Topic:"Public Interest" in M12451

\ \ 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 Answer: Me...you...every NSPI customer...certainly...

AI summary The email criticizes Nova Scotia Power (NSPI) for mismanagement, corporate welfare, and legal violations, including failure to comply with federal laws and ineffective regulation by the NSEB. It highlights the CEO's lack of accountability and the broader systemic failures in governance and regulation.

h. Regulatory Risk 2 There have been decisions by the UARB where operating and capital costs have been disallowed. 3 Cost disallowances are always within the scope of utility regulation, but in Concentric's 4 experience, significant disall...

AI summary The text discusses regulatory risks faced by Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI), including cost disallowances by the Utility and Review Board (UARB), such as the 2018 AMI decision and treatment of operating expenses. It also mentions the impact of amortizing costs from Hurricane Fiona and penalties under the Public Utilities Act.

Rating Action Rationale On Feb. 2, 2023, the NSUARB issued a rate order that was generally consistent with NSPI's settlement agreement. Prior to the NSUARB's order, the company reached a settlement agreement with various stakeholders align...

AI summary The NSUARB issued a rate order aligning with NSPI's settlement agreement under Bill 212, limiting non-fuel rate increases to 1.8% through 2024. However, S&P Global Ratings viewed Bill 212 as political interference that undermined regulatory independence and increased uncertainty for utilities and stakeholders, negatively impacting NSPI's credit quality.

Public Health Crisis Risk An outbreak of infectious disease, a pandemic or other public health threats, or a fear of any of the foregoing, could result in a Material Adverse Effect to NSPI. This could include causing operating, supply chai...

AI summary A public health crisis, such as an infectious disease outbreak or pandemic, could lead to a Material Adverse Effect on NSPI by causing operational delays, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and reduced demand for electricity, impacting revenue and increasing counterparty risk.

oney from ratepayers to continue providing an unacceptable level of service. The Board has a responsibility to protect ratepayers, while also providing stability for power rates over the coming years. One of the central arguments our Caucu...

AI summary The Caucus argues for a multi-year rate plan to provide stability and prevent excessive rate increases, citing examples from other jurisdictions. They emphasize that Nova Scotia Power's costs should be borne by the company and its shareholders, not ratepayers. The Public Utilities Act grants the Board authority to implement such a plan, and the Caucus references the Regulatory and Appeal Board's decision on Halifax Water as a precedent.

oney from ratepayers to continue providing an unacceptable level of service. The Board has a responsibility to protect ratepayers, while also providing stability for power rates over the coming years. One of the central arguments our Caucu...

AI summary The Caucus argues that Nova Scotia should adopt a multi-year rate plan to provide stability and prevent frequent rate increases. They cite examples from other jurisdictions and emphasize that the Nova Scotia Energy Board has the legal authority to implement such a plan. The Caucus also references the Regulatory and Appeal Board's recent decision on Halifax Water to support their position.

re proceeding. Such an outcome would serve as a targeted performance signal of the expectation that ESG participation, particularly when funded by ratepayers, must be matched by transparent reporting. The Company asserts that the Authority...

AI summary The Company argues that the Authority's ESG-related directives overstep by interfering with corporate discretion, but the Authority maintains that enhanced ESG reporting is necessary for transparency and to assess cost recovery prudency. The Company has admitted to lacking defined ESG responsibilities and governance structures.

it de l’aliénation des biens confisqués. Division 9 of Part 5 retroactively amends section 42 of the Feder- La section 9 de la partie 5 modifie rétroactivement l’article 42 de al-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to specify the payments l...

AI summary This text discusses amendments to several acts, including the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act. These amendments pertain to information publication requirements and the composition and consultation processes of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board.

70-71 Eliz. II – 1-2 Cha. III 2026-2027 GRA U-17 Attachment 2 Page 17 of 546 Chapter 15: Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 Chapitre 15 : Loi d’exécution de l’énoncé économique de l’automne 2023 TABLE OF PROVISIONS TABLE ANAL...

AI summary This text presents the legislative provisions from Chapter 15 of the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023, which includes the Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act and the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Act. It outlines the enactment of these legislative measures.

rrence Coming into Force Entrée en vigueur Sections 272-274 Articles 272-274 Coming into Force Entrée en vigueur First anniversary of royal assent Premier anniversaire de la sanction 272 Section 238, subsections 239(1) and (4), sec- 272 L’...

