N-12026 10-Year System Outlook Report
9 passages
1 INTRODUCTION IESO Nova Scotia was established under the More Access to Energy Act as the province's independent system operator, responsible for resource planning, including resource adequacy assessments, transmission planning, and procu...
AI summary IESO Nova Scotia, established under the More Access to Energy Act, is responsible for resource planning and transmission planning. This document outlines the inaugural 10-Year System Outlook, with filing requirements for the Load Forecast and 10YSO reports, previously managed by NS Power and now under IESO Nova Scotia.
3.2 Changes in Capacity The basis for the 2026 10-Year System Outlook resource plan is the Government of Nova Scotia's 2030 Clean Power Plan and NS Power's Evergreen IRP scenario CE1-E1-R2 (net zero 2035, current policy and trends electrif...
AI summary The 2026 10-Year System Outlook resource plan is based on the Government of Nova Scotia's 2030 Clean Power Plan and NS Power's Evergreen IRP scenario. It anticipates a net increase in installed capacity of 2,804 MW and firm capacity of 370 MW over the next 10 years, supporting decarbonization goals and 80% renewable energy electricity sales by 2030.
3.2.2 Green Choice Program & Additional Energy Procurements The Green Choice Program (GCP) was established by the Government of Nova Scotia in April 2022 following amendments to the Electricity Act . [14](#page-12-1) In June 2025, two (2)...
AI summary The Green Choice Program (GCP) was established in 2022 and has procured 262 MW of wind energy from two projects expected to be operational by 2028. NS Power has identified the need for an additional 350 MW of wind generation to meet 2030 renewable energy targets, with a second procurement round announced in 2026. A further 1,200 MW of wind capacity is included in the 2030-2036 10-Year System Outlook.
3.2.7 Firm Imports — New Brunswick On May 28, 2026, the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board approved NB Power's Renewable Integration Grid Stability (RIGS) project. [26](#page-14-4) The project will provide IESO Nova Scotia with acces...
AI summary On May 28, 2026, the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board approved NB Power's RIGS project, providing IESO Nova Scotia with 100 MW of firm generation capacity starting as early as 2028. This capacity is included in the Resource Plan for Winter 2028/2029 under a 10-year agreement.
Table 3: Additions and Retirements in the 10-Year System Outlook Resource Plan Additions Retirements Winter Generation Type Name Installed Capacity (MW) Firm Capacity (MW) Name Retired Capacity (MW) Wind Rate Base Procurement 273 54.5 Wind...
AI summary Table 3 outlines the additions and retirements in the 10-Year System Outlook Resource Plan, detailing wind, solar, battery storage, and other generation and demand response resources for various years from 2026/2027 to 2035/2036, along with retirements such as coal-to-gas conversions and coal plants.
3.3.1 Planning Reserve Criteria The Planning Reserve Margin (PRM) is intended to maintain sufficient resources to reliably serve firm customers during periods of grid stress. Unit forced outages, higher than forecast demand, and lower than...
AI summary The Planning Reserve Margin (PRM) is a critical criterion for ensuring reliable power system operation during grid stress. IESO Nova Scotia must comply with NPCC reliability criteria, which require a loss of load expectation (LOLE) of no more than 0.1 days per year. A 20% PRM target was confirmed as appropriate in the 2020 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
Planning Reserve Margin The PRM target of 20% is met from 2026/2027 through to 2033/2034, but currently falls below the target in the final two years of the outlook, indicating additional firm capacity will be required in the outer years....
AI summary The Planning Reserve Margin (PRM) target of 20% is met from 2026/2027 through 2033/2034, but falls below the target in the final two years, indicating a need for additional firm capacity. The 2026 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) will determine the optimal types, quantities, and timing of new resources to meet PRM in all years.
4.3 Clean Electricity Regulations On December 18, 2024 the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER)[35](#page-21-3) were published in Canada Gazette II (CG2). In May 2026, a new National Electricity Strategy[36](#page-21-4) was launched by the...
AI summary The Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) were published in December 2024, and a new National Electricity Strategy was launched in May 2026, aiming to adjust the CER to enable faster sector growth and provide flexibility to offset residual emissions. IESO Nova Scotia will monitor developments and make necessary adjustments, including in the 2026 Integrated Resource Plan.
Table 9: Transmission Project List 2026-2036 Project Type Location Year Status Project Description 2026 Line Upgrade L6531 2026 Planned L6531 Thermal Upgrade to 60 deg C 2027 Line Rebuild L6004 2027 Planned L6004 Thermal Upgrade (75 deg C...
AI summary Table 9 outlines a list of planned transmission projects in Nova Scotia from 2026 to 2036, including line upgrades, rebuilds, new capacitor banks, transformer replacements, and new lines. These projects aim to enhance grid reliability and capacity in response to load studies and future energy demands.