporated Page 18 of 23 Open Access Transmission Tariff Reserve services will only be available for the hour in which the contingency occurs and the following two hours. The quality of service will be firm for this tim...

AI summary Reserve services under the Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) by Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) are available for the hour of a contingency and the following two hours, with firm service quality. The Transmission Customer must resolve supply deficiencies by the end of this period, and unscheduled energy withdrawals are treated as Energy Imbalance under Schedule 4.

This adaptation planning exercise supports elements of the two pillars as described below: Pillar 1 (Deliver Value for Customers) : We will be a trusted partner and deliver exceptional service. Adaptation planning will support the provisio...

AI summary This adaptation planning exercise supports Pillar 1, which focuses on delivering value for customers by ensuring reliable electricity service, improving customer experience, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and fostering innovation to provide customers with more options.

APPENDIX 7A – OM&G COSTS BY GROUP APPE: NDIX 7A – OM&G COSTS BY GROUP 1 1.1 OM&G Costs by Group 2 1.2 Inflationary Increases 6 1.3 Power Production 6 1.4 Enterprise Asset Management and Project Implementation 10 1.5 Energy Delivery 11 1.5....

AI summary Appendix 7A details the categorization of OM&G (Operations, Maintenance, and General) costs across groups such as inflationary increases, power production, enterprise asset management, energy delivery, customer experience, environmental services, and corporate adjustments. It outlines subsections including T&D contractor management, grid modernization, cyber security, and executive compensation.

1.5.3 Energy Delivery Services Energy Delivery Services is a new department created since the 2023-2024 GRA which includes Workforce Scheduling, Regional Planning and Meter and Inspection Services. The increase of $2.1 million in 2024 actu...

AI summary Energy Delivery Services, a new department since the 2023-2024 GRA, saw a $2.1M increase in operating expenses due to higher demand for wiring inspections, increased staffing (43 to 53 employees), and fleet fuel costs. The AMI Opt-out fee's non-approval led to sustained manual meter reading, offsetting some costs. Revenue from customer-requested work is reflected in 'Other Revenue.'

1.6 Customer Experience and Innovation Customer Experience expense for 2024 was $37.0 million, reflecting an increase of $4.9 million from the restated 2024 GRA Compliance Filing of $32.1 million. The increase in the Customer Experience bu...

AI summary Customer Experience expense for 2024 was $37.0 million, an increase of $4.9 million from the restated 2024 GRA Compliance Filing. The increase is attributed to higher Customer Service costs ($2.8 million) and new capabilities in Grid Modernization and Customer Integration ($1.8 million).

1.6.1 Customer Service The Customer Service team has also been responding to the significant population growth in Nova Scotia and the corresponding increase in customer-requested work and construction activity, particularly in the metro Ha...

AI summary NS Power increased Customer Service staffing to 206 employees in 2024 (vs. 188 in the 2024 GRA forecast) due to population growth and higher customer requests in Halifax. Performance standards were met or exceeded, including 81% of calls answered within 30 seconds. Wiring Permits staff expanded from 19 to 34 positions to handle increased construction activity. Disconnections for non-payment decreased as customers engaged with the Customer Care team. See M12185 for performance details.

1.6.2 Grid Modernization and Customer Integration The Grid Modernization and Customer Integration team focuses on enhancing the customer experience by delivering new solution offerings to meet emerging customer demands in the rapidly evolv...

AI summary The Grid Modernization and Customer Integration team enhances customer experience through digital solutions and grid modernization. NS Power provided a restated 2024 GRA Compliance Budget to compare costs with the 2023-2024 GRA, citing inflation and other factors as main cost drivers for higher operating expenses.

ay 2, 2025. REDACTED Appendix 7A – OM&G Costs by Group Customer Experience team, with the team growing from 9 employees forecast in the restated 2024 GRA Compliance forecast to 15 positions in 2024. The Customer Experience Team consists of...

AI summary The Customer Experience team is expanding from 9 to 15 employees in 2024 to support new digital tools and TVP rate options. The Telecom team's expenses are increasing due to more connected assets for grid modernization, enhancing reliability and renewable integration.

Cost of Service Study Process (NSUARB M11475) NSPI Responses to CA Data Requests 1 Request DR-31: 2 3 Please provide any available information on the use of the call center by class. 4 5 (a) Please explain whether larger customers are more...

AI summary NSPI responded to a data request regarding call center usage by customer class and billing complexity. It found no discernible difference in call center usage between larger and smaller customers, and no notable trends in usage based on billing complexity.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Request DR-53: 2 3 Please explain how NS Power provides customer service to large customers (e.g., customer 4 representatives) and how those costs are recorded and allocated. 5 6 Response DR-53: 7 8 NS Power provides cus...

AI summary NS Power provides customer service to large customers through a contact centre and dedicated support representatives. These costs are tracked at the departmental level and allocated to customer classes using the Cost-of-Service Methodology, as detailed in the 2022-2024 GRA.

Michelin Managing cyber risk Roll-out of advanced / smart devices Incorporating renewables Leveraging AI Advanced battery storage Customer education along the journey Balancing modernization initiatives with meeting demand growth Skills &...

