Topic:"Rate Rider" in M12749

From: Christine & Ian Sent: February 11, 2026 1:47 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Please assist Nova Scotia Power Disputes Resolution Re: account I phoned NS Power this morning and was on the call for 1 hour and 7 minutes....

AI summary Customer Christine Cameron reports billing irregularities with Nova Scotia Power (NS Power), including inconsistent billing cycles, unexpected rate changes linked to the Critical Peak program, and overestimated energy usage. She disputes NS Power's explanation, citing a 2023 email guaranteeing lower rates outside peak events and requests clarification and correction.

e of us who joined prior to this, had the statement made to us that our rates would always be lower. (\ Please note: I will forward the email of December 13, 2023 immediately following this email) I note that the Board made mention of a de...

AI summary A customer asserts that Nova Scotia Power (NSP) assured them of lower rates, referencing a delayed request to keep program rates active rather than pause them. The customer emphasizes their agreement to the program's lower pricing, despite the Board's involvement in the decision. The letter cites a 2025 NS Energy Board (NSEB) communication.

"FINDINGS The Board shares the same concerns identified by the parties in their submissions. TVP programs are designed to incent different customer electricity usage to benefit the system by shifting load and deferring or eliminating signi...

AI summary The NS Energy Board's findings support NS Power's TVP program but raise concerns about revenue neutrality, potential ratepayer costs, and lack of transparency. The customer criticizes NS Power's management for shifting infrastructure costs to ratepayers and poor communication about program changes. The Board's approval of NS Power's approach is questioned due to insufficient data on energy usage post-rate increases.

cide whether to expand the Board's purview with the italicized words. In Dalhousie Legal Aid , the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal was also clear there was no latitude for an alternative interpretation: [39] Section 67(1) is not ambiguous: "ra...

AI summary The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal ruled that the Board must apply equal rates to all customers receiving the same service, citing Section 67(1) of the relevant legislation. The analysis criticizes the TVP program's proposed tariffs, arguing they create revenue losses not offset by gains, forcing non-participants to subsidize participants. The program's short-term nature and lack of net benefit to ratepayers are highlighted.

NS Power submits that Option A is the only “viable path forward” because it “preserves customer enrollment, supports longer-term continuity of the TVP program, and minimizes disruption for customers”. Due to the delay in filing its TVP app...

AI summary NS Power advocates for Option A as the only viable path forward for the TVP program, emphasizing continuity and minimizing customer disruption. The Board raised concerns about revenue neutrality and system benefits, noting a potential $500,000 revenue shortfall if TVP tariffs are adopted. Expedited processing was requested to implement rates by November 2025, with stakeholder submissions received by October 2025.

be advised that the TVP Tariffs will resume and the program will continue. Based on the above, the Board makes the following findings and directs NS Power to amend the respective Tariffs, as follows: • With respect to the TVP TOU and CPP T...

AI summary The Board directs NS Power to amend TVP Tariffs, aligning off-peak and on-peak rates with standard offer rates during system outages. Domestic TOU and CPP tariffs will resume post-February 2026, with specific notice requirements. The Board acknowledges concerns about revenue loss from lower Domestic CPP rates and modifies Synapse's notice recommendation.

omestic rate, and leaving these customers at the lower rate will result in lost revenue requirement from the TVP program. The Board agrees with a modification to Synapse’s recommendation as to notice. • The Board directs that this rate be...

AI summary The Board amends Domestic, Small General, and General Service TOU rates to align with standard offer rates, effective December 1, 2025, and directs immediate resumption of CPP rates without 30-day notice upon system restoration. NS Power must provide 15-day notice for TOU rate resumption if systems are restored by February 15, 2026.

rates. • The Board directs that the same amendments be made to these CPP Tariffs as were made to the Domestic CPP Tariff, mutatis mutandis. Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB) TOU The Board is satisfied that there are no changes require...

AI summary The Nova Scotia Energy Board (NSEB) approves tariff amendments for CPP Tariffs, confirms no changes to MURB TOU due to NS Power's manual processes, and awaits compliance filings for 2025/26 TVP Tariffs. NS Power will update the Board by December 31, 2025, on its evaluation report. A cyber incident led to billing customers at standard rates instead of TVP rates until system recovery.

2 Please note, the phrase "your rate will always be lower," as provided in the CPP welcome email, 3 (Attachment 4) was intended to convey that off-peak rates under the CPP Tariff are lower than standard rates in all non-critical peak hours...

AI summary The document clarifies that the Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) program's promotional language, stating 'your rate will always be lower,' refers to lower off-peak rates compared to standard rates during non-critical peak hours. The program remains subject to modification, suspension, or discontinuation. The Board's Decision dated June 22, 2021, approved the Terms of Consensus, including the CPP and Time of Use (TOU) tariffs.

STORM COST RECOVERY RIDER Storm Cost Recovery Charges or credits (in cents per kilowatt-hour) applicable to the Tariff for the current rate year, shown in the Storm Cost Recovery Rider, shall apply, in addition to the energy charge.

AI summary The Storm Cost Recovery Rider establishes charges or credits (in cents per kilowatt-hour) applicable to the Tariff for the current rate year, in addition to the energy charge. These adjustments are tied to storm-related costs and are reflected in the rider's provisions.

Special Terms and Provisions Effective: November 1, 2023 - 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...

