Topic:"System Reliability" in M12619

1 2 In preparing its capital plans, NS Power utilizes its established asset management approach, and 3 considers safety, reliability, climate change adaptation, and affordability, while incorporating the 4 Company’s decarbonization targets...

AI summary NS Power uses an asset management approach to prepare capital plans, focusing on reliability, resiliency, and affordability. The 2026 ACE Plan includes investments in reliability-focused improvements to the T&D system, addressing challenges from severe weather events through vegetation management, storm hardening, and grid modernization.

1 4.0 2025 ANNUAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PLAN FOLLOW-UP 2 3 This section addresses items arising from the 2025 ACE Plan. These items include a list of 4 subsequent submittal capital items from the 2025 ACE Plan that are planned to be submitte...

AI summary This section outlines follow-up actions related to the 2025 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, including updates on the Five-Year Reliability Plan, removal of SAIDI reporting, and initiation of a third-party review process under matter M12558.

CI# Project Title 2026 Budget ($) Project Total ($) and intermediate pressure steam from the boiler to produce power through the generator. C0082195 LIN2 2025/26 Capacity Requirement 299,478 3,162,203 This project is for the component refu...

AI summary The document outlines several infrastructure and maintenance projects across Nova Scotia's energy sector, including asset refurbishment, replacement of equipment, and system upgrades to ensure operational reliability and compliance with environmental regulations.

CI# Project Title 2026 Budget ($) Project Total ($) C0071888 New Tidewater Substation 4,119,741 4,141,223 This project is to build a new Tidewater Substation to address increased residential electricity demand, improve system reliability,...

AI summary The document outlines several capital projects aimed at improving electricity infrastructure in Nova Scotia, including new substations, transformer replacements, and transmission line upgrades to enhance system reliability and meet growing demand.

eliver and manage data integrations in a more timely and cost effective manner. C0047278 IT - Oracle MDM Upgrade 4,684,089 7,949,409 The Meter Data Management (MDM) System is nearing end-of-life and requires an upgrade to maintain vendor s...

AI summary The text discusses the need to upgrade the Meter Data Management (MDM) System and the Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) to ensure vendor support, cybersecurity, and compatibility with emerging technologies. These upgrades are part of the 2026 ACE Plan and involve significant financial investments.

REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan CONFIDENTIAL (Attachments Only) 1 For additional detail on NS Power’s reliability strategy, including metrics and resilience planning, 2 please refer to Section 11.1.4. 3 4 The focu...

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan outlines NS Power’s transmission capital investments, totaling approximately $241.1 million, with a focus on system reliability, energy storage, and synchronous condensers. The plan includes spending for projects over $1 million, with some approvals sought after the filing of the ACE Plan.

1 11.1.4 Impact of Reliability Projects 2 3 The Board’s 2013 ACE Plan Decision provided the following directive: 4 5 …the Board expects NSPI to monitor the impact of the deferral of reliability 6 projects in the original 2013 ACE Plan clos...

AI summary The document outlines the Board's directives related to the impact of reliability projects in the Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan. It emphasizes NSPI's responsibility to monitor deferrals, report on reliability performance, and align capital investments with performance standards.

1 are necessary. This approach is driven by and aligned with NS Power’s asset management strategy 2 for T&D assets and includes implementation by the Reliability team. In addition to the dedicated 3 areas of scope and responsibilities for...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's reliability initiatives, including updates on the Reliability Team's progress and alignment with the company's asset management strategy. The Board directed NS Power to provide updates on the Reliability Director's implementation progress as part of the ACE Plan, with a focus on reducing outage frequency and duration in 2025.

1 Details regarding the execution of year one of the Five-Year Reliability Plan and anticipated 2 activities in year two can be found in Appendix G. 3 4 The combined benefits of these programs and the positive impacts on the reliability of...

AI summary The document discusses the execution of the Five-Year Reliability Plan, including benefits and anticipated activities. It also outlines the establishment and progress of the CEATI Grid Resiliency Working Group, including survey development, terms of reference, and planning for a resiliency workshop.

to look for 30 ways to update its risk-based asset management approach to give consideration to 31 the economic impact of outages. Therefore, the Board directs NS Power to study 32 and report on the potential use of the VoLL metric in the...

AI summary The Board directs NS Power to study and report on the potential use of the VoLL metric in its reliability investment planning and capital approvals process, citing the need to consider the economic impact of outages. References are made to Board Orders related to the 2025 Annual Capital Expenditure Plan and Storm Cost Recovery Rider.

1 Plan, which is to be filed with Board by December 31, 2024. Similarly, it is likely 2 too late for the study report to be included with the 2025 ACE Plan application. As 3 such, the Board directs NS Power to provide a report on this VoLL...

AI summary The document discusses the need for NS Power to provide a Value of Lost Load (VoLL) assessment in its 2026 ACE Plan application and outlines NS Power's position on reliability metrics used in its Performance Standards reporting, emphasizing their effectiveness and industry standardization.

1 Electricity Canada which have included resiliency as a key focus for collaboration. An update on 2 CEATI’s Grid Resiliency working group, which NS Power is participating in, is provided above. 3 4 Based on the preliminary work for the CE...

AI summary NS Power is participating in the CEATI Grid Resiliency working group to develop metrics for system resiliency, such as Energy Not Supplied and Time to Restore Customers. While existing metrics like SAIDI and SAIFI are considered sufficient for now, NS Power supports the development of new metrics and engagement in the third-party review of the Five-Year Reliability Plan.

13 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 102 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan CONFIDENTIAL (Attachments Only) 1 Figure 60: Annual Atlantic Canada Outage Duration Annual Atlantic Canada Outage Duration 80.00...

AI summary The document presents a graph titled 'Annual Atlantic Canada Outage Duration' showing average outage duration in hours from 2015 to 2024. The data illustrates trends in outage durations over time, which may be relevant to energy reliability and infrastructure planning.

10.00 0.00 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 NS Power Atlantic Utilities 2 3 4 Figure 61 and Figure 62 below represent NS Power’s reliability statistics with Major and Extreme 5 Events (such as Hurricanes Dorian, Fiona, and...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power’s reliability statistics, showing improvements in SAIFI and SAIDI metrics due to reduced severe weather events and effective outage prevention initiatives. It also mentions the 2026 ACE Plan, which is marked as confidential.

N REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan CONFIDENTIAL (Attachments Only) 1 Figure 61: NS Power Annual SAIFI (Major/Extreme Events Excluded) NS Power Annual SAIFI Major/Extreme Removed System Average Outage Frequency 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 2016...

AI summary The document presents figures showing NS Power's Annual SAIFI and SAIDI metrics from 2016 to 2025, excluding major and extreme events, illustrating trends in outage frequency and duration over time.

NS Power Annual SAIDI Major/Extreme Removed System Average Outage Duration (Hrs) 7.00 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 (Oct YTD) 5 6 7 Figure 63 and Figure 64 below represent NS Power’s r...

AI summary The document presents NS Power's reliability statistics, including SAIDI and SAIFI values, with and without Major/Extreme Events. It notes that no such events occurred between January 1 and October 31, 2025, resulting in identical SAIFI and SAIDI values for 2025. The 2026 ACE Plan is also mentioned as a confidential attachment.

ts Included) NS Power Annual SAIFI 7.00 System Average Outage Frequency 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 (Oct YTD) 3 4 5 Figure 64: NS Power Annual SAIDI (Major and Extreme Events Include...

AI summary The document presents graphical data on NS Power's annual SAIFI and SAIDI metrics from 2016 to 2025, highlighting system average outage frequency and duration, including major and extreme events.

cluded) NS Power Annual SAIDI 80.00 System Average Outage Duration (Hrs) 70.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00 0.00 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 (Oct YTD) 6 7 8 The reliability performance for overall SAIFI and SAI...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's reliability performance, noting that SAIDI and SAIFI are influenced by severe weather events. It also references the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, which is marked as confidential.

f 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan CONFIDENTIAL (Attachments Only) 1 2023) as a trend which is expected to continue into the future. However, NS Power’s typical 2 performance compares favourably with t...

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan discusses NS Power's performance in terms of outages, noting that tree contacts and failed equipment are the leading causes of customer outages. Continued investment in vegetation clearing and other capital initiatives is expected to improve system reliability and resiliency.

1 2 Significant amount of customer hours from non-MED days due to adverse weather in certain years, 3 such as 2021 and 2022 are not excluded above and do contribute to the volume of tree contacts 4 experienced. Despite the increased freque...

AI summary The text discusses the impact of severe weather on power outages and NS Power's efforts to improve reliability through vegetation management and equipment upgrades. Despite increased weather challenges, there is a positive trend in reducing customer impact. Investments in transmission and distribution rights-of-way are highlighted as part of the 2026 ACE Plan.

and duration of outages caused by failed 29 equipment when compared to recent history. These years were also the most challenging years for 30 severe weather events. The increase in failed primary aerial conductors is believed to be attrib...

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan discusses the impact of severe weather events on infrastructure reliability, noting increased failures in primary aerial conductors due to high wind stress. However, NS Power's targeted asset investments have improved equipment reliability, with 2025 showing a positive trend in reducing customer interruptions.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 (Oct YTD) 12 13 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 110 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan CONFIDENTIAL (Attachments Only) 1 Figure 70: Annual Failed Equipme...

AI summary The document presents data on annual failed equipment and customer hours of interruption, with a focus on 2025 reliability data. It highlights the classification of outages caused by equipment failure by device type, as illustrated in Figure 71.

further look into the 2025 reliability data, outages caused by equipment failure can be 5 classified by device type. This is shown in Figure 71 below. 6 7 Figure 71: Customer Hours of Interruption Customer Hours of Interruption Device Type...

AI summary The document discusses outage data from October 2025, classifying customer hours of interruption by device type, with pin insulators and crossarms being the leading causes. It also references the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, which is marked as confidential.

1 All distribution capital projects and routines that replace deteriorated equipment are aimed at 2 sustaining or improving system reliability and contribute to the reduction of customer impacts due 3 to device failures referenced in the t...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's efforts to improve system reliability through capital projects and storm response, addressing the impacts of changing weather patterns and climate risks. It outlines the use of the 2.5 Beta Method for classifying storm events and highlights the current performance metrics and capital programs for 2026.

1 level aimed at providing safe and reliable service, while ensuring affordability. To sustain or 2 improve reliability performance, NS Power follows its asset management principles to prioritize 3 investments in Energy Delivery equipment...

AI summary NS Power prioritizes capital investments in Energy Delivery equipment based on asset management principles, risk ratings, and asset condition to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable service. Replacement decisions are guided by asset age, performance degradation, and system reliability.

2026 ACE Plan C0080206 Page 2 of 5 JUSTIFICATION: Justification Criteria: Thermal Sub Criteria: Equipment Replacement/ Refurbishment Why do this project? NS Power conducts condition and risk assessment and analysis based on the annual boil...

AI summary NS Power is proposing the replacement of boiler components such as tubes, tube shielding, and tube locks to enhance system reliability, mitigate the risk of unplanned outages, and ensure safe and cost-effective operation. The project is necessary due to the increased risk of failures from degraded components and the potential for higher costs from emergency repairs.

ficient, and cost-effective operation of the boiler, while supporting sustained asset integrity and reliability of the asset and maintaining the operating license compliance. Why do this project now? The inspection, refurbishment, and repl...

AI summary The project involves the inspection, refurbishment, and replacement of boiler tubes and tube shields during scheduled outages to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operation while maintaining compliance with industry standards. This is necessary due to the high temperatures, pressures, and abrasive conditions these components operate under, which make regular maintenance essential.