AI summary The text outlines key initiatives and considerations for managing cyber risk, rolling out advanced devices, incorporating renewables, leveraging AI, and advancing battery storage. It emphasizes the importance of customer education, balancing modernization with demand growth, and skills development in the context of grid modernization and its benefits for customers and shareholders.

SUSTAINABILITY MATERIALITY ASSESSMENT Emera is committed to transparency, accountability, understanding stakeholder expectations and improving disclosures on the material sustainability priorities that matter most to stakeholders. Those su...

AI summary Emera conducts a sustainability materiality assessment to identify key sustainability priorities, categorized as strategic, core, and evolving. These priorities are reviewed annually with the SMC and SRC to ensure alignment with stakeholder interests and business impact. A full update is conducted every three years.

Measures Included: Highlights - Decrease the total handle time in our contact center by a minimum of 5%. - Achieve ≥73% of Power, Quality and Reliability (PQR) Index. - Develop at least 5 customer asset management plans, assign an Operatio...

AI summary The document outlines performance measures and targets related to customer service, including reducing contact center handle time and achieving specific PQR and Customer Partnership Index scores. A payout of 22.5% is associated with meeting these targets.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Request IR-13: 2 3 Reference: N-6 - 2026-2027 GRA Direct Evidence Appendix 7C Page 9-10 of 58 4 5 Per N-6, (Appendix 7C), page 9-10 of 58, we understand that "advertising" is lower in 2024 6 actuals and 2024 compliance r...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power reduced advertising expenses in 2024 due to a strategic pause in existing outreach efforts while developing a new customer communication strategy. The reduction was primarily attributed to a greater focus on consulting engagements to better align with customer needs.

8 9 NS Power has sought to engage customers through the Company's Customer Care Team. These 10 increased interactions with customers have helped educate customers on energy usage and led to 11 a significant reduction in customers being dis...

AI summary NS Power has engaged customers through its Customer Care Team, leading to a reduction in customer disconnections and a forecasted decrease in net bad debt expense. This is part of the 2026-2027 General Rate Application (M12451) and NSPI's responses to GT Information Requests.

13 Workgroup 2024 2024 2026 GRA Driver of increase Compliance Actuals Customer $91,000 $298,000 $607,000 Increase in third-party fees for Experience Customer Satisfaction Survey & Metrics Contract for Customer First program training and co...

AI summary The table presents workgroup expenditures related to compliance, customer experience, operating systems, and technical services from 2024 to 2026, highlighting increases in third-party fees and maintenance costs for various programs and systems.

22 (b) Please see the table below: ($ million) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020-2024 Average Level 1-2 9.5 7.2 6.2 12.0 9.0 8.8 Level 3-4 (including Hurricane Fiona) 9.1 1.4 39.3 32.1 3.7 17.1 less: Hurricane Fiona - - -24.4 0.0 - -4.9 less:...

AI summary The text discusses NS Power's increased expenses in Grid Modernization and Customer Integration due to hiring additional employees for customer experience and data analytics. It also requests clarification on new services and product offerings for 2026 and 2027 and whether the outdated Customer Information System limits the expansion of customer rate offerings, referencing Matter M11884.

REDACTED 2 3 Reference: Exhibit N-6(ii), Corporate Office of Secretary and General Counsel 4 With respect to the reasons given for the following significant projected increases for 2026 5 over 2024 actuals: 13 2024 compliance filing. Pleas...

AI summary The document discusses significant projected increases in 2026 over 2024 actuals, specifically relating to labour costs and advertising increases for Customer Communications. The increase is attributed to the addition of new employees in the External Engagement department, which was not included in the 2024 Compliance forecast. The response also addresses whether these increases are related to a cybersecurity breach.

1 communities across the province to receive input and feedback, and to share more 2 information on priorities, projects and initiatives undertaken by the utility in respone to 3 customer and stakeholder feedback. Through more engagements...

AI summary NS Power is increasing community engagement and communication efforts to improve customer feedback and information sharing. This includes community meetings, open houses, and internal marketing improvements. Consulting expenses are also rising due to a focus on improving customer communication strategies.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL landscape, NS Power is finding it necessary to find more ways to reach customers with information they need on key topics such as safety, affordability/value, storm response and reliability improvements. The advertising ex...

AI summary NS Power is implementing new customer engagement initiatives, including advertising and in-person outreach, to communicate on topics like safety and reliability. The advertising costs are spread across multiple channels. The forecast for the GRA test period was developed before a cyber security incident and does not include related costs.

(b) Year Number of FTEs 11 initiatives in each of the mentioned areas from 2024 to 2026. 12 13 (b) Please comment on the need for additional resources in the Smart Meter Operations 14 Center to support data analytics, when NS Power's abili...

AI summary The text discusses NS Power's need for additional resources in the Smart Meter Operations Center to support data analytics, particularly in the context of a cybersecurity attack that has impacted access to smart meter data. It also asks about the timeline for full data access and data retention periods.