AI summary This text outlines the coming into force of specific sections of an Act on the first anniversary of royal assent. It references various legislative sections and their effective dates, as well as mentions the Public Post-Secondary Educational Institutions Act.

vinces Coming into Force Entrée en vigueur Sections 319-322 Articles 319-322 Coming into Force Entrée en vigueur June 22, 2023 22 juin 2023 319 Section 318 is deemed to have come into 319 L’article 318 est réputé être entré en vigueur forc...

AI summary The text outlines the coming into force of sections 319-322 of the legislation on June 22, 2023, with a specific focus on amending subsection 6(1) of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act to establish a board of 13 directors, including the Chairperson.

wing after subsection (5): adjonction, après le paragraphe (5), de ce qui suit : Inclusion of certain candidates Choix des candidats (6) When including a candidate who the Minister may (6) Lorsque, dans le cadre de l’établissement de la li...

AI summary The text discusses the inclusion of candidates recommended by the Minister on a list of qualified candidates for proposed director appointments. It requires the nominating committee to consult the portion of the National Joint Council of the Public Service that represents employees and take into account factors provided by them.

Preamble Préambule Whereas public infrastructure and housing are essen- Attendu : tial for communities to be complete, inclusive and que les infrastructures publiques et le logement re- environmentally sustainable; vêtent un caractère esse...

AI summary The preamble emphasizes the importance of public infrastructure and housing for creating complete, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable communities. It highlights the role of government collaboration and local community involvement in achieving these outcomes, as well as the significance of innovative financial tools in attracting private investment.

rité des collectivités, leur caractère englobant et leur du- sivity and environmental sustainability of communities. rabilité du point de vue de l’environnement. Use of departmental services and facilities Utilisation des services et insta...

AI summary The text outlines the responsibilities of the Minister of Housing, including the use of departmental services and facilities, and the delegation of powers to employees. It also addresses the scenario where no Minister is appointed under section 7, specifying that the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities would assume the duties of the Minister of Housing.

often settled. In the civil courts of Nova Scotia, a much higher percentage of cases are settled than go to trial. - [18] That is not to say that the Board would hesitate to reject a settlement agreement it did not consider to be in the pu...

AI summary The text discusses the high rate of case settlements in Nova Scotia's civil courts and emphasizes that the Board would reject settlements not in the public interest, but acknowledges that properly supported settlements are a success of the regulatory process.

NS Power noted: The Board has previously stated in relation to settlement agreements: Where, as here, the Agreement is supported by representatives of all of the customer classes, the Board can have confidence that the Agreement is in the...

AI summary The Board acknowledges that settlement agreements supported by all customer classes provide evidence of public interest but emphasizes they are not determinative. It reiterates principles from past decisions, noting that extensive pre-hearing evidence and stakeholder input inform settlements. The Board views properly supported agreements as regulatory successes, not failures, while reserving the right to reject those not in the public interest.

[2008 NSUARB 140] - [58] The GRA Settlement Agreement in this proceeding was reached by the parties after the hearing was finished. This matter had a full evidentiary record containing over 30,000 pages of information and spreadsheets, inc...

AI summary The GRA Settlement Agreement was reached after a hearing with extensive evidence, including 30,000 pages of documents, expert reports, and public comments. The NSUARB emphasizes its duty to ensure the agreement's terms are just, reasonable, and in the public interest, aligning with prior decisions and ongoing proceedings.

- 5 [12] The Board's Regulatory Rules facilitate settlement discussions. 6 The Board welcomes and appreciates the efforts of parties to, in good faith, 7 settle issues, even where, as sometimes happens, a settlement cannot be 8 ultimately...

AI summary The NSUARB supports settlement agreements in the public interest, especially when all customer classes agree. The process involves extensive pre-hearing evidence and information requests, ensuring thorough review. Settlements are common in litigation but newer in regulatory matters.

Overview - 1. The Department of Energy (the "Department") submits that the Board should reject NS Power's rate change request in its entirety as NS Power has failed to satisfy its burden of proof under Section 45 of the Public Utilities Ac...

AI summary The Department of Energy opposes NS Power's rate change request, arguing it fails to meet the burden of proof under the Public Utilities Act to justify proposed rates as just and reasonable. Economic pressures and energy poverty (40% of Nova Scotians spending over 6% of income on energy) are highlighted as critical factors. The Province emphasizes its statutory duty to protect public interest in utility regulation.

Return on Equity - 22. The Department submits that NS Power's ROE should be set at 7.6%, as recommended by Dr. Cleary[5](#page-4-0) . This is less than the 9% ROE NS Power currently receives and will save ratepayers money. - 23. Even if th...