REDACTED 2026 ACE Plan C0080133 Page 2 of 5 excess of 50,000 hours since its last major inspection and will be due for overhaul in 2027 based on NS Power’s asset management strategy. Completing this project in a planned manner, assessing c...

AI summary The document discusses the planned refurbishment of the Intermediate Pressure (IP) turbine at Tufts Cove 3 (TUC3) during the 2027 outage to ensure continued safe and reliable operation, mitigate risks of unplanned outages, and align with NS Power’s asset management strategy. The project aims to reduce operational risks and maintain system reliability.

black start capability, 10-minute reserve, Volt-Ampere Reactive support and additional firm energy capacity to the NS Power electrical system. The unit was originally commissioned by NS Power in 1976 Summary of Related CIs +/- 2 years: Pur...

AI summary The document discusses the refurbishment of a gas turbine at Burnside to maintain essential ancillary services, citing wear and damage identified in a 2025 borescope inspection. The project is justified based on thermal criteria and equipment replacement needs to prevent unplanned outages and ensure system reliability.

ur operating units, which provide multiple benefits to NS Power and its customers. This unit, along with all the other combustion turbines, provides essential ancillary services to the system such as: • Peaking capacity – generation used t...

AI summary The text discusses the importance of maintaining four operational units at Burnside, highlighting their role in providing peaking capacity, black start capability, and fast-acting generation to support system reliability, especially with the integration of variable renewable energy sources like wind.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) procedures. Without this teardown, there remains a significant risk that hidden defects could evolve into unplanned unit failures. Why do this project this way? A “run to failure” strategy is not appro...

AI summary The document discusses the decision to refurbish an existing engine rather than replace it, citing risks of unplanned failures and the cost-effectiveness of refurbishment. It references the 2025 10-Year System Outlook and the Evergreen IRP scenario, emphasizing the need to maintain system reliability and align with the Province’s Clean Power Plan.

replace deteriorated assets that have been identified through NS Power’s transmission line inspection program. This project includes the replacement of deteriorated assets on a total of 72 structures. The project scope includes: - Structur...

AI summary The project involves replacing deteriorated assets on 72 transmission line structures to ensure the reliable operation of the transmission line and mitigate the risk of unplanned interruptions. The work is prioritized based on the condition of the assets and the criticality of the line to the overall system.

General Project Data A. Scope Project Scope of Work Description Defined (D) P P D D D Site Infrastructure (Access, Construction Power, Camp, etc.) Preliminary (P) NR P B. Capacity Voltage (kV) and Circuits Defined (D) P P D D D C. Project...

AI summary The document outlines general project data for an infrastructure project, detailing scope, capacity, location, requirements, technology selection, strategy, and planning. It specifies the status of various project components as defined or preliminary, and includes information on environmental monitoring and logistics.

result, the Bridgewater system continues to operate with both 4 kV and 12 kV networks, and the scope defined in this addendum remains essential to complete the transition initiated in the 2006 study. 4.0 SYSTEM CONDITIONS 4.1 Feeder Voltag...

AI summary The Bridgewater Area distribution system operates with a mix of 4 kV and 12 kV feeders, supplied from two substations. The mixed-voltage configuration increases maintenance complexity and limits operational flexibility. Nova Scotia Power aims to standardize the distribution system to 12 kV and 25 kV as part of its long-term strategy.

iorated transmission assets that have been identified through NS Power’s transmission line inspection program. This project includes the replacement of deteriorated assets on a total of 59 structures. The project scope includes: - Structur...

AI summary This project involves replacing deteriorated transmission assets identified through NS Power’s inspection program, including 12 structure replacements and others. The work is necessary to maintain system reliability and redundancy, and the project is prioritized based on asset condition and system criticality.

icates that replacing the unit with a new, higher-capacity transformer is the best approach. Overall, this project is crucial to maintain reliable, safe, and efficient power delivery to Mahone Bay. Date: December 12, 2025 Page 389 of 782 R...

AI summary This project involves replacing a transformer (76W-T1) to prevent unplanned failure and ensure reliable power delivery to Mahone Bay. The presence of ethylene in the main tank indicates internal degradation, and delaying replacement increases the risk of sudden failure. The project also aligns with the Town of Mahone Bay’s planned low-voltage infrastructure upgrades and NS Power’s asset management strategy.

f Retirement: Accounting Policy 6420 – Retirement and disposal of Capital Assets • Percentage of Asset Pool: 0.23% JUSTIFICATION: Justification Criteria: Transmission Plant Why do this project? The installation of the new switches will ena...

AI summary The project involves replacing two end-of-life switches (22N-603 and 22N-604) to enable live-line operation, reducing outages and improving reliability. The current switches are difficult to operate and their failure could lead to unplanned outages. A new ground grid and switches will allow more efficient operations and mitigate risks.

ng Station to the transmission grid, enabling the delivery of renewable hydroelectric energy. Its continued degradation poses operational, financial, and environmental risks. Why do this project now? The 96H-T1 transformer is consistently...

AI summary The document discusses the need to replace a transformer due to oil leaks and its location near a river, which poses environmental risks. Replacement is deemed necessary due to the transformer's degraded condition, lack of OEM support, and the cost-effectiveness of replacement over refurbishment.

for specific risks associated with additional overtime work that may be required to complete the project within the available outage window, and any unforeseen material or contract cost increases. Date: December 12, 2025 Page 406 of 782 RE...

AI summary This document discusses the replacement of four Pennsylvania circuit breakers on NS Power’s system, including the risks associated with additional overtime work and unforeseen cost increases. The project involves replacing one 69 kV and three 138 kV circuit breakers, which are considered high risk due to reliability concerns.

• 2025 CI C0061521 New Distribution Rights-of-Way Phase 10 $20,890,176 • 2027 CI TBD New Distribution Rights-of-Way Phase 12 $TBD • 2028 CI TBD New Distribution Rights-of-Way Phase 13 $TBD Depreciation Class: Distribution Plant - Land Righ...

AI summary This project involves establishing new distribution rights-of-way to support storm hardening and vegetation management, reducing outages by mitigating tree contact issues, particularly outside existing corridors. It aligns with NS Power’s Five-Year Reliability Plan and aims to improve system resilience during normal and extreme weather conditions.

outside existing corridors and contributes to the Plan’s goal of reducing SAIDI through targeted vegetation strategies that improve system resilience during both normal and extreme weather conditions. Tree contacts are a leading cause of o...

AI summary The text discusses the impact of tree contacts on power outages, highlighting that 80% of these contacts occur from trees outside the right-of-way. It outlines how establishing new rights-of-way can reduce such incidents by increasing the separation between trees and distribution feeders, contributing to the Plan’s goal of reducing SAIDI through improved vegetation management strategies.

Page 414 of 782 REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan C0080266 Page 3 of 6 Completing this project has a direct, and immediate impact on the vegetative condition of the feeder being worked on. As the vegetative conditio...

AI summary This project improves the vegetative condition of distribution feeders, reducing the likelihood of tree-caused outages. The improvement is assessed using a 1 to 5 scale and is linked to reliability indicators like SAIFI and SAIDI. The project was recommended following a review of Post-Tropical Storm Arthur to enhance reliability during major storm events.

ility benefits during major storm events. As set out in NS Power’s February 13, 2015 Stakeholder Consultation Report, there was general stakeholder support for accelerating the sustainability program. A focus on removing trees within and a...

AI summary The document discusses a vegetation management program by NS Power to improve reliability during major storms by clearing trees in and along distribution rights-of-way. It outlines initiatives to widen and establish new rights-of-way, with a focus on enhancing reliability through proactive measures. The project is expected to be in-service by January 2026, with the final cost date set for August 2027.

General Project Data A. Scope Project Scope of Work Description Defined (D) P P D D D Site Infrastructure (Access, Construction Power, Camp, etc.) Defined (D) NR P D D D B. Capacity Voltage (kV) and Circuits Defined (D) P P D D D C. Projec...

AI summary The document outlines general project data, including scope, capacity, location, requirements, technology selection, strategy, and planning for a project. Key details cover infrastructure, voltage, environmental monitoring, right-of-way, and logistics planning, with various sections defined or not applicable.

Retirement and Disposal of Capital Assets • Percentage of Asset Pool: 0.01% JUSTIFICATION: Justification Criteria: Distribution System Sub Criteria: Deteriorated Conductor Why do this project? This project is designed to mitigate the circu...

AI summary This project aims to replace a severely deteriorated conductor and associated overhead components on a distribution line to mitigate circuit risk, improve reliability, and prevent unplanned outages. The conductor has reached the end of its service life and poses increased operational risks.

REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan C0080612 Page 5 of 5 Legend: Inclusions: Date: December 12, 2025 Page 430 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan C0080111 Page 1 of 5 CI Number: C...

AI summary This document outlines the 2026 RTU Deployment project, which involves installing 21 Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) in Nova Scotia substations to improve grid operation and emergency response times. The project is part of General Plant function and has a forecasted cost of $8,322,655.

o Section 11.2 of the CEJC, related CIs for General Plant projects include “Work completed on the same asset (application, building, etc.).” • No other projects in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028 Depreciation Class: General Plant - Communi...

AI summary This text discusses a project to deploy RTUs as part of the Advanced Grid Modernization program, aimed at improving real-time visibility and remote operability, reducing SAIDI, and enhancing grid resilience. The project aligns with NS Power’s Five-Year Reliability Plan and contributes to improved outage response and system performance.

functionality and reducing time to restore through access to remote operations. Overall, this contributes to sustaining improvements achieved in customer reliability on NS Power’s distribution system. During severe weather events and other...

AI summary NS Power is implementing a project to improve system visibility and enable remote control of switching operations, enhancing reliability and response during severe weather events. This contributes to more efficient operations and faster restoration of services.

prietary Information Includes Description, PowerPlant (PP), Detailed Cost Estimate (DCE), and Economic Analysis Model (EAM) (or Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for IT projects). (3) = System Security

AI summary The text references proprietary information related to power plant details, cost estimates, and economic analysis models. It also mentions system security as a key consideration.

ve advantages over other suppliers, and that could be advantageous in bidding or negotiation. Higher prices, or avoidable contractual constraints, will result in unnecessary higher costs to customers. NS Power seeks to keep the terms and c...

AI summary NS Power argues that keeping supplier pricing and arrangements confidential protects customers from higher costs and ensures competitive terms. Additionally, third-party proprietary information and system security, including one-line diagrams, are kept confidential for reliability and security reasons.

conomics (based on payback period, and revenue requirement); requirement to serve. Month DD, YYYY Page 13 of 54 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 478 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix D Page 26 o...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. evaluates technically justified IT projects based on customer impact, financial impact, compliance with regulations, and operational sustainability. The capital program includes essential projects for health, safety, regulatory compliance, service delivery, and risk mitigation. Projects improving customer reliability are assessed based on performance metrics like SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI.

179 Nova ScoƟa Power Inc. Capital Planning & Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria Summary Document 17.0 Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria 17.1 IntroducƟon - General ConsideraƟons The following considera ons are used to evaluate...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power outlines criteria for justifying capital expenditures, emphasizing evaluation of alternatives, technology suitability, cost-effectiveness, compliance with reliability standards, and minimizing operational costs. The approach prioritizes meeting industry performance norms and selecting the least-cost option that satisfies requirements.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix D Page 61 of 179 Nova ScoƟa Power Inc. Capital Planning & Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria Summary Document Forced Outage Rate Unplanned outages result in replacement genera on, o en at a higher cost than the...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. outlines capital expenditure justification criteria, emphasizing unplanned outages' cost impacts via probabilistic production models. System design adheres to NPCC and NERC standards, with NERC requirements enforced through NSEB regulatory approval. Transmission criteria combine protection performance and system dynamics, ensuring compliance with single contingency design principles.

cts including project scope, jus fica on, budget, approvals and actual project informa on. The so ware can be used to research informa on on past projects and forecast project ac vity into the future. ProducƟon CosƟng Model: A system model...