This POLE ATTACHMENT RATE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT , made effective as of the 1st day of September, 2025 (this "Settlement Agreement") 1 Request IR-151: 2 3 (a) NS Power forecast the number of customers that would have opted out as of December...

AI summary NS Power forecasts customer opt-out numbers for AMI and adjusts the meter reading frequency for opt-out customers, which is expected to increase calls to the Customer Care Center, leading to higher expenses.

Figure 8 - Customer Experience and Innovation operating cost detail - 2024A, 2025B, 2026F ($000s) 2024A 2025B 2025B vs 2024A % change 2026F 2026F vs 2025B % change 2026F vs 2024A % change Customer Service 23,869 25,079 1,210 5% Grid Modern...

AI summary Customer Experience and Innovation operating costs are forecast to increase by approximately $4.0 million from 2024A to 2026F, driven primarily by increases in Customer Service and Grid Modernization and Customer Integration.

- Customer Service The increase of approximately $1.2 million from 2024A to 2026F is primarily due to the following:67 - Increased labour due to additional resources required to support customer growth and in customerrequested work, and sa...

AI summary The increase in customer service costs by approximately $1.2 million from 2024A to 2026F is attributed to factors such as increased labor, commissions, contract costs, freight, and other expenses, partially offset by reductions from write-offs. NS Power notes increased customer interactions have helped reduce bad debt through education on energy usage.

15 Figure 13 – Customer Experience and Innovation operating cost detail - 2024CR, 2026-2027F ($000s) 2024 Compliance (restated) 2026F 2026F vs 2024C % change 2027F 2027F vs 2026F % change 2027F vs 2024C % change Customer Service 21,106 25,...

AI summary Figure 13 provides a breakdown of operating costs related to Customer Experience and Innovation for the years 2024, 2026, and 2027. The data shows an increase in costs across various categories, with notable growth in Grid Modernization and Customer Integration. A reduction in other goods and services costs is attributed to the 5 GRA Settlement Agreement.

Customer Experience and Innovation is forecast to increase approximately $10.1 million from 2024CR to 2027F. The primary drivers of the increase are increases in Customer Service and Grid Modernization and Customer Integration. The detaile...

AI summary Customer Experience and Innovation is projected to increase by approximately $10.1 million from 2024CR to 2027F, driven by increases in Customer Service and Grid Modernization and Customer Integration. Key factors include increased labour costs due to customer growth, increased net bad debt expense, and increased contract costs related to new software systems.

- The above increases are partially offset by decreased other goods and services costs due to the $2 million reduction in 2026 per the GRA Settlement Agreement. - The above increases are also offset by reduction through write-offs, which a...

AI summary The text discusses cost changes related to customer experience and innovation, including reductions from the GRA Settlement Agreement and write-offs impacting bad debt expense. Increased labour costs and grid modernization efforts are also highlighted, particularly the addition of support teams and data analytics resources.

uirements provide the following:[136](#page-37-2) - The increased requirements for the Smart Meter Operations Centre are for data analytics support. The incremental data analyst roles will leverage AMI, customer, and other data sources to...

AI summary The text outlines incremental labour requirements for various departments, including Smart Meter Operations, Customer Experience, Telecom, and WAM Support, driven by new initiatives and technologies such as AMI, digital solutions, and telecommunications upgrades. These efforts aim to improve customer experience, operational efficiency, and system maintenance.

anaging data quality, and supporting new end users. N-23 (C) – NSPI Responses to GT Information Requests – IR-50. N-6 – 2026-2027 GRA Direct Evidence Appendix 7C page 54. N-27 (C) – NSPI Responses to NSEB Information Requests – IR-69. - 1...

AI summary The text discusses increased operating costs related to customer experience, smart meter operations, and innovation initiatives, including increased labour costs and salary escalations from 2024 to 2027.

Station imprudence" until the Company meets state requirements. Id. Lastly, in order to encourage improvement in customer service, OAG supports the continuation of a 20 basis point ROE reduction. Id. EOE[6](#page-7-0) actively participated...

AI summary EOE participated in the proceeding by providing expert testimony and recommending the denial of UI's ROE and capital structure requests. EOE suggests an 8.43% ROE and 50/50 capital structure instead. EOE also highlights poor customer service and concerns over UI's handling of storm expenses and rate design.

F. PUBLIC COMMENT The Authority held two in-person public comment hearings and one virtual public comment hearing. UI presented a PowerPoint explaining its request at the start of each session before the admission of any public comment. Th...

AI summary The Authority held public comment hearings regarding a rate increase request by UI. Attendees included members of the public, state agency staff, and UI staff. Concerns were raised about the environmental impact, affordability for seniors, the electric buyback program, and high energy costs. Some attendees opposed the rate increase, while others supported it for infrastructure maintenance.

a. Summary The Company proposes $5,613,847 in outside customer service expenses, which is the Company's $4,623,509 pro forma Test Year expense and a $990,338 pro forma Rate Year adjustment. Late Filed Ex. 1, Att. 2 Supp., Sch. C-3.0 WP, p....

