Topic:"Infrastructure Planning" in M12588

DESCRIPTION: In 2013, the Provincial Government mandated the establishment of a new Electricity Market in Nova Scotia through the Electricity Reform Act . This enabled independent licensed retailers, who are licensed by the Nova Scotia Uti...

AI summary In 2013, the Provincial Government of Nova Scotia established a new Electricity Market through the Electricity Reform Act . This led to the creation of the Renewable to Retail (RtR) market, where licensed retailers can sell renewable electricity directly to customers. The Nova Scotia Energy Board (NSEB) approved new tariffs and regulations to support this market, and the first LRS license was awarded to Renewall Energy Inc. The project involves implementing software and business process updates to support the RtR market.

Contingency Statement Contingency for this project was determined using a combination of subject matter expert judgement from resources internal to NS Power in combination with external vendors, and the non-binding contingency guidelines....

AI summary The contingency for the project is set at 5 percent, determined using internal and external expert judgment and non-binding guidelines. The project is classified as Class 1, with contingency intended to manage risks from integrating new technology with legacy systems. The project is over 50 percent complete, and a Change Request process is in place with the LRS.

CI C0053699 Renewable to Retail Implementation (NSEB M12588) NSPI Responses to NSEB Information Requests 1 Request IR-9: 30 The computational capability of the MDMS has been tested and determined to be capable of 1 supporting the volume of...

AI summary NSPI responds to NSEB's information request regarding the computational capability of the MDMS for the Renewable to Retail (RtR) market. NSPI confirms that the MDMS is scalable and can accommodate future growth, including additional LRSs and customers. Costs for scalability are considered low and not material, with future costs for additional LRSs being allocated to them.

Active Submissions Total A - Technical Evaluation A-1 - Adherence to RFP requirements A-2 - Ongoing support availability and service levels A-3 - Speed and efficiency of implementation (or project) plan, availability, and delivery the indu...

AI summary The document discusses technical evaluation criteria for submissions, including adherence to RFP requirements, implementation plans, industry expertise, and corporate risk factors such as cybersecurity and insurance. Specific references to the CIS and MDMS systems and the involvement of a Load and Revenue forecasting subject matter expert are noted.

1 Request IR-1: 2 3 Reference: N-1, C0053699 Renewable to Retail Implementation Project, page 1 of 6. 4 5 6 7 8 NS Power has set up a dedicated RtR Project Implementation team (the Project team) who began gathering specific requirements to...

AI summary NS Power has established a dedicated Renewable to Retail (RtR) Project Implementation team to manage the Renewable to Retail Implementation Project, which began in early 2023 and is expected to conclude late in 2026. The response to the request refers to several attachments detailing the project team structure, resources, roles, and change control processes.

Change request management is the process to formally recognize, manage, assess, control, and approve requested changes or decisions related to portfolio or project scope, definition, schedule, or budget during the delivery of a project. Th...

AI summary The text describes the process of change request management, which involves formally recognizing, managing, assessing, controlling, and approving changes to a project's scope, definition, schedule, or budget to ensure project success.

Plan Revision Summary 1 Request IR-7: 2 Replacement Project. The changes made by the RtR implementation project will not 3 impact the future scope of the CIS Replacement Project beyond other existing functionality 4 in CIS. 1 Request IR-9:...

AI summary The text discusses the impact of the Renewable to Retail (RtR) implementation project on the CIS Replacement Project, noting that changes in the project's completion date (COD) have led to adjustments in workstreams and associated costs. NS Power has provided a plan revision summary and schedule changes related to these adjustments.

Date Filed: March 3, 2026 NSPI (REI) IR-13 Page 3 of 3 1 Request IR-14: D.17 Decommissioning Plans This document will identify systems, spreadsheets, and other software tools utilized in the business area, that have been earmarked for deco...

AI summary The document outlines various project management tasks related to decommissioning plans, project closeout activities, lessons learned, and administrative closure. It also includes completed tasks such as process flow documents and change management plans for the Renewable to Retail (RtR) project, indicating progress and completion statuses.

5.4 PDF Attachment # Section Name Description Data Type Format Example Required 7 8 9 enhancements required to serve the RtR Market. Minimal change has been required to the Customer Information System for this purpose. 10 11 Reference: M12...

AI summary The text discusses the need for enhancements to the Customer Information System (CIS) to support the Renewable to Retail (RtR) Market. It highlights the aging CIS, its lack of vendor support, and the associated technology risks. Questions are raised regarding consistency of statements, technical integration, and cost allocation to LRS customers, as well as the potential cost savings from a modern cloud-native CIS platform.