AI summary The text defines key terms related to project management, capital expenditures, and system stability in energy operations. Concepts include routine capital items, safety projects, scope definitions, and the Special Protection System (SPS), which maintains system stability through load adjustments. A Production Costing Model is also described for forecasting energy costs.

istribu on, and Informa on Technology (IT), the process begins at the start of each year with the func onal groups compiling informa on about projects that require considera on for the following year. As this informa on is gathered, each f...

AI summary NS Power compiles project information annually into PowerPlan, a capital management system, with projects ranked using criteria like health and safety, environmental compliance, and system reliability. Projects are evaluated based on metrics such as SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI, alongside regulatory and economic factors.

REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix D Page 80 of 179 Nova ScoƟa Power Inc. Capital Planning & Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria Detailed Document Technically jus fied IT projects are broadly ranked usi...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. evaluates IT projects using criteria including customer impact, financial implications, compliance with regulations (e.g., NERC/CIP), and operational sustainability. Capital programs prioritize health/safety, regulatory compliance, service delivery, and risk mitigation, with economic initiatives assessed via performance metrics (SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI). Constraints include resource availability, maintenance cycles, and cash flow. Executive approval involves reviewing the ACE Plan.

ss than 1 in 75 operating years. Failure or occurrence is possible (26-75% ). Available data, past experience and Moderate Risk Acceptable Possible 3 or subject matter expert input indicates an expected occurrence rate between 1 in 10 and...

AI summary The text presents a risk assessment framework categorizing failure probabilities into high (1 in 75 to 1 in 1000), moderate (1 in 100 to 1 in 75), and low (1 in 10 to 1 in 100) operating years, with all risk levels marked as 'Acceptable'.

efit to customers while allowing NS Power to meet its objec ves. The capital planning cycle for any given year typically begins early in the preceding year and concludes at the filing of the ACE Plan. Although the oversight and management...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NS Power) outlines its capital planning process, emphasizing centralized oversight and annual ranking of projects based on health and safety, regulatory compliance, customer reliability (SAIDI, SAIFI), requirement to serve, and economic factors (NPV, ACHI). Projects are reviewed to align with strategic goals and ensure justification.

data and learnings, or aid in the development of business cases where applicable. Sub-JusƟficaƟon Criteria Innova on capital projects may be jus fied under one or more of the following sub-criteria: • reduce upward pressure on revenue requ...

AI summary The text outlines sub-justification criteria for innovation capital projects, focusing on reducing revenue requirement pressure, enhancing grid reliability, and improving customer experience. It emphasizes deploying proven technologies to lower operational costs, manage renewable integration challenges, and address reliability risks from weather events and power quality issues.

crea ng reliability and grid stability challenges that are difficult to address with tradi onal grid Month DD, 2025 Page 61 of 113 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 580 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan App...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. outlines capital expenditure criteria for addressing grid reliability challenges through innovative technologies like grid automation and energy storage. Projects must demonstrate potential to improve system stability or provide data for future deployment of new technologies.

dro, Wind and Biomass The principles set out hereunder shall be used by NS Power in determining the methods used and ming of purchase and replacement of its hydro, wind and biomass produc on assets. These produc on assets shall be purchase...

AI summary NS Power outlines principles for managing hydro, wind, and biomass production assets, including replacement conditions to address safety, legal compliance, economic benefits, reliability, and optimized investment timing. Economic justification procedures prioritize cost-effective solutions meeting operational and financial criteria.

wherein single con ngencies can poten ally adversely affect the interconnected NPCC system, are designed and operated in accordance with NPCC Directory 1, Design and Opera on of the Bulk Power System. NS Power is required to follow the stan...

AI summary NS Power adheres to NERC and NPCC standards for its Bulk Electric System, ensuring compliance through regulatory approval processes. System design criteria, including transmission and clearance times, are updated to meet evolving standards and are documented in report NS Power-TPR-003-6.

To maintain reliability and quality of supply to the distribu on bus. CondiƟons for Replacement Transmission plant shall be replaced, if s ll required to meet system design requirements, as follows: • Transmission poles which fail the test...

AI summary The text outlines conditions for replacing transmission infrastructure, including poles failing overturning moment tests, specific insulator types with cemented joints, and substation apparatus based on insulation degradation or calibration issues. Regular inspections and testing intervals are specified to ensure system reliability and safety.

er a significant por on of the circuit. Conductor replacement will be planned on the basis of predicted remaining life as established from experienced deteriora on rates. Note 1 – A database of conductor test results will be established. T...

AI summary The document outlines conductor replacement planning based on life expectancy analysis and environmental factors, and emphasizes annual outage data analysis to prioritize reliability improvements. It details Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s capital expenditure justification criteria for infrastructure upgrades.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix D Page 144 of 179 Nova ScoƟa Power Inc. Capital Planning & Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria Detailed Document The protec on of the distribu on plant and public and employee safety is provided in Distribu on E...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. outlines criteria for capital expenditures to protect distribution systems, ensuring safety, service continuity, and economic justification. The process evaluates costs for solutions like protective devices, reconductoring, and system upgrades, emphasizing cost-effective measures to prevent transformer/capacitor failures.

cepted based on system studies. System studies to determine adequacy and investment requirements must be conducted using the actual characteris cs (se ng and opera ng me) of exis ng protec on systems. DEFINITIONS 1. Normal system condiƟons...

AI summary The document defines technical terms related to system reliability, including normal system conditions, system elements, breaker backup, and single contingency. It is part of Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s 2026 ACE Plan Appendix D, focusing on capital planning and expenditure justification criteria.

protec on opera on. The term “Breaker failure protecƟon” is used interchangeably in this document. 4. Single conƟngency is defined as loss of one system element with or without a fault. Month DD, 2025 Page 105 of 113 Date: December 12, 202...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. outlines criteria for capital expenditure justification, emphasizing redundancy in primary transmission system protection, adherence to industry standards, and fault clearing times. Deviations require approval from the system planning group, with reliance on transient stability studies for exceptions.

nt stability studies, the following fault clearing mes will be applied to the Primary Transmission system. Any devia ons from these criteria must be submi ed to the system planning group for approval. a. For a three phase or phase to groun...

AI summary The text outlines fault clearing time criteria for the Primary Transmission system, specifying 4-16 cycle intervals based on fault type and protection requirements. Breaker failure protection is mandated for all Primary Transmission, with varying clearing times for local and remote breaker tripping scenarios.

e the fault described in item (d), the fault contribu on clearing me will be 16 cycles. Breaker failure protecƟon will be applied to all Primary Transmission. The design criteria are: 1. From normal system condiƟons, the Interconnected Tra...

AI summary The document outlines breaker failure protection for Primary Transmission and specifies design criteria ensuring system stability post-faults. It references Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s 2026 ACE Plan Appendix D and a detailed capital expenditure justification document.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix D Page 173 of 179 Nova ScoƟa Power Inc. Capital Planning & Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria Detailed Document No cascade tripping beyond elements cleared by the opera ve back-up protec on shall occur. 4. From...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. outlines capital expenditure justification criteria for system reliability, including no cascade tripping, voltage ranges within 90-110% nominal, fault management ensuring minimum post-fault voltage sags above 70% nominal, and automated tap-changer corrections. These criteria aim to maintain grid stability and reliability under contingency conditions.

ill be 14 cycles. c. Where breaker failure protec on is required to trip remote breakers to isolate the fault described in item a), the fault clearing me will be 16 cycles. d. For a three phase or phase to ground fault on any element direc...

AI summary The document outlines technical requirements for breaker failure protection, fault clearing times, and system stability criteria for the Interconnected Transmission System. It references the 2026 ACE Plan and Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s capital expenditure justification criteria, emphasizing system reliability and dynamic response standards.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix D Page 175 of 179 Nova ScoƟa Power Inc. Capital Planning & Capital Expenditure JusƟficaƟon Criteria Detailed Document line-to-ground fault on any one system element cleared in prime me. No cascade tripping shall occu...

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan Appendix D outlines Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s capital planning and expenditure justification criteria, emphasizing system stability, fault clearance, and voltage management. Requirements include preventing cascade tripping, maintaining voltage within 90-110% of nominal, and ensuring load reduction within 10 minutes post-fault. These criteria aim to ensure grid reliability and compliance with operational standards.

shall be within 110% of their thermally limited ra ngs under the condi on that the System Operator can take ac on within a 10 minute period to reduce load on the element. 3. From normal system condiƟons, for any single conƟngency, steady-s...

AI summary The document outlines technical requirements for system reliability, including voltage limits (90-110% of nominal), fault management provisions, breaker backup for remote transmission, and transformer capacity standards to meet daily load demands under normal conditions and during generation outages.

adial transmission line results in loss of supply with no other way to connect the radial load to the grid. A single transmission line may have more than one radial load connected to it. A lone substa on, which is dedicated to a single cus...

AI summary The document outlines procedures for managing radial loads exceeding 40 MW, including planning studies, load reduction measures, line upgrades, and the evaluation of a second transmission line for loads over 60 MW to enhance reliability.

ependent Electricity System Operator (IESO Nova Scotia). This next IRP will provide an 26 updated framework for evaluating the MHS, incorporating refreshed assumptions on load growth, 27 emissions targets, resource costs, and system integr...

AI summary The upcoming 2025/2026 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) will evaluate the Mersey Hydro Station (MHS), incorporating updated assumptions on load growth, emissions targets, resource costs, and system integration. No final decisions on decommissioning or redevelopment of MHS will be made until the IRP provides direction, ensuring alignment with provincial energy policy and system reliability needs.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix F Page 4 of 55 The Path to 2030 – 2025 Update Non-Confidential 1 TABLE OF FIGURES 2 3 Figure 1 - 2030 Clean Power Plan Resources ................................................................................. 6 4 F...

AI summary The appendix lists figures related to Nova Scotia's 2030 Clean Power Plan, including project statuses for renewable energy initiatives, battery storage (Bridgewater BESS), and coal retirement timelines. It outlines the 2025 10-Year System Outlook Report and tracks progress on the Green Choice Program, PHP Wind, and Minas Highlands Wind projects.

: 30 31 • The 2030 Decarbonization Goals 32 • The Province of Nova Scotia’s 2030 Clean Power Plan 33 • Creation of the Independent Energy System Operator of Nova Scotia (IESO-NS) Page 8 of 55 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 661 of 782 REDACTE...

AI summary The document outlines Nova Scotia's 2030 Clean Power Plan, the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Action Plan, and the creation of the Independent Energy System Operator of Nova Scotia (IESO-NS). It details resource development, project management, and timelines for meeting decarbonization goals.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix F Page 36 of 55 The Path to 2030 – 2025 Update Non-Confidential 1 2 The 2025 10-Year System Outlook reinforces that the phase-out of coal generation continues to 3 be dependent on the successful procurement and commi...

AI summary The 2025 10-Year System Outlook emphasizes reliance on new firm capacity resources like combustion turbines to phase out coal generation. Specific units (Lingan 1, 2, 3; Trenton 5, 6; Point Aconi) have defined retirement or conversion dates, with Lingan 1 and 3 converting to HFO operation and Lingan 2 in Cold Reserve. Dates will be re-evaluated as resource timing, demand, and policy evolve.