AI summary The Company proposes to recover $5,613,847 in outside customer service expenses, but the Authority approves $5,339,511 for the Rate Year. The difference includes a pro forma Test Year expense and a Rate Year adjustment.

Expense Requested ($) Adjustment ($) Approved ($) Active and Final Collections 237,748 (17,911) 219,837 Outsource Call Taking Vendor 910,055 - 910,055 Customer Experience and Communications 142,466 (8,251) 134,215 Contact Center Services 5...

AI summary The table outlines various expenses related to customer services, including amounts requested, adjustments made, and expenses approved. These expenses cover areas such as collections, call-taking vendors, customer experience, billing, and credit card fees.

d. Customer Experience and Communications The Company proposes $142,466 in customer experience and communications expenses for the Rate Year, which is the Company's $101,278 Test Year amount, an $8,251 generic inflation adjustment, and a $...

AI summary The Company requests $142,466 for customer experience and communications expenses in the Rate Year, citing a Test Year amount and adjustments. The Authority approves $134,215, noting that expenses are tied to the volume of customer communications rather than a standard inflation factor.

- (1) Comprehensive and Accurate Customer Communications Metric: The Company shall measure comprehensive and accurate customer communications by counting the number of calls reviewed by the Company's internal audit (IA) team and deemed by...

AI summary The text outlines three metrics for evaluating customer service and arrears management by the utility company. The first metric assesses the accuracy of customer communications through internal audits. The second metric evaluates the reduction of arrears across different account categories. The third metric measures the success rate of customers completing payment arrangements.

2. Termination Notices and Customer Rights The Company's customer rights and termination notices generally comply with the applicable regulations. See Application, Sch. H-2.1; Interrog. Resp. EOE-42, Att. 1. EOE also reviewed the Company's...

AI summary The Company's customer rights and termination notices comply with regulations. The Company provides the 'Your Rights' bill insert annually and allows customers to request a copy at any time. The Authority notes that rate amendment applications must include both termination and customer rights notices to avoid being considered incomplete.

essments, safety training, and change management. Id. The Company promotes employee participation through programs such as the Good Catch Program, which encourages proactive hazard identification. Id. To gather feedback, Avangrid consults...

AI summary Avangrid promotes employee participation in EHS through programs like the Good Catch Program and collaborates with union representatives and the Skilled Safety team. Training follows the ADDIE model and includes metrics like Net Promoter Scores. Cybersecurity training includes mandatory courses and phishing simulations, supported by cross-functional working groups.

1. Customer Service Performance Despite significant prior Authority direction to the Company, customer service performance over the period since UI's last rate case, while showing recent signs of improvement, has remained below the level e...

AI summary The document highlights persistent customer service issues at the Company despite prior regulatory guidance, citing deficiencies in live energy affordability calls, oversight of third-party call centers, and outdated information provided to customer service representatives, as outlined in the 22-08-08 Decision.

2. Standard Operating Procedures Revision Lag The Authority previously identified a significant lag in the Company's updates of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). 22-08-08 Decision, p. 278. Specifically, the SOPs had not been update...

AI summary The Authority identified a lag in the Company's updates to its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which failed to reflect recent statutory and Authority directives on energy affordability and customer service. The Company claims to have complied, but errors in the SOPs were identified, leading to additional modifications. The Authority stresses the need for accurate and up-to-date SOPs and will continue reviewing them in future proceedings.

3. Customer Experience Initiatives In its Application, the Company detailed several completed customer experience initiatives and proposed initiatives to enhance the customer experience. Application, Ex. UI-CSP-1, pp. 36-48. As of the date...

AI summary The Company outlined completed and proposed customer experience initiatives, including digital improvements and new services, and requested $4.6 million for these projects. However, the Authority declined to pre-approve the initiatives or recovery of associated costs, as none met the 'used and useful' standard for capital projects.

4. EOE Recommendations for Customer Service EOE identified two opportunities for the enhancement of the Company's customer service and energy assistance offerings. EOE Brief, pp. 32-33. First, EOE highlighted the Company's considered modif...

AI summary The EOE recommends enhancing the Company's customer service by allowing customers to upload income verification documents online and receiving confirmation, as well as sending email reminders to pre-qualified financial hardship customers. The Authority agrees and requires the Company to submit a detailed implementation proposal by June 1, 2026, as part of its annual Arrearage Forgiveness Plan filing.

FURTHER INFORMATION - Extreme weather events generate a large number of calls from customers: - From 2017 to 2020, Hydro-Québec received an average of 306,062 calls about power outages per year. - The numbers of calls about spring flooding...

AI summary The text discusses the increased volume of customer inquiries at Hydro-Québec, particularly related to extreme weather events, and highlights the number of energy efficiency and power quality visits conducted by sales engineers. It also notes an anticipated rise in technical support requests from large-power customers between 2020 and 2025.

13. Maintain good communication with all residential and business customers in a context of growing demand ( cont'd ) Action Implementation Progress Other action areas affected Adapt procedures to be used in crisis situations to account fo...