AI summary The rider defines Green Power as renewable energy with minimal environmental impact, potentially certified by third parties. The Company reserves the right to limit service based on available green energy levels, effective November 1, 2023.

- When the customized email was opened, on average over 50% of customers clicked to learn more about residential rate plans than business rate plans. Email Results (Y3) Email Results (Y3) - Business Focused Email – Customized Business and...

AI summary The email campaign showed that 59.9% of recipients who received the customized business and residential email opened it, and 30.9% clicked to learn more about residential rate plans, compared to 45.6% opens and 16.9% clicks for the business-focused email.

NEW OPTIONAL RATE PLANS Our Time-of-Use and Critical Peak rate plans provide an opportunity for you to shift your energy use from peak hours to off-peak hours. Peak hours are times when demand is elevated, and your rates are higher. Off-pe...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power introduces Time-of-Use and Critical Peak rate plans to encourage customers to shift energy use from peak to off-peak hours, reducing annual costs by aligning consumption with lower-rate periods.

Page 2, line 2 of NS Power response: Please note, the phrase "your rate will always be lower," as provided in the CPP welcome email, (Attachment 4) was intended to convey that off-peak rates under the CPP Tariff are lower than standard rat...

AI summary NS Power clarifies that the statement 'your rate will always be lower' in the CPP welcome email refers to off-peak rates being lower than standard rates during non-critical peak hours. However, the program remains subject to change through regulatory proceedings, and NS Power did not explicitly indicate that the statement was intended for anything beyond its stated benefit.

M12749 - Nova Scotia Power Inc. - Appeal of a Decision of the Dispute Resolution Officer The Nova Scotia Energy Board (Board) has completed its review of your appeal regarding your NS Power Inc. (NS Power) account. The Board understands yo...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NS Power) is appealing a decision regarding the pausing of the Time-Varying Prices (TVP) Critical Peak Pilot Program and the subsequent pricing change effective December 1, 2025. The Nova Scotia Energy Board is reviewing whether it had the authority to pause the program and whether NS Power accurately measured and billed electricity usage during the period from December 1, 2025, to January 26, 2026.

er's application to temporarily suspend the program and directed domestic Critical Peak Program customers to temporarily pay the standard domestic rate while the program functionality was unavailable. You say that customers did not cause t...

AI summary The document discusses the temporary suspension of the TVP Critical Peak Program by NS Power and the subsequent billing at the standard domestic rate. The Board acknowledges that customers were not at fault for the system limitations but determined that the standard rate was appropriate during the suspension. The customer requests a refund for the billing period from December 1, 2025, to January 29, 2026, due to the rate change not being based on an actual reading on December 1.

Conclusion Based on the evidence before it, the Board finds that: - NS Power's statement, in its December 2023 welcoming email to you, that the Critical Peak Program rate would "always be lower" did not create an agreement that the rate wo...

AI summary The Board finds that NS Power's communication about the Critical Peak Program rate was misleading, but that the billing was appropriate. The Board emphasizes that only it has authority to set rates and directs NS Power to improve customer communication regarding program terms.

worded appropriately. Regarding the change of rate for December 1, 2025, again I reiterate that this is only a guess and should at best be considered when an actual reading of a meter can be done. The lack of meter reading should have been...

AI summary Customer criticizes NS Power for rate estimation inaccuracies, lack of meter readings, and delayed tree maintenance near power lines. Highlights poor customer service, regulatory oversight gaps, and impacts of deferred maintenance on rural power reliability.

ately record energy use they are unable to send that information back to our billing systems to apply it to your bill. This affects how we track and bill for electricity usage during peak times. Additionally, MyEnergy Insights — an importa...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power (NSP) informs customers of temporary disruptions due to a cyber incident: energy use data cannot be recorded or billed accurately during peak times, and the MyEnergy Insights tool is unavailable. Enrolled customers in the Critical Peak Pricing Rate Pilot will temporarily use a flat Standard Residential Service Rate until services are restored, with advance notice provided upon resuming the pilot.

M12749 - Nova Scotia Power Inc. - Appeal of a Decision of the Dispute Resolution Officer The Nova Scotia Energy Board (Board) has completed its review of your appeal regarding your NS Power Inc. (NS Power) account. The Board understands yo...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. appeals a decision regarding the pausing of the Time-Varying Prices Critical Peak Pilot Program and a pricing change effective December 1, 2025. The appeal focuses on whether the Board had the authority to pause the program and whether NS Power accurately billed the customer during the period December 1, 2025 to January 26, 2026.

er's application to temporarily suspend the program and directed domestic Critical Peak Program customers to temporarily pay the standard domestic rate while the program functionality was unavailable. You say that customers did not cause t...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power temporarily suspended the TVP Critical Peak Program and billed customers at the standard rate during the suspension. Customers argue that the rate change should not have been implemented without an actual reading on December 1, 2025, and request a refund. The Board acknowledges that customers were notified of the suspension and rate change, even if they did not read all the details.

Conclusion Based on the evidence before it, the Board finds that: - NS Power's statement, in its December 2023 welcoming email to you, that the Critical Peak Program rate would "always be lower" did not create an agreement that the rate wo...

AI summary The Board dismissed the appeal, finding that NS Power's billing was appropriate and that the rate changes were reasonable. However, the Board expressed concern over misleading customer communication in NS Power's email regarding the Critical Peak Program and directed NS Power to improve clarity in future communications.