2030 Accountability NS Power Key Action IESO-NS NS Government Partner Key Projects Items Action Items Key Action Items Action Items • Implementation of TPIF and associated Network Upgrades. Battery IESO-NS and • Procure and finance • Procu...

AI summary The document outlines key actions by NS Power and IESO-NS for 2030, including implementing TPIF and network upgrades, procuring 150 MW/600 MWh battery storage via regulated utility models, and transitioning grid stability responsibilities. Partnerships with IPPs and the NS Government are emphasized for energy storage procurement and grid-scale projects.

2030 Accountability NS Power Key Action IESO-NS NS Government Partner Key Projects Items Action Items Key Action Items Action Items procurements for required products and services. Hybrid NS • Provide detailed load • Participate in • Deliv...

AI summary The text outlines collaborative efforts between NS Power, IESO-NS, and the NS Government on projects like Hybrid Peak management, load studies, and reliability initiatives. Key actions include load management studies, participation in sector studies, and development of demand response programs. NB Power is noted for enabling reliability work.

1 project delays. Talent shortages have the potential to affect NS Power, its partners 2 across the province, and its contractors and suppliers. 3 4 4. Project Approvals 5 • 2025 Trend: No Change 6 • The 2030 Clean Power Plan requires the...

AI summary The text highlights project delays due to talent shortages impacting NS Power and partners, the need for approvals under the 2030 Clean Power Plan, risks in transitioning to fast-acting generation by 2027-28, and the publication of the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) aligning with Nova Scotia policy. Key issues include environmental and regulatory approvals, procurement challenges, and renewable energy targets.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 2 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan Appendix G outlines NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan update, focusing on infrastructure and system reliability measures.

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 6 4 1.1 Five-Year Reliability Plan Commitment.............................................

AI summary The document outlines a five-year reliability plan focusing on vegetation management, storm hardening, and targeted equipment upgrades. It emphasizes wildfire mitigation, corridor widening, and tree trimming to enhance grid resilience. Section 3.0 highlights the 2025 overview as the first year of the plan, while sections 4.0–4.5 detail vegetation management strategies and infrastructure improvements.

REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 3 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The document is a non-confidential appendix to the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, focusing on an update to Nova Scotia Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan. The content is redacted, but the title indicates a regulatory proceeding related to reliability planning and capital expenditures.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 3 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines an update to NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan, focusing on capital expenditures and system reliability. The document is non-confidential and part of a broader regulatory proceeding related to Nova Scotia's energy infrastructure.

1 6.1.2 Downline Connectivity ............................................................................. 45 2 6.2 Fault Location Isolation and Service Restoration ................................................. 47 3 6.3 Distributed En...

AI summary The document outlines Nova Scotia Power's 2026 Five-Year Reliability Plan, focusing on storm hardening through vegetation management, corridor widening for distribution/transmission lines, equipment upgrades, and advanced grid modernization programs including connected assets and infrastructure improvements.

................................ 62 17 7.3.1 Connected Assets ...................................................................................... 62 18 7.3.2 Fault Location Isolation and Service Restoration ................................

AI summary The document outlines sections of a reliability plan update by NS Power, focusing on connected assets, fault location isolation, and distributed energy resources (DERs). Appendices detail priority feeders and pole monitoring projects, while the 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G is referenced as part of the non-confidential update.

1 LIST OF FIGURES 2 3 Figure 1: Forecast Investment by Reliability Program 2025-2029 ($ millions) ............................. 7 4 Figure 2: Contribution to CHI by Outage Cause (2020 – 2024) Performance Standards ............11 5 Figure 3...

AI summary The document outlines a list of figures related to reliability programs, vegetation management, corridor widening, and rights-of-way establishment in Nova Scotia. Key themes include reliability investments, outage cause analysis, customer interruption metrics (CHI), SAIDI improvement targets, and infrastructure planning initiatives for 2025.

............................... 26 18 Figure 13: Map of 2025 Completed and Planned Establishment of New Rights-of-Way ........... 27 19 Figure 14: Trimming and Removal of Trees Around Existing Powerlines - 2025 ....................... 28 2...

AI summary The document outlines NS Power's 2025 infrastructure projects, including rights-of-way establishment, tree trimming, equipment upgrades, and transmission work. It references the Five-Year Reliability Plan update and the 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G, focusing on grid modernization and reliability improvements.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 5 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines updates to NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan, focusing on reliability improvements and infrastructure planning. The document is part of a non-confidential regulatory proceeding.

hase Extension Projects by Region .............................. 58 17 Figure 42: Illustration of Targeted NS Power Transmission Projects Planned for 2026 ............. 61 18 Figure 43: 2026 Substation Transformers Planned Replacement/Addi...

AI summary NS Power outlines its commitment to improving grid reliability and resiliency through a $1.3 billion five-year investment plan, with $206 million allocated for 2025. The plan aims to reduce outage duration and frequency while balancing affordability for customers.

ments 8 detailed in year one of the Plan. The Plan has a goal of reducing the overall duration and frequency 9 of outages while balancing the affordability of these investments for customers. 10 11 1.1 Five-Year Reliability Plan Commitment...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan aims to reduce outage duration and frequency through three core programs: vegetation management, storm hardening, and grid modernization. The plan balances reliability improvements with customer affordability, focusing on infrastructure upgrades and advanced grid technologies.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 7 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan, focusing on infrastructure and capital expenditures. The document is non-confidential and part of a regulatory proceeding related to energy reliability and planning.

1 2 As shown in Figure 1 below, NS Power’s Plan includes approximately $1.3 billion of investment 3 in the 2025-2029 period with a commitment to $206 million of investment in 2025 and $234 4 million in 2026. 5 6 Figure 1: Forecast Investme...

AI summary NS Power outlines a $1.3 billion investment plan (2025-2029) targeting grid resilience and reliability improvements, including $206M in 2025 and $234M in 2026. Goals include reducing SAIDI by 20% and achieving 91.98% service restoration within 48 hours post-major events.

tain 21 extent also from extreme weather events like hurricanes. The system is already responding 22 positively to this work with an observed improvement to performance standards metrics. As of Page 7 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 715...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan update highlights improvements in system performance metrics, driven by efforts to address reliability challenges and extreme weather impacts like hurricanes. The 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines ongoing reliability initiatives and their outcomes.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 8 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The document outlines NS Power's 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan Appendix G, focusing on the Five-Year Reliability Plan update. It highlights efforts to ensure grid reliability through infrastructure investments and operational strategies.

1 October 31, there is a 53 percent reduction in customer interruptions and a 29 percent reduction in 2 customer hours of interruption due to device failure in 2025 over 2023 levels. 3 4 The benefits of the program and the impact on the re...

AI summary NS Power outlines reliability improvements through targeted investments, citing a 53% reduction in customer interruptions by 2025. The Board directed NS Power to update its 2025 ACE Plan (M12012) with progress on its Five-Year Reliability Plan, emphasizing risk-based decision-making and grid-modernization upgrades. NS Power agrees with stakeholders on balancing reliability and affordability.

1 2.0 RELIABILITY PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS 2 3 NS Power has developed the Plan to deliver a 20 percent improvement in the performance 4 standards overall average duration of outages (SAIDI) and to achieve the Performance Standards 5 SAIFI targ...

AI summary NS Power's Plan aims to improve system reliability by reducing outages caused by tree contacts and equipment failures, targeting a 20% improvement in SAIDI and achieving a SAIFI target of 2.05 by 2029. Grid modernization, including RTUs and remote connectivity, will mitigate outage impacts and enhance fault isolation.

ion capabilities will 21 further mitigate the impact of these outages when they occur by reducing the customers affected 22 by an event and allowing faults to be isolated and located faster. 23 Page 10 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 71...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update includes a breakdown of outage causes (2020–2024), with tree contacts contributing 33% to Avoided Customer Hours of Interruption (ACHI). Key factors include defective equipment (18%), transmission system losses (18%), and foreign interference (11%). The plan aims to enhance reliability through targeted mitigation strategies.

Environment 1% Human Element 0% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 2 3 4 2.1 Demonstrated Vegetation Program Impacts 5 6 Figure 3 below shows the Performance Standards annual customer hours of interruption due to 7 tree contacts for 2020-2025 P...

AI summary The vegetation management program is reducing outage frequency and duration, with benefits expected to grow as rights-of-way are widened. Figure 3 illustrates projected annual customer hours of interruption due to tree contacts from 2020-2025, showing positive trends in system reliability improvements.

3,500 700,000 3,000 600,000 2,500 500,000 2,000 400,000 1,500 300,000 1,000 200,000 100,000 500 - - 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 (Projected) Customer Hours Projected Outage Event Count Projected 4 5 6 2.2 Distribution Targeted Devices 7 8...

AI summary Figure 4 illustrates trends in customer hours of interruption and outage frequency from 2020 to 2025, showing reductions attributed to distribution equipment upgrades and storm hardening initiatives. Projections for 2025 include actual data through October and estimates for November-December based on historical performance.

025 based on the prior five years’ performance. Storm hardening initiatives and 13 equipment upgrades are core elements of the plan, which will continue to build on these positive 14 trends. 15 Page 12 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 72...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan emphasizes storm hardening and equipment upgrades to improve system reliability. Performance standards target reducing Annual Customer Hours of Interruption (CHI) from equipment failures, with metrics shown in Figure 4.

1,000.00 100,000 500.00 - - 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 (Projected) Customer Hours Projected Outage Event Count Projected 3 4 Page 13 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 721 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026...

AI summary The document references an update to Nova Scotia Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan as part of the 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G. It includes projected reliability metrics and outage event counts for 2020–2025, though specific data is redacted. The plan update is part of Nova Scotia's multi-year reliability and capital expenditure planning cycle.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 14 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The document is an update to the NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan, part of the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan. It outlines reliability initiatives and capital investments for Nova Scotia's electricity system.

1 3.0 2025 Overview – Year One of Five Year Reliability Plan 2 3 In 2025, NS Power’s Reliability team has been focused on executing the projects identified in year 4 one of the Plan, with $206.6 million committed to strengthen the grid and...

AI summary NS Power's 2025 reliability efforts focused on $206.6 million in grid upgrades, including distribution system improvements like replacing insulators, conductors, and transformers, as well as tree clearing to enhance resilience against weather events and support growing energy demand.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 15 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 • Addition of six RTUs improving substation communication and control, supporting 2 quicker response and restoration of service in the e...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines infrastructure upgrades to enhance grid reliability, including RTU additions, substation transformer replacements, new substation construction in Mount Uniacke, transmission structure work, and reconductoring of 33.7 km of transmission lines to improve resilience and winter peak capacity.

D REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 16 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential Reliability Targeted 2025 Planned 2025 Completed to 2025 Anticipated YE Result Program Progr...

AI summary The document outlines NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan update, including targeted strategies, 2025 investment plans, completion dates, and program status. It focuses on reliability programs and capital expenditures for system reliability.

n and ongoing in Service 2026 Restoration (FLISR) 1 Due to careful management of resources, vegetation management team was able to exceed the planned kms while 2 remaining within the $45 million overall budget. 3 This project is on track f...

AI summary NS Power's vegetation management team exceeded planned kilometers while staying within a $45M budget, with the project on track for 2026 completion. Early 2025 SAIDI performance reflects initial outcomes from the Five-Year Reliability Plan, though the plan remains in its early implementation phase.

NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 provide a snapshot of reliability performance to date, including positive trends for vegetation and 2 defective equipment, it is important to recognize that the full impact of...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update highlights current reliability performance, noting improvements in vegetation management and defective equipment. The plan projects achieving a SAIDI target of 4.10 by 2029, with Figure 6 illustrating the projected path to a 20% improvement in SAIDI over the program's duration.

4 3 2 1 0 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 SAIDI Actual Projected SAIDI Average SAIDI (2019 - 2023) 2029 5YR Plan Target Performance Standards Target 9 10 11 3.2 2025 Priority Feeders Update 12 13 Please refer to APPENDIX A: 2025 Highest Prio...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update, focusing on targeted reliability improvements for priority feeders identified in Appendix A. It emphasizes data-driven approaches to address feeder conditions and performance, aligning with projected SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) targets and reliability standards.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 18 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 All feeder plans for 2025 are underway or complete; work will continue on all in progress work 2 until completed. 3 4 APPENDIX B: Work C...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines progress on 2025 feeder reliability initiatives, noting that all plans are underway or complete. Appendix B summarizes completed and ongoing work, indicating which feeders remain on the 2026 priority list. Multi-year projects are planned for select feeders to enhance reliability and mitigate outage risks.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 19 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 4.0 STORM HARDENING – VEGETATION MANAGEMENT 2 3 2025-2029 Forecast Investment: $265.0 million 4 Estimated Performance Standards SAIDI Re...

AI summary NS Power's 2025-2029 Storm Hardening Vegetation Management Plan allocates $265 million for reducing tree-related outages, targeting a 0.70–1.25 hour SAIDI reduction. Daily operations involve 75 crews clearing trees from distribution and transmission ROWs, with strategies including corridor widening and trimming.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 20 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 Figure 7: Vegetation Management Year One Reliability Plan Results $ Kms Additional Program Planned Completed Kms Status (M) Forecast to...

AI summary The NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan Update includes Figure 7, which compares planned and completed vegetation management work in Year One, showing progress against targets and program status. The table highlights planned kilometers, completed kilometers, and additional kilometers forecasted for completion by the year-end.

be Completed by YE Distribution 12.5 183 59 Corridor Widening Transmission 3.0 105 15 Corridor Widening Establishment 16.4 229 89 of New Rights-of-Way Trimming and 6.9 205 55 removal of trees 2 3 As of October 31, 2025 NS Power has complet...

AI summary NS Power has completed 617 km of distribution and 105 km of transmission vegetation management by October 2025, including rights-of-way establishment, hazard tree removal, and aerial pruning. These efforts aim to improve system reliability and reduce vegetation-related outages, informed by satellite-based assessments of distribution rights-of-way.

of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 21 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 This enhanced detail of vegetation condition is used to improve the Company’...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan update utilizes enhanced vegetation condition data to guide risk-based interventions. Figure 8 illustrates regional progress in distribution vegetation management, showing spans cleared and ROW treated as of October 2025.

nt work programs. 5 6 Figure 8: 2025 (YTD End of October) Distribution Vegetation Management Completed by 7 Region Region Distribution Vegetation Management Spans Kms Metro 1,114 61 NE 3,913 217 CB 1,874 104 West 4,230 235 Total 11,131 617...

AI summary NS Power adjusted its 2025 vegetation management program due to provincial restrictions from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) imposed during drought and wildfire conditions in 2025. Restrictions included halting heavy equipment operations during extreme fire weather and conducting fire watches, leading to revised work prioritization and scheduling to maintain reliability while complying with safety protocols.

rating under the DNR restrictions resulted in a safe, managed approach to working in forested 22 areas during the period of heightened wildfire risk but did result in a reduction in the number of Page 21 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update notes that DNR restrictions reduced vegetation management in 2025, with work reprioritized for 2026. This adjustment aligns with wildfire risk mitigation strategies but impacts the volume of managed vegetation, as illustrated in Figures 9 and 12.

4 4.1 Wildfire Mitigation 5 6 NS Power actively engages with wildfire risk stakeholders across Nova Scotia to inform and 7 prioritize reliability and vegetation management initiatives. As part of NS Power’s Wildfire 8 Mitigation Plan, whic...

AI summary NS Power collaborates with stakeholders on wildfire mitigation, including community-specific risk assessments and accelerated vegetation management. In 2025, 11 km of rights-of-way management was prioritized in Glen Haven and Grand Lake, while emergency resources were deployed during the Long Lake wildfire to remove fire-compromised trees.

argeted 27 vegetation management activities. This originally unplanned work focused on removing fire- 28 compromised trees at risk of falling into conductors and widening over 6.5 kilometers of Page 22 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 73...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G details $66 million in 2025-2029 investments for distribution corridor widening and vegetation management to enhance wildfire mitigation and system reliability. 183 km of corridor widening completed, with 59 km planned by year-end, impacting 35 communities.

Planned Completed (Due to Wildfire on Track Kms YTD Mitigation) Kms (Y/N) Distribution Corridor 297 183 242 Widening with Managed Rights-of-Way 19 20 Figure 10 below illustrates the locations where distribution rights-of-way have been wide...

AI summary The document outlines NS Power's infrastructure projects to widen distribution and transmission corridors with managed rights-of-way, aiming to improve reliability by increasing separation between conductors and forest edges. It details $15 million in 2025-2029 forecast investments for transmission corridor widening, with $3 million anticipated for 2025 year-end spending.

NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 Figure 13: Map of 2025 Completed and Planned Establishment of New Rights-of-Way 2 3 4 4.5 Trimming and Removal of Trees Around Existing Power Lines 5 6 2025-2029 Forecast Inve...

AI summary NS Power's 2025 vegetation management efforts include aerial pruning, customer-requested trimming, and corridor maintenance, with $98M forecasted investment. 205 km of trimming completed, exceeding the 55 km year-end target to mitigate reliability risks.

Planned Year to Date Plan Track Kms Kms (Y/N) Trimming and Removal of 177 205 260 Trees Around Existing Powerlines 6 7 Figure 15 illustrates the geographic distribution of completed vegetation work in this category, 8 with a significant co...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update highlights efforts to reduce tree-related outages through targeted vegetation management, including trimming and removal of trees near powerlines. Urban areas with constrained right-of-way (ROW) expansion show significant work, while expanded ROWs in Shelburne, Trenton, and Little Harbour improve reliability and safety by increasing visibility for maintenance.

9 contacts with lines but also enhances the visibility to overhead equipment during feeder inspections 10 and outage restoration efforts, supporting both reliability and safety objectives. 11 Page 29 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 737...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update highlights infrastructure improvements, including enhanced visibility for equipment during inspections and outage restoration, aimed at improving reliability and safety. Figures illustrate project progress at specific locations.

ge 739 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 32 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 Figure 18: 2025 Targeted Equipment Upgrades Progress Overview Program...

AI summary NS Power outlines its 2025 targeted equipment upgrades, including $81 million in distribution and transmission system investments. Key initiatives focus on replacing aging infrastructure, expanding protective devices, and ensuring environmental compliance to enhance system reliability and customer experience.

17 These efforts are part of NS Power’s ongoing commitment to improving system reliability, 18 enhancing customer experience, and supporting a more resilient energy future for the province. 19 Page 32 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 740...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan focuses on upgrading aging equipment like poles, transformers, and regulators to reduce outages, improve safety, and comply with federal regulations. The PCB program exemplifies this approach, aligning with asset management strategies and reliability goals.

, as well as improve 9 worker and public safety. The PCB program exemplifies this approach and continues to progress 10 on schedule, remaining compliant with federal regulations and timelines. 11 12 5.1.2 Power Line Protective Devices 13 1...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's 2025 recloser installation plan, highlighting progress on seven new devices to improve grid reliability by reducing outage frequency and duration. Three reclosers are completed, with four remaining for installation, targeting key regions like Canso, Merigomish, and Glace Bay.

eted Cape Breton 22C-404 Isle Madam On Track Cape Breton 81S-303 Glace Bay, Port Morien On Track Metro 127H-411 Waverley and Fall River Completed West 55V-314 Berwick, Aylesford and Burlington On Track West 55V-314 Berwick, Aylesford and B...

AI summary NS Power has completed 15 of 16 planned Trip Saver installations for 2025, with the final unit scheduled for December 2025. These devices improve distribution system reliability by rapidly isolating faults and reducing outage duration. Figure 20 details regional progress, including 3 completed installations in the East region.

standards to align with the current CSA 21 C22.3 overhead line standards. In the Board’s decision on the 2025 Annual Capital Expenditure 22 (ACE) Plan (M12012), the Board directed the following: Page 35 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 7...

AI summary The Nova Scotia Energy Board directed NS Power to monitor upgraded pole installations and evaluate their impact on system reliability, aligning with the 2025 ACE Plan (M12012). Appendix C details pole monitoring projects across regions, focusing on resilience improvements and outage reduction.

dentifies the region, feeder, 9 location, and the number of poles scheduled for upgrade to the new class standard. These assets 10 will be monitored on an ongoing basis following storm events. 11 12 5.1.3 Distribution System Build to Roads...

AI summary NS Power's Distribution System Build to Roadside program aims to enhance reliability by relocating distribution lines to roadside locations, reducing tree-related contacts. In 2025, the program exceeded its 8 km target, completing 8.8 km and advancing 2 km of additional work, improving infrastructure accessibility and outage management.

7 Re-Prioritized Exceeded – Ongoing West 1.0 4.8 Projects In Progress 2 3 5.1.4 Distribution System Conductor Upgrades 4 5 The Distribution Conductor Upgrades program is a proactive initiative aimed at replacing aging 6 infrastructure to r...

AI summary NS Power's Distribution Conductor Upgrades program aims to replace aging infrastructure, improving reliability and resilience. In 2025, 73.7 km of distribution lines were reconductored, exceeding the 39 km target. An additional 4.5 km is planned for completion by year-end, with regional breakdowns provided in Figure 22.

ge 746 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 39 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 2 Figure 23: 2025 Completed Padmount Transformer Replacements and Upg...

AI summary NS Power outlines its 2025-2029 transmission system upgrade plan, allocating $196 million over five years and $32.6 million for 2025 alone. Projects focus on replacing structures, reinforcing conductors, and realigning lines to enhance reliability and resiliency, informed by risk profiles and past performance.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 42 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 2 NS Power has purchased and received a spare substation transformer. Replenishing this spare unit 3 supports the overall NS Power Trans...

AI summary NS Power is updating its Five-Year Reliability Plan by acquiring spare transformers, advancing substation projects (Bayers Lake, Stellarton), and completing the Mount Uniacke substation. These actions aim to improve system reliability and capacity while managing inventory costs.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 43 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 6.0 ADVANCED GRID MODERNIZATION PROGRAMS 2 3 2025-2029 Forecast Investment: $78 million 4 Forecasted Performance Standards SAIDI Reducti...

AI summary NS Power's Advanced Grid Modernization Program (2025-2029) aims to enhance grid reliability and efficiency through three initiatives: Connected Assets (real-time device control), FLISR (automated outage response), and DER integration. The $78 million investment targets a 0.06-0.11 SAIDI reduction.

RTUs planned for deployment in 2025. The remaining units are in progress and remain a priority 18 to have two completed before year-end, and the final three installations to be completed early in Page 44 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page...

AI summary NS Power outlines its 2025 RTU deployment plan, with Phase 6 under regulatory review. The company emphasizes its commitment to the Board's oversight in ensuring project value for customers. Progress updates include completed and on-track installations across multiple substations, with final installations targeted for early 2026.