AI summary The document outlines actions to improve communication with residential and business customers during growing demand and climate-related events, including adapting procedures for crisis situations, implementing work schedule management, and improving online tools for customer communication.

FUNCTIONALIZATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (7) (8) (56) (57) CUSTOMER SERVICE (58) CUSTOMER SERVICE (59) CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE (60) CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS 1 2 24 60 (61) CALL CENTRE: (62) CUSTOMER CARE ADMIN...

AI summary The document presents a detailed breakdown of operating expenses under the 'Customer Service' category, including subcategories such as call centre operations, billing services, meter data services, and credit services, with numerical values provided for different periods.

ection is filed under subsection 93.4(4) or (5) of the Act. 4 (1) The Act is amended by adding the following after section 93.3: Definitions 93.4 (1) The following definitions apply in this section. FABI surplus, of a foreign affiliate (re...

AI summary The text outlines an amendment to the Act, specifically adding definitions under section 93.4. It defines FABI surplus in relation to a foreign affiliate, including specific conditions related to taxable surplus calculations under the Income Tax Regulations.

ductible 248(1), but does not include a natural person or a part- par l’effet de la division 95(2)f.11)(ii)(D)) nership. (contribuable) sur le total des sommes dont chacune re- présente : transaction includes an arrangement or event. (opér...

AI summary The text outlines definitions related to tax regulations, including terms such as 'transaction,' 'transferred capacity,' and provisions under subsection 95(2)f.11)(ii)(D). It discusses revenue from interests and financing of affiliated companies and sums included under specific tax subdivisions.

2 the foreign affiliate’s relevant affiliate écrit en vertu de la présente division selon les interest and financing expenses (as de- modalités réglementaires, fined in subsection 18.2(1)) (determined without regard to this clause and subs...

AI summary The text outlines specific financial calculations related to a foreign affiliate's interest and financing expenses, as well as foreign accrual property losses, under a regulatory framework. These calculations are determined without regard to certain subsections of the Income Tax Regulations.

3 les dépenses d’intérêts et de finance- (determined without regard to this clause, ment de la société affiliée pertinentes clause (D) and subsection 18.2(19)) for the (au sens du paragraphe 18.2(1)) de la socié- taxation year, and té étra...

AI summary The text outlines the determination of interest and finance expenses of a foreign affiliate, excluding specific provisions, and references the foreign affiliate's foreign accrual property loss or income for the taxation year.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL Undertaking U-23: To explain how [billing] thresholds are set and whether system picked up billing anomalies from cyber. Response U-23: My Energy Insights will provide increases usage alerts specific to an individual custo...

AI summary NS Power explains that billing thresholds are set based on fixed dollar amounts per rate class to identify unusually high bills. My Energy Insights, which provides usage alerts, is currently unavailable due to a cyber incident and is expected to be restored in Q3 2026. The billing system generates estimated bills based on historic consumption and reviews them against thresholds, typically flagging less than 0.3% of annual bills for review.

(42) DISTRIBUTION: (43) SUBSTATIONS 1,478 - - 1,444 - 34 (44) OVERHEAD LINES BEFORE STORM EXPENSES 33,736 - - 32,969 - 767 OVERHEAD LINES STORM EXPENSES 22,491 - - 21,979 - 511 (45) UNDERGROUND LINES 579 - - 566 - 13 (46) LINE TRANSFORMERS...

AI summary The document presents a detailed breakdown of distribution and customer operations expenses, including substation costs, overhead and underground line expenses, and street lighting. It also includes generation services and customer service costs, highlighting various line items and their associated figures.

0.0% (52) (53) TOTAL CUSTOMER OPERATIONS - T & D 79,853 - 22,328 57,524 - 0.0% 16.4% 17.4% 0.0% (54) (55) GENERATION SERVICES 11,600 11,600 - - - 2.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% (56) (57) CUSTOMER SERVICE (58) CUSTOMER SERVICE (59) CUSTOMER SERVICE EX...

AI summary The text provides a detailed breakdown of various operational costs and percentages associated with customer operations, generation services, and customer service in a regulatory proceeding. It includes figures related to customer service experience, billing services, meter data services, and smart meter operations.

0 7 (67) SMART METER OPERATIONS CENTER (SMOC) - 27 (68) METER SERVICES - FIELD 1 24 (69) ELECTRICAL WIRING INSPECTION - FIELD 2 77 (70) REVENUE OPS ADMIN - - (71) CREDIT SERVICES - - (72) BAD DEBT EXPENSE 2 84 (73) MARKETING & SALES - - (7...

AI summary The text lists various operational and financial categories with associated numbers, including revenue operations, credit services, bad debt expenses, and customer service totals, providing an overview of different departments and their financial contributions.

0 0 0 0 0 0 (24) STREET LIGHTING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (25) CUSTOMER SERVICE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 EXHIBIT 6B (26) (27) TOTAL CUSTOMER 58,644 53,013 2,986 1,328 2 249 17 3 0 1 1,045 (28) (29) RETAIL (30) (31) METERS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N...

AI summary The document contains numerical data related to customer service, street lighting, and infrastructure metrics such as substations, overhead lines, and underground lines, with some entries referencing exhibits and pages.