AI summary The Department recommends setting NS Power's ROE at 7.6% to save ratepayers money, citing Dr. Cleary's analysis. The Consensus Agreement panel previously supported the existing 9% ROE, but the Department argues this is against public interest due to reliability issues. NS Power did not rebut Dr. Cleary's evidence, which shows NS Power has exceeded allowed ROE in multiple years.

1) The Board's Approach to Settlement Agreements The Board has long encouraged collaborative, good-faith settlement processes as a means of narrowing issues, reducing regulatory burden, and improving outcomes for ratepayers. A settlement d...

AI summary The Board emphasizes settlement agreements as a means to streamline regulatory processes and ensure fair rates. It evaluates settlements based on factors like stakeholder involvement, alignment with public interest, and reasonableness of proposed rates, referencing past cases like Nova Scotia Power Inc. (Re) (2008 and 2023).

ppendix 8F, Letter from the Province of NS, page 651. [ 47 ](#page-10-11) As amended by the Energy Reform (2024) Act , SNS 2024, c.2, assented to April 5, 2024. proposed change may be submitted to the Board, which may take evidence and giv...

AI summary The Industrial Group supports the proposed securitization, arguing it is in the public interest and protects ratepayers and the utility. They emphasize the Board's role in recommending, not directing, measures under the Energy Reform (2024) Act.

2 NSUARB Decision (M10431), 2023 NSUARB 12, pages 31-33, at paragraphs 57 - 59. 1 2 parties and the Board are well informed about the case in advance of any oral public hearing. 3 [16] The public can rest assured that the Board Members hea...

AI summary The NSUARB Decision (M10431) discusses the Board's approach to settlement agreements in regulatory matters, emphasizing that they must be in the public interest and ensure just, reasonable rates. The GRA Settlement Agreement in this proceeding was reached after a full evidentiary record with extensive documentation and stakeholder input.

January 30, 2026 James A. MacDuff Direct +1 (902) 444 8619 [email protected] Purdy's Wharf Tower II 1300-1969 Upper Water Street PO Box 730 Halifax NS Canada B3J 2V1 Tel +1 (902) 425 6500 Fax +1 (902) 425 6350 Ms. Crystal Hen...

AI summary The Berwick Electric Commission, Riverport Electric Light Commission, and the Towns of Antigonish and Mahone Bay submit closing remarks supporting approval of a Consensus Agreement with Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NS Power) for its 2026 General Rate Application (GRA). The submission references the Board's 2008 decision emphasizing the value of settlement agreements in the public interest.

This GRA is the result of an extensive collaborative process involving NS Power and all customer representatives, who, as a result of that process, are supportive of the outcomes being requested in this GRA. The Board has previously stated...

AI summary The Settlement Agreement (GRA) resulted from collaboration between NS Power and customer representatives, supported by all customer classes. The Board emphasizes that such support confirms the agreement's public interest, with legal counsel and experts involved. The agreement balances reciprocal compromises, with interdependent terms that cannot be modified without disrupting the overall balance, as noted by various consultants.

3.1.1 Findings [41] As noted above, the NSUARB has considered settlement agreements in past matters. The Board appreciates the efforts of parties to resolve contested issues in matters coming before it and encourages such initiatives to co...

AI summary The NSUARB acknowledges the value of settlement agreements but emphasizes they must be just and in the public interest. While recognizing efforts to resolve disputes, the Board notes this settlement occurred before the application was filed, reducing its evidentiary weight. The Board approves some terms but requires amendments to ensure fair rates.

3.8.5.1 Findings [631] It is clear that Ms. Palmer has some misgivings about other aspects of NS Power's cost-of-service methods, but in light of the settlement agreement, she elected to focus on the minimum system vs. basic customer issue...

AI summary The Board acknowledges Ms. Palmer's concerns about NS Power's cost-of-service methods but emphasizes that a settlement agreement does not determine public interest. The Board urges NS Power to address these concerns in a future application and encourages Synapse to raise other issues for consideration.

OPENING STATEMENT 31 NOVA SCOTIA NDP CAUCUS 1 how best to serve Nova Scotians going forward. 4 [9:30:00] Nova Scotians have lost trust in Nova 5 Scotia Power, and it's not hard to understand why. We 6 urge this Board to do everything in it...

AI summary The Nova Scotia NDP Caucus opening statement expresses concern over the lack of public trust in Nova Scotia Power and emphasizes the need for affordable, reliable power and ensuring the utility acts in the public interest.