Complete West Kingston 63V Complete West Ohio Road 25W Complete West Central Argyle 19W On Track West Wolfville Ridge 83V Complete West Indian Path 80W On Track 7 8 6.1.2 Downline Connectivity 9 10 2025-2029 Forecast Investment: $44 millio...

AI summary The document outlines infrastructure projects with statuses (e.g., 'Complete', 'On Track'), a $44M 2025-2029 investment forecast, and a $5.2M 2025 investment. It references a cost reasonableness review (M12588) for NS Power's RTU Replacements Program and the 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G. The NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan Update is also mentioned.

129H In Design. Metro Kearney Lake (multiple devices) Planned for 2026 Execution Metro Hammonds Plains 137H In Design. Page 46 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 754 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan...

AI summary The document outlines the NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan update, detailing projects in various regions (e.g., Metro, Armdale, Kempt Rd) with statuses like 'In Design' and 'Planned for 2026 Execution.' It highlights infrastructure planning for reliability improvements.

aditional centralized dispatch as evidenced by growing numbers of net-metered connections. This 24 shift introduces new complexities for power utilities, particularly with respect to maintaining Page 47 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 7...

AI summary The document discusses NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan update, highlighting challenges from increasing net-metered connections and their impact on centralized dispatch and grid reliability. It emphasizes complexities for power utilities in maintaining system reliability amid distributed energy resource growth.

with the province’s 2030 17 Clean Power Plan, and is intended to ensure DERs are deployed in a manner that enhances system 18 reliability, supports decarbonization, and delivers customer value. Page 48 of 71 Date: December 12, 2025 Page 75...

AI summary The text references the province’s 2030 Clean Power Plan, emphasizing the deployment of DERs to enhance system reliability, support decarbonization, and deliver customer value. It also mentions an update to NS Power’s Five-Year Reliability Plan and Appendix G of the 2026 ACE Plan.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 49 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 7.0 2026 – YEAR TWO – FIVE-YEAR RELIABILITY PLAN 2 3 2026 is year two of the Five-year Reliability Plan. NS Power has committed to an ov...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 reliability plan allocates $234 million for grid improvements, including storm hardening ($178.9M), vegetation management ($45M), and advanced grid modernization ($10.7M). This follows $206M in 2025 and over $185M annually in prior years, focusing on corridor widening, ROW establishment, and tree trimming.

Transmission System Upgrades 28 lines Substation Upgrades and 8 Transformers Replacements Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) 8 RTUs Downline Connectivity 35 Devices Advanced Grid Modernization Fault Location Isolation and 24 Devices Service Rest...

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G outlines NS Power's priority transmission system upgrades, including substation upgrades, RTUs, and FLISR devices. The 2026 priority feeder list includes 40 feeders, 31 newly identified and 9 carried over from 2025, based on outage data and load growth analysis. The list may be revised following full 2025 outage data analysis.

age 759 of 782 REDACTED REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) 2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 52 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 7.1 STORM HARDENING – VEGETATION MANGEMENT 2 3 2026 Forecast Investm...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan allocates $45 million for vegetation management to enhance power system reliability across 860 km of infrastructure. Regional breakdowns (Metro, Northeast, East, West) are detailed in Figure 33, with plans to refine the strategy based on 2025 performance data.

theast 847 48 West 2,389 133 Total 5,261 293 3 4 7.1.2 Transmission Corridor Widening with Managed Rights-of-Way (ROW) > 69KV 5 6 2026 Forecast Investment: $3.3 million 7 8 NS Power’s transmission vegetation management plan is strategicall...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 transmission vegetation management plan uses growth modeling, IVM, LiDAR, and inspection data to optimize forestry crew focus, with a $3.3M investment forecast. The plan is part of a five-year reliability initiative, emphasizing predictive planning and hazard mitigation in transmission corridors.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 54 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 In 2026, NS Power is forecasting an investment of $3.3 million to widen approximately 121 2 kilometers of transmission rights-of-way by...

AI summary NS Power plans to invest $3.3 million in 2026 to widen 121 km of transmission rights-of-way by five meters, enhancing storm hardening and reliability by increasing vegetation clearance from infrastructure. Figures 35 and 36 detail project spans and locations.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 55 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 7.1.3 Establish New Rights-of-Way (ROW) 2 3 2026 Forecast Investment: $18.5 million 4 5 The 2026 Vegetation Management Reliability progr...

AI summary NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan allocates $18.5M to establish 377km of new rights-of-way using satellite-driven vegetation management and $6.9M for trimming/removing trees along 192km of distribution lines, targeting reliability improvements across Central/Metro, East, Northeast, and West regions.

34.0 West Metro 9.6 Northeast 17.2 2 3 In 2026, NS Power plans to complete approximately 30.9 kilometers of line and phase extensions 4 to enhance system reliability and operational flexibility. These projects are designed to improve 5 loa...

AI summary NS Power plans to complete 30.9 km of line and phase extensions in 2026 to enhance system reliability, reduce voltage drops, and improve service continuity in rural and developing areas. Projects are regionally distributed, with 5.5 km in the Northeast, 10 km in Metro, and 15.4 km in the West, as outlined in Figure 41.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 59 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential

AI summary The document references the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan's Appendix G, which includes an update to NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan. The content is non-confidential and appears in a regulatory proceeding context.

1 7.2.1.4 Distribution System Underground Upgrades 2 3 In 2026, a planned investment of $10.2 million will support the Distribution Underground 4 program, aimed at strengthening and modernizing NS Power’s underground electrical system. Thi...

AI summary NS Power plans a $10.2M 2026 investment in underground distribution upgrades, including cable replacement in Kentville, SCADA-enabled switch installation in Halifax, and a high-capacity ductbank with QEII Health Sciences Centre. These projects aim to enhance system reliability, reduce outages, and support infrastructure growth in high-density areas.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 61 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 Figure 42: Illustration of Targeted NS Power Transmission Projects Planned for 2026 2 3 4 7.2.3 Substation Upgrades and Replacements 5 6...

AI summary NS Power plans to invest $52.0 million in 2026 for substation upgrades and replacements to enhance system reliability and support regional growth, aligning with their asset management framework and community needs.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 65 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 • Device Deployment: The first phase involves ensuring the necessary field devices are in 2 place. While most of the required devices al...

AI summary NS Power's Five-Year Reliability Plan Update outlines three phases of FLISR implementation: device deployment, connectivity enablement, and FLISR configuration. These projects are targeted for completion by the end of 2026 and are currently under consideration by the NSEB under matter M12417.

2026 ACE Plan Appendix G Page 67 of 71 NS Power Five-Year Reliability Plan - Update Non-Confidential 1 8.0 CONCLUSION 2 3 NS Power’s Five-Year Reliability Plan represents a significant, sustained commitment to 4 improving system reliabilit...

AI summary NS Power’s Five-Year Reliability Plan outlines a commitment to improving system reliability and resilience through targeted investments, including vegetation management and grid modernization. The plan aims to achieve a 20 percent improvement in SAIDI by 2029 while maintaining affordability and transparency with stakeholders.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Request IR-10: 2 3 With respect to Section 11.1.4: 4 5 (a) Please provide tables with the data for Figures 59 and 60. Please provide columns for 6 Atlantic Utilities both with and without NS Power included, 7 8 (b) Pleas...

AI summary The request (IR-10) asks for data and explanations related to outage statistics for Atlantic Utilities, including SAIFI calculations with and without NS Power, final 2024 reliability statistics, developments in 2024, and the final terms of reference for CEATI's Grid Resiliency Working Group. A partial response provides SAIFI data from 2015 to 2018.

3 4 Year NS Power SAIDI Atlantic Utilities SAIDI Atlantic Utilities SAIDI (NS Power Excluded) 2015 4.86 6.32 7.31 2016 11.90 9.77 8.30 2017 8.57 14.19 18.08 2018 16.26 16.55 16.75 2019 43.89 26.37 13.81 2020 6.57 7.21 7.66 2021 5.60 6.03 6...

AI summary The table presents SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) data for NS Power and Atlantic Utilities from 2015 to 2024, showing fluctuations in service reliability over time. The data highlights variations in outage durations, with notable spikes in 2019 and 2022.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL $SAIDI = \frac{\sum CHI}{\sum Customers} = \frac{CHI_{Utility\ 1} + CHI_{Utility\ 2} + CHI_{Utility\ 3} + \cdots}{Customers_{Utility\ 1} + Customers_{Utility\ 2} + Customers_{Utility\ 3} + \cdots}$ 2 45 Similarly to SAIFI...

AI summary The text introduces the SAIDI formula, which calculates the average outage duration for customers across multiple utilities. It also references a table for further details and mentions that SAIDI is similar to SAIFI in representing outage frequency and duration.

8 2026 ACE Plan Figure # 2024 Result 2025 Result Figure 61: NS Power Annual SAIFI (Major/Extreme Events Excluded) 2.75 2.32 Figure 62: NS Power Annual SAIDI (Major/Extreme Events Excluded) 6.34 5.90 Figure 63: NS Power Annual SAIFI (Major...

AI summary The document presents a comparison of key performance indicators for NS Power between 2024 and 2025, including SAIFI, SAIDI, and customer interruptions caused by tree contact and failed equipment, highlighting variations in service reliability and outage management.

1 Figure 71: Equipment Failure by Device Type Customer Hours of Interruption Customer Hours of Interruption Device Type 2024 % of Hours 2025 % of Hours Primary Aerial Conductor 91,142 17.74% 60,055 11.62% Pin Insulator 87,769 17.09% 94,754...

AI summary Figure 71 presents data on customer hours of interruption by device type for 2024 and 2025, highlighting the number of interruptions and their percentage contribution. Primary Aerial Conductor and Pin Insulator were the leading causes of interruptions in both years, with notable changes in their percentages.

3 (d) 2024 all-in performance showed favourable indications despite three significant event days 4 in Q1, that in previous years (due to increasing MED thresholds) would have been excluded 5 in the MED/EED-adjusted data sets. Overall outag...

AI summary The 2024 performance showed favorable reliability results despite three significant event days, with overall outage duration being the best since 2021. In 2025, system performance continued to improve, though it faced challenges from three major weather events, including one Significant Event Day, two Major Event Days, and one Extreme Event Day.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Request IR-22: 2 3 With respect to Appendix G, does NS Power's distribution system experience strong winds 4 or microbursts that pull down multiple poles in sequence (e.g., over a stretch of at least 5 several hundred me...

AI summary The document discusses a request regarding cascading failures in NS Power's distribution system caused by extreme weather events. NS Power responds that such failures are rare and typically caused by trees falling on legacy pole lines, not microbursts. Modern standards are now used to prevent such failures, and granular data on specific costs is not collected.

2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan (NSEB M12619) NSPI Responses to Consumer Advocate Information Requests 1 Request IR-23: 2 3 With respect to Appendix G, Figure 1: 4 5 (a) Please confirm that this figure is unchanged since the sub...

AI summary The document discusses the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan and NSPI's responses to information requests regarding reliability program investments and changes in the five-year average for reliability metrics. NSPI confirms that the reliability program forecast remains unchanged since the 2025-2029 Five-Year Reliability Plan and explains that the updated forecast for 2026 is provided in Appendix G, Figure 30.

Date Filed: February 13, 2026 NSPI (IG) IR-4 Page 2 of 2 1 Request IR-5: 2 3 Reference: N-1, 2026 ACE Plan, page 14, Figure 1: NS Power Total Capital Investment: 4 Historical, Budget and Forecast. 5 6 Preamble: In the last two years, 2025...

AI summary NSPI explains the increase in capital spending budgets in 2025 and 2026, driven by initiatives to meet renewable energy targets and the Five-Year Reliability Plan. Key projects include the ECEI – Energy Storage and Synchronous Condenser projects, with significant investments planned over the next few years.