E GROUPS 65,731.33 (151) (131) TOTAL LABOUR RELATED 238,872.21 241,048.4 -2,176.2 (132) TRANSMISSION CONTROL CENTER 5,429.9 (133) GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION (134) TRANSMISSION BEFORE STORM EXPENSES 22,786 99% (135) TRANSMISS...

AI summary The document provides a detailed breakdown of various expenses related to transmission, distribution, and customer service, including pre-storm and storm-related costs, as well as percentages and totals for different line items.

- - (49) METERS (Meter Shop Only) - - - - - - (50) COMMUNICATIONS - - - - - - (51) STREET LIGHTING 589 - - 570 - 19 (53) TOTAL DISTRIBUTION 58,332.2 - - 56,423 - 1,910 (54) (55) TOTAL CUSTOMER OPERATIONS - T & D 79,764.491 - 20,472 56,423...

AI summary The text presents a table of operational costs and figures related to distribution, customer operations, generation services, and customer service for a utility company. It includes line items such as street lighting, total distribution, customer service experience, and billing services, along with associated costs and variances.

66 2,870 (56) (57) GENERATION SERVICES 6 454 (58) (59) CUSTOMER SERVICE (60) CUSTOMER SERVICE (61) CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE 1 29 (62) CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS 1 73 (63) CALL CENTRE: (64) CUSTOMER CARE ADMIN 0 23 (65) CUSTOMER CARE 2 131 (66)...

AI summary The text outlines various operational areas within a utility company, including generation services, customer service, revenue operations, and meter services, with associated costs and performance metrics listed.

27 (71) ELECTRICAL WIRING INSPECTION - FIELD 2 88 (72) REVENUE OPS ADMIN - - (73) CREDIT SERVICES - - (74) BAD DEBT EXPENSE 2 95 (75) MARKETING & SALES - - (76) METER SERVICES - INSPECTORS - - (77) TOTAL CUSTOMER SERVICE 9 557 REDACTED (CO...

AI summary The text contains a list of financial and operational categories, including revenue operations, credit services, bad debt expense, marketing and sales, meter services, and total customer service, along with associated costs. It also mentions a redacted compliance filing related to GRA for the period 2026-2027.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 extractions in short periods of time for customers, potentially leading to customer 2 confusion and inconvenience. Doubling the volume of pre-authorized payments 3 would require consultation with the Company's payment pr...

AI summary The text discusses potential challenges related to doubling the volume of pre-authorized payments, including impacts on payment processing systems, customer confusion, increased call volume at the Customer Care Centre, and difficulties in reading opt-out customers' meters on a specific date. It also mentions the need for modifications to a custom program to handle off-cycle meter reading service orders.

1 Request IR-7: 2 3 NS Power stated that additional billing periods or split billing periods could impact other 4 systems that rely on the billing data and mentioned that the MyEnergy Insights tool provides 5 personalized energy usage and...

AI summary The document discusses the potential impacts of additional or split billing periods on systems like MyEnergy Insights and MyAccount, including concerns about billing period duration variability and the effect of a cybersecurity breach on the MyEnergy Insights tool.

ning, and execution of the 5-Year Reliability Plan. The company indicated that the reliability team is comprised of 59 employees, who support both the operational and capital parts of this initiative. [83] There is also a requested increas...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's proposed increases in OM&G costs for Communications and Public Affairs, attributed to new engagement initiatives and community outreach, as well as increases in Grid Modernization and Customer Integration, including Smart Meter Operations and customer engagement activities.

eeding the allowed ROE in 8 of 12 canvassed years. [Department of Energy Closing Submissions, p. 5] [510] In its reply submissions, NS Power addressed the Department of Energy's comments as follows: The DOE has offered no justification for...

AI summary NS Power argues that the Department of Energy (DOE) lacks justification for setting its return on equity (ROE) at 7.6%, citing Dr. Cleary's evidence and customer support for 9%. NS Power claims Dr. Cleary's evidence was rebutted by Mr. Coyne's testimony and closing submissions, while the DOE did not address Coyne's evidence.

3.9.1.1 Findings [647] The Board accepts that NS Power is engaged in appropriate activities relating to the development of new rate designs. However, the Board believes that more can be done and encourages NS Power to do so. For example, w...

AI summary The Board acknowledges NS Power's efforts in developing new rate designs but emphasizes the need for improvement, citing limited rate options, outdated systems, and the impact of a recent cyber attack. The TVP program's suspension due to data access issues is highlighted, alongside Bonbright's criteria for effective rate structures promoting innovation and efficiency.

Request IR-39: - Reference: N-6 2026-2027 GRA Direct Evidence Appendix 7C Page 41-42 of 58 - Per N-6, (Appendix 7C), page 41-42 of 58, we understand that travel expense has increased - from 2024 compliance restated to 2026 forecast for "en...

AI summary The document requests an explanation for increased travel expenses under energy delivery services from 2024 to 2026, attributing the change to operational requirements. It references N-6 Appendix 7C pages 41-42.

