Topic:"Infrastructure Planning" in M12898

D055 Capital Projects Budget ($) Actuals ($) Variance ($) 3,305,954 1,687,489 (1,618,465) 2,832,857 1,371,683 (1,461,174) 1,942,926 927,125 (1,015,801) 1,991,413 1,473,983 (517,430) 3,359,808 1,861,911 (1,497,897) 4 (a) Please refer to NSE...

AI summary The document discusses the Capital Projects Budget for D055, including actuals and variances, and notes that NS Power does not maintain detailed person hour estimates for D055 work. It references NSEB IR-2 for work order numbers and mentions the ATO for the planned replacement of deteriorated equipment.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Please note that due to the cyber incident NS Power cannot pull January 2025 work order 2 details. The work order numbers shown for 2025 are from February-December 2025. As 3 a result, the average cost per work order sho...

AI summary The text discusses the challenges in accurately measuring the average cost per work order for D055 due to changes in work order structure and complexity, including the implementation of CI 46075. It notes that work orders now include a broader range of tasks, making cost per work order an unreliable metric. NS Power does not track costs at the individual work order level.

TABLE 1 – RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES Responsibility Service Provider NSPI Coordination with NSPI to ensure access to transmission line corridors and all necessary travel easements for entry. NSPI shall be responsible for ensuring all...

AI summary Table 1 outlines the responsibilities of the Service Provider and NSPI in coordination, planning, reporting, and forecasting for transmission and distribution work. NSPI is responsible for annual work plans and quarterly forecasts, while the Service Provider is responsible for coordination, submission of work plans, and reporting.

TABLE 2: REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Report Purpose Key Content of Report Delivery Expectation Responsible Party Dx Daily Project Report • Provide a daily update of project status Project Name Date Number of workers by skill set Equipment / mac...

AI summary Table 2 outlines reporting requirements for projects, including daily and weekly updates with details on project status, risks, progress, and responsibilities. The Service Provider is responsible for delivering these reports on specific timelines.

TRANSMISSION REMEDIATION GUIDELINES 1) Access roads, dirt or paved: Damage : ruts, surface wear, potholes, gravel loss, cracked or damaged pavement. Repair : a) level out ruts, grade road, 1-2 loads of gravel- Service Provider - b) more th...

AI summary The document outlines guidelines for repairing damages caused during transmission work, specifying the responsibilities of the Service Provider and NSP based on the type and cost of repairs. It includes damage scenarios for roads, lawns/farm lands, and tree removal, along with corresponding repair actions and cost thresholds.

Line Services Agreement Annual Timeline: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Operating Meetings Bi weekly Bi weekly Bi weekly Bi weekly Bi weekly Bi-weekly Bi-weekly Bi weekly Bi-weekly Bi weekly Bi weekly Bi weekly Sr. Mgmt. R...

AI summary The document outlines the annual timeline for the Line Services Agreement, including regular meetings, forecasts, reviews, and safety programs. Part IV discusses Change Order Management, indicating a focus on managing changes in the agreement.

Work ≥ Contract Year 1 Contract Year 2 Contract Year 3 Contract Year 4 Contract Year 5 Contract Year 6 Contract Year 7 Contract Year 8 (Oct 1, 2019 to Sept 30, 2020 (Oct 1, 2020 to Sept 30, 2021) (Oct 1, 2021 to Sept 30, 2022) (Oct 1, 2022...

AI summary The text presents a table outlining planned work hours across multiple contract years, with categories for work below and above 200 CU hours. It includes sections for transmission and reactive work, though no specific details are provided about the work itself or the entities involved.

Response IR-6: (a) Materials costs for D055 include all distribution system components required to replace deteriorated assets on a planned basis, including items such as wood poles, crossarms, insulators, overhead conductors, pole top tra...

AI summary The response outlines materials costs for D055, including distribution system components, and explains that detailed information is not available due to financial tracking during a cyber incident recovery. Poles & Transformers are categorized under Allocation for 2025.

NSPI Responses to NSEB Information Requests 1 Request IR-1: 3 piece of work within the routine remain consistent with the asset management mechanism, 4 and were not based on what the impact to the D055 budget would be. 5 6 (b) NS Power bec...