(b-c) When developing the capital program, specific rate impacts are not calculated. The capital program consists of all necessary investments that are required to maintain the safe and reliable operation of NS Power's generating facilitie...

AI summary The capital program includes necessary investments for maintaining and improving the reliability of NS Power's generating facilities, aligning with the Province's Clean Energy Plan. Rate impacts were included in a recent General Rate Application (M12451), with a 5-year plan considered appropriate to balance reliability improvements and rate impacts.

1 The below table shows the D008 forecast recalculated to include Extreme Event Days: 2 Year Actuals Pre-AO ($) Adjusted for 1.8% Inflation ($) 2021 1,905,329 2,083,094 2022 100,724,683 108,175,030 2023 6,179,465 6,519,198 2024 939,613 973...

AI summary The document presents a revised D008 forecast incorporating Extreme Event Days and references the 2026 ACE Plan for reliability strategies. It outlines the Reliability Team's structure, responsibilities, and interfaces within NS Power, including roles related to vegetation management, inspection, and stakeholder engagement.

1 1 Request IR-19: 2 3 Reference: N-1, 2026 ACE Plan, pages 97-98, "Centre for Energy Advancement through 4 Technological Innovation (CEATI) Grid Resiliency Working Group Update". 5 6 (a) Please provide a copy of the final terms of referen...

AI summary The document contains requests related to the CEATI Grid Resiliency Working Group and reliability metrics for evaluating reliability-based projects. It asks for the final terms of reference for the working group, outcomes of a resiliency benchmarking survey, and information on reliability metrics used by other utilities.

2026 ACE Plan NSEB IR-1 Attachment 1 Page 1 of 3 1987.25 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17...

AI summary The document outlines a project titled 'Subsea Cable Asset Management' under the 2026 ACE Plan, with a forecasted spend of $494,282 for equipment upgrades in the distribution category, aimed at reliability enhancement.

2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan (NSEB M12619) NSPI Responses to NSEB Information Requests 1 Request IR-19: 2 3 Section 7.0 Transmission pages 46 to 50 4 5 On page 48 of the application, NS Power states: "The focus for transmissi...

AI summary The 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan focuses on transmission and distribution investments aimed at improving system reliability and performance standards. The plan includes projects related to energy storage and synchronous condensers, and it is expected to contribute to a net positive impact on performance metrics. Questions are raised about the specific performance standards and the expected improvements from the proposed projects.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Response IR-33: 2 3 (a) The increase in forecast spend for 2026 is primarily driven by incremental investment in 4 system reliability initiatives. Spending within this routine is primarily allocated to targeted 5 equipme...

AI summary The increase in forecast spend for 2026 is primarily driven by investments in system reliability initiatives, including equipment replacement such as pole upgrades, aligned with the Five-Year Reliability Plan and risk-based decision-making.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 2026 ACE Plan Condition Inputs 16 has focused in two areas, CEATI's Grid Resiliency Working Group and Electricity Canada 17 reliability programs. In both cases, NS Power endeavors to leverage these industry groups to 18 id...

AI summary NS Power has focused on reliability programs through CEATI's Grid Resiliency Working Group and Electricity Canada, aiming to identify and validate quantitative reliability measures. The company is confident in its current risk-based decision-making methods and has evaluated metrics like MAIFI to assess reliability concerns and customer impact.

7 Year SAIDI All-In SAIDI MED Excluded Resilience Gap 2 3 Directives & Misc pages 87 to 141 4 5 Section 11.1.4 Impact of Reliability Projects pages 92 to 132 6 7 Page 100 of the application discusses the metrics and the measure of Reliabil...

AI summary The document discusses the use of Reliability Cost Efficiency (RCE) as a metric to evaluate risk mitigation strategies for improving reliability in the electricity grid. An example is provided where NS Power considers options like strategic undergrounding or vegetation management for a rural feeder section with increased circuit risk. The RCE metric is not the sole criterion for project selection but is used to refine the choice of interventions.

SHOW ON SEPARATE SCREEN: Power outages can be caused by severe weather, traffic accidents, tree or animal contacts, and equipment failures, among other things. When completing this survey, please note that a "power outage" refers to a comp...

AI summary This survey collects information about power outages, including their frequency, impact on households, and backup power solutions. It addresses whether residents have experienced outages, work from home, have health conditions requiring electricity, and have backup power systems.

19 2021: CEA Description Events CI CH % Events % CHI % CI Adverse Weather 1,045 197,720 683,315 9.4 14.7 23.3 Adverse Weather - Trees 418 79,088 273,326 3.7 5.9 9.3 Defective Equipment 3,083 240,052 465,752 27.6 17.9 15.9 Tree Contacts 2,1...

AI summary The table summarizes outage events in 2021, categorizing them by cause, including adverse weather, defective equipment, tree contacts, and other causes, along with associated customer hours of interruption and capital item costs.

2 2023: CEA Description Events CI CH % Events % CHI % CI Adverse Weather 3,765 533,613 3,862,555 19.7 20.0 31.2 Adverse Weather - Trees 1,506 213,445 1,545,022 7.9 8.0 12.5 Defective Equipment 2,999 332,400 753,161 15.7 12.5 6.1 Tree Conta...

AI summary The table provides a breakdown of customer interruption events in 2023, categorized by cause, including adverse weather, defective equipment, tree contacts, and other causes, with associated statistics such as the number of events, customer interruptions, and percentages.

6 2025: CEA Description Events CI CH % Events % CHI % CI Adverse Weather 1,758 143,950 752,972 13.4 8.9 13.4 Adverse Weather - Trees 703 57,580 301,189 5.4 3.6 5.4 Defective Equipment 2,137 168,495 516,909 16.3 10.5 9.2 Tree Contacts 2,492...

AI summary The table summarizes customer interruption events in 2025, categorized by cause. Adverse weather, defective equipment, and tree contacts are the main causes, with tree contacts being the most frequent and impactful in terms of customer hours of interruption.

17 (a) An updated Figure 71 is below, with data to the end of 2025: Customer Hours of Interruption Device Type 2025 % of Hours Pin Insulator 94,754 19.87 Crossarm 73,037 15.32 Primary Aerial Conductor 60,055 12.59 Inline Disconnector 49,18...

AI summary The text provides data on customer hours of interruption by device type in 2025, highlighting the contribution of various components to power outages. It also notes the number of outage events caused by failures in specific devices, such as crossarms and pin insulators, during the same period.

- 3 Please refer to table below for Event Day contributions to CHI attributable to device failures. Device Failed Non-Event Day Significant Major Extreme Event Day Contribution per Device % Pin Insulator 93,035 - - 1,718.70 1.8 Crossarm 73...

AI summary The table outlines Event Day contributions to Customer Hours of Interruption (CHI) attributable to device failures, with percentages indicating the contribution of each device type on Event Days. Devices like Recloser and Disconnector show significant contributions, while others like Crossarm show no contribution.

NON-CONFIDENTIAL 1 Request IR-56: 2 3 Directives & Misc pages 87 to 141 4 5 Section 11.1.4 Impact of Reliability Projects pages 92 to 132 6 7 Figure 75: Detail on Outage Causes for identified Event Days on pages 115 to 116. 8 9 (a) Please...

AI summary The response to IR-56 provides an updated table of outage data for 2025, showing five event days and details on interruptions by cause, including tree contacts and loss of supply. The data includes hours of interruption and percentages for each category.

3 4 5 (b) System (BES) and would include events occurring on NS Power's transmission lines or within substations that result in an interruption to the distribution system. Such events can include, but are not strictly limited to, tree cont...

AI summary The text discusses Loss of Supply events related to the Bulk Electric System (BES) and identifies that one event in 2025 was caused by a tree contact with a transmission line. It refers to a table for more details on the events.

11 Event Day Impacted Transmission Line Location Cause 2025.02.17 L-5058 Cumberland County Adverse Weather (Icing) 2025.07.26 L-6537 Inverness County Failed Equipment (Substation Transformer) L-6503 Colchester County E-:1-1E: 2025.12.19 L-...

AI summary The document lists several transmission line outages in Nova Scotia, detailing the event day, impacted line, location, and cause of each incident, including adverse weather and equipment failure.

1 (c) The forecasted Utilization and Capacity Factors as per the 2025 10-Year System Outlook 2 provided in the table below. 3 2026 2027 2028 2029 Utilization Factor H M L UL Capacity Factor 61% 41% 12% 15% 4

AI summary The 2025 10-Year System Outlook 2 forecasts utilization and capacity factors for the years 2026 to 2029. The utilization factor is expected to range from high (H) to ultra-low (UL), while the capacity factor is projected to decline from 61% in 2026 to 12% in 2028, then slightly increase to 15% in 2029.

8.1 Organizational Capabilities

AI summary This section discusses the organizational capabilities of the Nova Scotia Energy Board and Nova Scotia Power Inc. in the context of capital expenditures, reliability, and grid management. It highlights the importance of infrastructure planning and the role of various programs and initiatives in maintaining system reliability.

8.5 Quality and Monitoring

AI summary Section 8.5 discusses quality and monitoring in the context of energy regulation, focusing on performance metrics and reliability standards. It outlines key indicators such as SAIFI, SAIDI, and CKAIFI, which are used to assess the reliability of the electricity transmission system.

8.7 Performance Standards

AI summary This section outlines the performance standards related to electricity transmission and distribution, including metrics such as SAIFI, SAIDI, and CKAIFI. These standards are used to evaluate the reliability and efficiency of the electricity grid.

Experience Rating Statement for 2024

AI summary The document outlines the Experience Rating Statement for 2024, which provides an overview of performance metrics and reliability indicators for the electricity transmission system in Nova Scotia.

Experience Rating Statement for 2023

AI summary The Experience Rating Statement for 2023 provides an overview of performance metrics and reliability indicators for the electricity sector in Nova Scotia, focusing on service interruptions and system performance.

7.0 Site Location, Control, and Access

AI summary This section outlines the considerations related to site location, control, and access in the context of energy infrastructure planning and management. It includes details about regulatory processes, stakeholder involvement, and technical standards for ensuring reliability and safety.

9.0 Site Procedures

AI summary The section outlines site procedures related to energy infrastructure and operations, including capital expenditures, reliability metrics, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Bonding Bonding is when there is an electrical connection between two or more conductive containers, ensuring that the containers have the same electrical charge and thus preventing a spark jumping from one container to the next.

AI summary Bonding refers to the electrical connection of conductive containers to equalize their charge, preventing sparks between them. This practice is critical for safety in environments where conductive materials are used.

Surge Residuals + HHWLT Total Water Levels (tide incl. surge) - 200-year design event, design life of 50-years, construction in 2030 - No allowance for freeboard or wave runup / overtopping effects is included in this analysis

AI summary This section discusses the analysis of surge residuals and high harmonic water level totals, including tide and surge, for a 200-year design event with a 50-year design life starting in 2030. The analysis does not account for freeboard or wave runup/overtopping effects.

The Design Criteria are: - 1. Sub-transmission system loading shall be within the thermally limited ratings. - 2. The sub-transmission system voltages shall not be less than 97.5% or greater than 105% of nominal. - 3. As far as possible, p...

AI summary The Design Criteria outline standards for sub-transmission system performance, including voltage limits, fault handling, and recovery after outages. The criteria do not guarantee continuity of supply for all contingencies, with specific considerations for line and transformer outages.

5 (b) Please refer to Attachment 1 for the All‑Events Annual Outage Data from 2018–2025. The 6 annual results include all outage events from 2018–2025 for every feeder in all phases of 7 the vegetation management program, regardless of whe...