Request IR-10: - Reference: Exhibit N-3 GRA Direct Evidence, Section 1.3 Customer Growth and Support - On page 11, NS Power notes "a significant reduction in residential disconnections (3,158 in 2023 - vs. 1,782 in 2024)". Is this the tota...

AI summary NS Power cites a reduction in residential disconnections from 3,158 (2023) to 1,782 (2024), but the document questions whether these figures represent total disconnects or the reduction amount.

Request IR-56: - Reference: Exhibit N-6 Appendix 7A - On page 27 of Appendix 7A, NS Power advises it has increased expense in Grid Modernization - and Customer Integration to hire seven additional employees on the Customer Experience team...

AI summary NS Power is increasing expenses by hiring employees for customer experience and data analytics to expand services and improve asset management. The request asks about new services and whether the outdated Customer Information System (CIMS) limits rate expansion, referencing Matter M11884.

Request IR-61: Reference: Exhibit N-6(ii), Communications and Public Affairs - a) The reason given for the increase from 2024 actuals to forecast 2026 expense in labour expense under Communications and Public Affairs is the same as many ot...

AI summary Request IR-61 questions significant increases in labour (48% from 2024 to 2026) and consulting expenses (400% increase) under Communications and Public Affairs, seeking explanations for disparities compared to other categories. It also requests details on advertising initiatives and confirmation that increases are unrelated to a cybersecurity breach.

Request IR-145: - Reference: Exhibit N-8, Appendix 13A, page 6 of 14 - NS Power stated that it has refreshed its jurisdictional review using the same utilities included in its 2017 summary. Appendix 13B lists four Canadian utilities and si...

AI summary NS Power updated its jurisdictional review using utilities from its 2017 summary, listing four Canadian and six U.S. utilities in Appendix 13B. The proceeding requests clarification on whether NS Power reviewed opt-out policies for other utilities and if any utilities do not charge meter read opt-out fees.

ransmission and distribution investment over the fiveyear period ($900M compared to $1.3B), which is an $80M per year increase. [Emphasis added] [Exhibit N-23, Doane Grant Thornton IR-34, pp. 1-2] [81] In response to NSEB IR-12, NS Power s...

AI summary NS Power highlighted a decrease in transmission and distribution investment over five years, from $1.3B to $900M, but noted an $80M annual increase. It also stated that 65 community meetings were held to discuss reliability and customer expectations, with no formal notes taken. NS Power requested increased funding for community and customer engagement, particularly for the Reliability Implementation group and Standards & Community Engagement team.

3.5.1.2.1 Findings [314] The approval of the potential securitization is not before the Board in this application. The sole issue in the present matter is whether the Board should approve the securitization deferral. NS Power asked for thi...

AI summary The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB) considers whether to approve a deferral of depreciation and financing costs for thermal assets under the Decarbonization Deferral Account (DDA), as NS Power requested due to delayed securitization. Securitization is blocked by unenacted provincial regulations. The Consumer Advocate doubts securitization's feasibility, but customer representatives support it long-term.

had suppressed the return on equity because of the resulting impact on customers, it accepted the impact of the return on customers was not a relevant factor under the Northwestern Utilities test: - 35 In oral argument, the appellant conce...

AI summary The appellant argues that customer impact from toll increases should not influence the required rate of return on equity for the Mainline, aligning with the Northwestern Utilities test. The Board agrees, stating that cost of equity is determined by risk factors, not toll impacts. The Supreme Court's decision in Northwestern Utilities supports this approach, emphasizing that equity risk premium is based on perceived risk, not toll effects.

Request IR-4: Does NS Power consider holding all or part of bill payments associated with the pre-rate estimated billings in escrow until the limitations with the legacy Customer Information System are resolved to be an effective means of...

AI summary Request IR-4 asks whether NS Power should hold pre-rate estimated bill payments in escrow until legacy CIS system limitations are resolved, to address ongoing estimated billing issues. The inquiry focuses on the effectiveness of this proposed solution.

Request IR-6: - On page 27 of the compliance filing, NS Power stated: "As 40% of the Company's customers are - still receiving paper bills by mail, this translates to approximately $200,000 in additional OM&G - costs for each additional bi...

AI summary NS Power's compliance filing states that mailing paper bills to 40% of customers incurs $200,000 in additional OM&G costs per bill period. The request seeks clarification on the meaning of 'each additional bill period' and whether the $200,000 figure represents total mailing costs.

Request IR-7: - NS Power stated that additional billing periods or split billing periods could impact other systems - that rely on the billing data and mentioned that the MyEnergy Insights tool provides personalized - energy usage and bill...

AI summary NS Power asserts that additional or split billing periods may affect systems reliant on billing data, including the MyEnergy Insights tool. The request asks for details on impacted systems, how varying billing durations are handled, potential impacts on the tool, effects of a cybersecurity breach, and confirmation of the tool's ability to display daily energy usage averages.

OPENING STATEMENT 25 NOVA SCOTIA LIBERAL CAUCUS 1 households and businesses with predictable electricity 7 million by 2027, a 50 percent increase in just four years. 8 Nova Scotia Power is asking people to 9 pay more while their corporate...