3.2.2.1 Findings [65] The Board finds it entirely reasonable that the shifting business plans and commercial operation dates anticipated by Renewall would have posed challenges for NS Power's management of the project and increased costs....

AI summary The Board finds that NS Power's management of the Renewall project was reasonable despite delays, and accepts NS Power's evidence regarding increased costs due to shifting business plans. Renewall's claims about delays being caused by NS Power or third parties are deemed speculative. The Board also supports NS Power's actions in pausing the project to minimize rework and protect developed code.

4 million estimate for the total required for renewable to retail market development, inclusive of costs to date, forecasted costs, and deferred amounts in Matter M11874 (Letter of Credit proceeding). Please advise whether any work done to...

AI summary The document discusses the estimated $4 million required for renewable to retail market development, including costs to date, forecasted costs, and deferred amounts in Matter M11874. It also raises concerns about whether NS Power's cybersecurity breach affected work done to implement the Renewable to Retail (RtR) market and if redoing affected work has been included in the project amount. NS Power mentions that its Customer Information System (CIS) is outdated and requires modernization to support new tariff designs and programs.

ation due to “a strategic shift to prioritize capital investment in reliability initiatives and considerations such as operational, resource, and technical readiness as well as stakeholder readiness.” 1. Please explain in detail how the pr...

AI summary The document discusses the replacement of NS Power’s outdated Customer Information System (CIS) with a modern system, and the impact of this replacement on proposed modifications to the CIS. It also asks about the necessity of these modifications if the CIS had been replaced on the previously planned timeline. The text requests details on how the updates to the CIS and related systems could benefit customers and when the new systems will be operational.

23 Please confirm whether NSPI is seeking recovery of its own regulatory hearing costs (internal and 24 external legal, consulting, expert witness costs) associated with this RtR capital application and 25 other RtR applications? 1 RtR imp...

AI summary The text discusses the implementation scope and cost estimate of the Renewable to Retail (RtR) project, including questions about regulatory hearing costs, changes in assumptions due to a cybersecurity incident, and coordination with the CIS Replacement project. It also requests documentation on project planning and cost adjustments due to changes in the project's completion date.

27 1 Request IR-19: 2 Reference: M11875, N-5, NSPI (REI) IR 4 (e). 3 4 5 6 NS Power does not believe the vintage of the Customer Information System has a bearing on the cost effectiveness of the overall approach to technology enhancements...

AI summary NS Power argues that the age of the Customer Information System (CIS) does not affect the cost-effectiveness of technology enhancements for the Renewable to Retail (RtR) Market. However, the CIS has undergone significant customizations and is no longer under vendor support, posing a high technology risk. The request seeks clarification on these statements and their relation to technical integration complexity and cost allocation.

ses, risk registers, and scope/interface management protocols, particularly following the cybersecurity incident. Reference : N-1, C0053699 Renewable to Retail Implementation Project, page 2 of 6. Implementation began in 2023… based on… CO...

AI summary The text discusses the Renewable to Retail Implementation Project, highlighting delays in the COD (Completion of Development) and the associated rework and cost increases. It references the 2025 ACE Plan and the need for NSPI to re-baseline scope and spend to minimize costs recoverable from the LRS.

urrent estimate, and if so, explain the reason for the change and quantify the cost impact on the RtR project. Reference : N-1, C0053699 Renewable to Retail Implementation Project, pages 2-3 of 6. 1. Please break down the $581,816 variance...

AI summary The text requests a detailed breakdown of a $581,816 variance in the Renewable to Retail (RtR) project, including reasons for changes and cost impacts. It also asks about schedule extensions, software dependencies, cybersecurity remediation, and infrastructure readiness to support Renewall's Q4 2026 COD.

and found insufficient for RtR settlement and billing and explain why. Reference: N-1, C0053699 Renewable to Retail Implementation Project, pages 4-5 of 6, Capital Project Detailed Estimate. 1. Please provide procurement documentation for...

AI summary The document requests detailed procurement documentation and explanations regarding the RtR Implementation Project, including cost breakdowns, competitive practices, vendor identification, and project deliverables. It also seeks clarification on system outputs and webform specifications.

Confirmation of Cyber Incident Cost Segregation and RtR System Integrity REI submits that the absence of the original detailed ACE Plan estimate, which NS Power advises cannot be recovered due to the cyber incident, limits the Board's abil...

AI summary REI is concerned that the absence of original detailed ACE Plan estimates due to a 2025 cyber incident limits the Board's ability to assess prudence. REI requests confirmation that cyber incident costs were segregated from the RtR project and that the system's integrity remains intact. NS Power confirms that the cyber incident did not impact the project's scope or costs and that costs were segregated using a dedicated project code.