AI summary NSPI explains that the work within the routine was consistent with asset management mechanisms and not based on D055 budget impacts. NS Power became aware of the need for an ATO in the fall of 2025 as financial information became more complete. The investment was necessary for equipment replacements to maintain system safety and reliability in 2025.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL Request IR-9: Please describe how the utility has addressed system hardening solutions and resilience in the project selection. Response IR-9: With respect to D055, system hardening and resilience is addressed through two...

AI summary NS Power addresses system hardening and resilience by targeting high-risk areas with appropriate mitigating measures and using modern materials and design standards during equipment replacement and upgrades. These strategies aim to reduce the likelihood of outages and improve system performance during adverse weather conditions.

Request IR-2: - a) For 2025, please provide a breakdown of budgeted vs actual expenditures by major cost categories (e.g., labour, materials, contractor services, overhead, etc.). - b) Please provide a year-by-year breakdown from 2019 to 2...

AI summary Request IR-2 asks for a breakdown of budgeted vs. actual expenditures for 2025 and a year-by-year analysis of costs and volumes from 2019 to 2025 related to Bin Work, Field Driven Work, and Street Light and Service Removals under Routine D055.

Request IR-6: - In its application, NS Power states: "Bin Work is up by $10.2 million due to the advancement of higher-priority condition-driven work identified during the feeder inspection program, including projects in the Glace Bay area...

AI summary NS Power has increased Bin Work and Field Work costs due to higher-priority condition-driven projects and increased deficiencies. The request asks for detailed information on these works, including costs, feeder details, and outage data since 2021.

Refer to M12898, Exhibit N-1, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated ("NS Power") CI Various - Distribution Routines ATO (Non-Confidential) June 11, 2026 ("ATO Application), Distribution Routines – Reason for Variance, table showing 2025 ACE dolla...

AI summary The text refers to a distribution routines ATO application by NS Power, highlighting variances between approved and actual spending in 2025, including increases in Bin Work and Field Driven Work. It requests clarification on the matter number for the feeder replacement program, the implications of increased spending, and breakdowns of costs related to distribution line movements and deficiencies.

Submissions The Consumer Advocate has reviewed the materials filed in this matter, including NS Power's Application and responses to Information Requests, and makes the following submissions. (a) Sufficiency of Information Provided On revi...

AI summary The Consumer Advocate raises concerns about the insufficient data provided by NS Power in support of its Application, particularly regarding cost and contract details for distribution routines. NS Power has not collected or provided detailed information on contractors, expenditures, or external factors affecting costs, making it difficult to assess the reasonableness of its $8.6 million request for D055. NS Power claims it is improving data collection and reporting in 2026.

One suggestion by NS Power is that a backlog in "deficiencies" developed from 2022 that only began to be addressed sometime in 2024. NS Power states: The primary costs and drivers of D055 are determined by asset condition data from ongoing...

AI summary NS Power attributes a backlog in deficiencies from 2022 to 2024 and a significant increase in Bin Work costs from $3.0 million in 2023 to $12.1 million in 2025, but provides limited details on the nature of the deficiencies or the administrative changes driving the cost increase.

tem-generated reporting could not be readily reconciled or extracted for regulatory reporting purposes in 2025. NS Power expects that it will be able to provide this information for 2026 if requested. As explained in response to CA IR-3(b)...

AI summary NS Power acknowledges challenges in providing detailed labour and cost information for D055 work and field-driven work due to system limitations and the complexity of the work involved. It expects to improve reporting capabilities in the future, though a timeline cannot be committed to at this time.

3.3 Planning Practices – Cost Drivers - The CA submits that D055 has exceeded budget in prior years, but that the magnitude of the 2025 - overspend is significantly greater than in previous years, driven primarily by the increase in Bin M1...

AI summary The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (CA) highlights concerns about D055's 2025 budget overruns, questioning the causes and NS Power's planning practices. The CA points to increased deficiency volumes, changes in work-order practices, and reprioritization as potential factors, but notes a lack of detailed tracking and transparency.

3.3.4 Glace Bay Investment The approximately $4 million invested in the Glace Bay area was identified based on the known scope of work undertaken in that region and associated project planning and budget tracking. As described in response...

AI summary The $4 million investment in Glace Bay involved replacing over 160 poles and related infrastructure, contributing to increased D055 expenditures in 2025 due to high-priority condition-driven replacement activities.