AI summary The Nova Scotia Liberal Caucus opening statement highlights concerns about rising electricity costs, stagnant household income, unreliable power, data breaches, and declining trust in Nova Scotia Power. It criticizes the company for increasing profits while service quality decreases and notes the impact of a recent data breach on customers.

1 Q. Okay. And then as we turn, 11 Department is working with customers to do everything that 12 they can to support customers and avoid disconnections for 13 non-payment and avoid those write offs to the benefit of 14 customers. 15 But is...

AI summary The discussion revolves around the impact of adding 507 full-time employees on affordability and customer support, particularly for vulnerable customers. Concerns are raised about how this increase may affect electricity affordability, while efforts to avoid disconnections and manage bad debt are also mentioned.

1 there's some valuable aspects of it, and they talk about 14 measuring reliability customer satisfaction with 15 respect in the reliability plan? 16 (Williams) Sorry, Mr. Mahody, can A. 17 you just repeat the question? 18 How is Nova Scot...

AI summary The discussion centers on Nova Scotia Power's reliability plan and how customer satisfaction will be measured within it. The company is undergoing a performance standards review with the Board, involving customer representatives, and expects their input to influence the reliability plan.

1 on some basis of customer satisfaction, doesn't that risk 2 just increasing this gap that seems to exist between 3 customer expectations and the company's performance 4 regarding reliability? 5 A. (Williams) Well, as I said, sir, 6 I thi...

AI summary The discussion centers on the potential risk of increasing the gap between customer expectations and company performance in reliability, with a response emphasizing the use of objective performance standards and public processes to incorporate customer input.

we need to call this up, but it's Exhibit N-8 at Appendix 13(c), Nova Scotia Power had indicated that it received approximately 650 inbound calls from opt-out customers back in 2024. And you estimated associated customer care expenses with...

AI summary The discussion centers on customer care expenses related to opt-out calls and the data storage capabilities of AMI meters. Nova Scotia Power reported 650 inbound calls from opt-out customers in 2024 with associated costs of $10,000. The panel also inquires about the ability to track usage data before and after a rate change using AMI meters, with a response indicating that data is stored for 60 to 90 days.

1 customer call per year per opt-out customer, but .71 calls 2 per year per opt-out customer. And, you know, the big 3 factor in this. I think, Mr. Mahody, is around the 4 timeliness of the rates, right? So Nova Scotia Power had 5 brought...

AI summary The discussion highlights an increase in customer service calls related to AMI opt-out customers, from 650 in 2024 to 13,333 in 2025. The increase is attributed to a decrease in the number of meter reads per customer, from six to two, leading to more frequent customer contact with Nova Scotia Power.

NSP GENERAL/REGULATORY PANEL 869 Questions, (Deveau) 1 expense. 2 Yeah. And then page 26 at the top 3 sorry. Right at the bottom of that page talks about the 4 $2 million increase. It talks about increased labour 5 costs due to staff compl...

AI summary The text discusses a $2 million increase in expenses, primarily attributed to increased labour costs from staff complement changes, higher consulting fees for communications, and increased advertising expenses due to reduced spending in 2024 and higher communication requirements with customers.

1 other departments. These other departments, their focus 2 isn't necessarily community engagement, but certainly, 3 because of the nature of their responsibilities, there is 4 a public engagement component to that. 5 So just as there is w...

AI summary The discussion highlights the importance of public engagement within Nova Scotia Power, emphasizing the role of the comms and public affairs group in managing these efforts. It also touches on the significance of performance metrics and customer satisfaction in evaluating service delivery.

NSP GENERAL/REGULATORY PANEL Questions, (Chair) exactly where those savings are going to be found, unfortunately as of now, I don't have an update for you, Mr. Chair. And same response again for the Q. $2 million reduction in customer expe...

AI summary The discussion revolves around customer experience and innovation initiatives, specifically the Customer Experience and Innovation Group's work and asset management system. The conversation includes references to existing programs such as My Energy Insights, Green Button, and Time Varying Pricing, and their expected expansion in scale and scope during 2026 to 2027.

1 hosted on the system, or by our contractor third party 17 And so I think we're understanding and getting a better 18 understanding of how our customers want to receive 19 information and our need to communicate more effectively INTERNATI...

AI summary The text discusses Nova Scotia Power's efforts to improve communication with customers, emphasizing the need for more effective and varied methods of information delivery. The focus is on understanding customer preferences and responding to feedback, rather than quantitative measurements.

1 for affordability with increasing costs in these areas of 2 consultation that we're talking about? What's the 3 calculus there? 4 A. (Williams) So, sir, I think the 5 balance is much of what we've talked about already where 6 we do see g...

AI summary The discussion focuses on balancing affordability with increasing costs and the importance of customer engagement and trust for reliability initiatives. The speaker acknowledges efforts to reduce costs and achieve a reasonable revenue requirement but notes the absence of a formal, costed-out plan for consultation and engagement similar to the reliability plan.