AI summary The document discusses outage data from 2018–2025, the impact of a cyber incident on data availability regarding vegetation management, and the lack of detailed breakdowns in the annual storm budget. It also notes that the New Distribution ROW program is not related to storm response.

2026 ACE Plan NSEB IR-128 Attachment 1 Page 1 of 2 REDACTED (CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REMOVED) Year CEA Description 2018 2019 2020 2021 % Total Customer Hours of Interrupts (CHI) Adverse Environment 0.6% 0.4% 0.2% 0.3% Adverse Weather 36.3...

AI summary The document presents data on customer interruptions and events related to the 2026 ACE Plan. It includes percentages of interruptions by various causes such as adverse weather, tree contacts, and defective equipment across the years 2018 to 2021.

2 (a) 3 (i) Please refer to Attachment 1 for tree-related outage statistics for the Phase 11 4 targeted circuits and their impact to overall annual totals for 2020-2025. 5 6 (ii) Please refer to Attachment 2 for All Events 2025 SAIFI and S...

AI summary The text refers to attachments containing tree-related outage statistics and reliability metrics for targeted circuits from 2020-2025, noting that some branch circuits may have higher CKAIFI values than the overall feeder average.

ALL EVENTS AND CAUSES INCLUDED Source 2025 CKAIFI 2025 CKAIDI 2025 SAIFI 2025 SAIDI 100C-422 3.88 6.26 System 2.92 10.19 102W-311 7.12 10 137H-411 2.48 1.22 137H-412 2.9 3.64 137H-414 0.94 0.23 15N-401 5.94 25.08 22C-403 1.34 2.12 22C-404...

AI summary The document presents a table of reliability metrics (CKAIFI, CKAIDI, SAIFI, SAIDI) for various locations in 2025, with system-wide values provided. It also references the 2026 ACE Plan and indicates that the document is an attachment to NSEB IR-129, with confidential information redacted.

1 which slowed down productivity. A continued focus on contractor efficiency is also 2 expected to help reduce the unit cost. Actual Phase 10 KM 70W-311 Conquerall Mills 12 0 Removed due to priority shift. 70W-313 Highway 332 20 0 Removed...

AI summary The text discusses the impact of productivity slowdowns and the potential for improving unit costs through contractor efficiency. It also includes a table listing various projects, their locations, planned and actual kilometers, and reasons for changes such as priority shifts, reliability needs, and wildfire risk.

2 (i) CI C0082133 IT Renew Microsoft Enterprise Agreement is the only project 3 specifically for license renewal. 4 5 (c) The rating of 25 for the ECEI Synchronous Condensers reflects both the criticality and 6 condition assessments under...

AI summary The document discusses the criticality rating of 25 assigned to ECEI Synchronous Condensers, emphasizing their role in maintaining system reliability and stability with increased wind generation as part of the Path to 2030. These units provide essential grid services as coal generation is phased out.

6 In addition to lagging performance indicators, NS Power's vegetation management 7 program has improved feeder condition through targeted interventions, a key leading 8 indicator of reduced future tree contacts. Targeted right‑of‑way wide...

AI summary NS Power's vegetation management program has improved feeder conditions through targeted interventions, reducing future tree-related outages and supporting reliability improvements. This proactive approach addresses vegetation encroachment and mitigates system risks, especially during severe weather.

Performance Standards 2024 2025 SAIFI 1.97 1.57 SAIDI 5.26 4.79 14

AI summary The document presents performance standards for the years 2024 and 2025, showing improvements in SAIFI and SAIDI metrics, indicating enhanced reliability in the electricity system.

3 M12619, Exhibit N-1, Application, Appendix G, Figure 34, page 53 of 71, line 2. 1 (a) What is the total amount of investment planned for 2026 for the ROW projects shown 2 in Figure 33 and Figure 34? 3 4 (b) What is the share of this tota...

AI summary The document outlines questions and responses related to the planned investment for ROW projects in 2026, including the share of this investment relative to total distribution and T&D projects, expected improvements in reliability, and the impact on priority feeders and customer classes.

2 - 3 Please refer to the Application Page 108 of 782, Figures 67: Annual Tree Contact – Customer - 4 Interruptions (Major/Extreme Events Removed) and Figure 68: Annual Tree Contact – - 5 Customer Hours of Interruption (Major/Extreme Event...

AI summary The response provides updated figures (Figure 67 and Figure 68) related to annual tree contact customer interruptions and customer hours of interruption, excluding major/extreme events, for the remainder of 2025.

Chris Milligan ([email protected]) 1 Request IR-24: 2 3 Please refer to the Application Page 683 of 782, Lines 24 – 26. 4 5 (a) What is the current status with respect to the Decision Gate 3 governance milestone? 6 7 Response IR-24...

AI summary The text contains several requests and responses related to regulatory proceedings, including the status of a governance milestone, a certificate of determination for an environmental impact assessment, and the definition of 'Adverse Environment' in the context of outage events.

2 3 Please refer to the Application Page 721 of 782, Figure 4: Annual Customer Hours of 4 Interruption (CHI) due to Failure of Equipment - Performance Standards 5 6 (a) Please define the left and right axes. 7 8 Response IR-27: 9 10 (a) In...

AI summary The response defines the axes of Figure 4, which shows Annual Customer Hours of Interruption (CHI) due to equipment failure. The left axis represents Customer Hours of Interruption, and the right axis represents Outage Event Count. An updated version of the figure with 2025 full-year data is referenced.

1 2 3 2. Direct NS Power to provide a report on whether the Maximo/Salesforce capabilities could be extended to improve operational efficiency and cost minimization in areas where it is not currently scoped for use. (Section III.A) 4 5 3....

AI summary The document outlines various directives for NS Power, including improving operational efficiency through software capabilities, revising work orders, monitoring external cost factors, managing contingency amounts, and revising the CEJC to align with the Board's requirements. It also addresses reliability metrics and spare equipment inventory.

Q: Could a smaller contingency budget increase the number of ATO proceedings? A: Yes, a possible consequence of the Board adopting my recommendation is that there could be slightly more ATO proceedings. From a cost minimization perspective...

AI summary A smaller contingency budget may lead to more ATO proceedings, as they can identify risks that lead to overspending in capital projects. Examples include the L6549 transmission line project and the 76V-T1 Transformer Replacement, where unexpected costs led to increased ATO budgets. Improved planning and risk management could help mitigate these issues.

22 Table 1: Tree Contact Events for Project Circuits vs Systemwide C0080266 Projects32 Systemwide33 Year Total Outage Events Tree Contact Outage Events Percent of Total Total Outage Events Tree Contact Outage Events Percent of Total 2021 1...

AI summary Table 1 compares tree contact outage events for specific project circuits (C0080266) with systemwide data from 2021 to 2025. The data shows the percentage of total outages attributed to tree contact events for both the project circuits and the overall system, highlighting trends over time.

Q: Should the Board be concerned about the effectiveness of the New Distribution Right of Way projects? A: Perhaps, but it may be too soon to say. Since 2016, NS Power's four reliability metrics related to tree contacts continue to remain...

AI summary The effectiveness of the New Distribution Right of Way projects is uncertain. While NS Power's reliability metrics related to tree contacts have remained flat or decreased since 2016, it is unclear if the project has had a positive impact. However, recent changes in vegetation management practices may improve reliability over time.

Q: What are your recommendations related to this project and the larger issue of outages caused by tree contacts? A: At this time, I do not recommend that the Board direct modification of the New Distribution Right of Way projects. Instead...

AI summary The respondent does not recommend modifying the New Distribution Right of Way projects but suggests examining the issue in the third-party review of the Five-Year Reliability Plan. Two changes are recommended for NS Power's tree contact reliability metrics: removing adverse weather-related tree contacts and verifying that year-to-date data is excluded from final year trendlines.

B. Spare Transformers - Q: Please describe the role of spare transformers in supporting reliability. - A: According to NS Power, it has added a new transformer to strengthen its "fleet of spares" in support of "system reliability and long-...

AI summary NS Power has added a new transformer to support system reliability. The document discusses cost-effective methods like spare inventory pooling, referencing Grid Assurance, a program that allows utilities to share spare equipment. The costs of spare transformers, including deployment and storage, are highlighted as a challenge for individual utilities.

Q: Why is the status of the synchronous condenser project concerning? A: In contrast to, for example, the NS-NB Reliability Intertie Project, there has been no stakeholder presentation explaining why synchronous condensers have been select...

AI summary The status of the synchronous condenser project is concerning due to the lack of stakeholder presentation explaining why this technology was chosen for wind integration. The Board may face a dilemma between delaying 2030 compliance milestones or approving a potentially flawed project if the application does not provide a strong case for the selected technology.

na Coastal Conservation League and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Need for capacity, adequacy of energy efficiency and renewable energy alternatives, and use of solar power as an energy resource. - 2014 South Carolina PSC Docket No. 2...

AI summary The document outlines expert testimony provided by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and other organizations in various regulatory proceedings, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy alternatives, and system reliability. Testimonies span multiple jurisdictions and address topics such as capacity credit calculations, reserve margins, and project evaluations.

operable condition and would be incurred regardless of the eventual path forward. In other words, the Company would undertake its sustaining capital work in the same manner, regardless of whether redevelopment or decommissioning had alread...

AI summary The Wilson Evidence raises concerns about NS Power's lack of a clear plan to protect customers from excessive costs related to the Mersey Hydro project's potential redevelopment or decommissioning. While sustaining capital investments are necessary for safe operation, the long-term future of the Mersey Hydro System remains uncertain. NS Power has filed a comparative NPV analysis evaluating redevelopment and decommissioning options.

The Asset Inflation Strategy - This ACE Plan continues a concerning capital trajectory, where capital expenditures have - grown from ~$126M during 2005–2008 to ~$700M for 2026–2030 (a 458% increase). - This growth has occurred across all a...

AI summary The ACE Plan shows a significant increase in capital expenditures from $126M (2005–2008) to $700M (2026–2030), with a CAGR of 10%. However, this investment has not led to proportional growth in energy supply or system resiliency, while NSPI's contribution to energy supply has decreased.

The Reliability Gap - NSPI submits that a significant portion of this spending falls under the rubric of 'reliability.' - Yet the record shows a disconnect between spending and performance, as despite years - of aggressive reliability inve...

AI summary NSPI argues that a significant portion of its spending falls under 'reliability,' but the Department points out a disconnect between spending and performance, as reliability targets have not been met since 2016. NSPI's reliability plan lacks specific performance targets, and the Department criticizes the lack of measurable improvements and poor asset management practices.

Competitiveness - This ACE Plan fails to fully account for the fundamental shift in Nova Scotia's electricity - planning landscape. With the enactment of the More Access to Energy Act on April 1, 2025, - the responsibility for ensuring a c...

AI summary The ACE Plan does not adequately address the changes in Nova Scotia's electricity planning landscape following the enactment of the More Access to Energy Act. Responsibility for competitive energy planning now lies with the IESO-NS, and the Board is urged to defer certain projects until competitive processes are completed.

M12619 - 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure Plan Opening Statement of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated Provided by Dave Pickles, Chief Operating Officer, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated Thank you, Chair and Members of the Board, for the opportun...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Incorporated's 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure Plan (ACE Plan) proposes $702 million in capital spending, with a focus on improving reliability, safety, and preparing for the future. Investments include vegetation management, infrastructure upgrades, and storm hardening to reduce outages and enhance grid resilience.

w Brunswick. Construction is expected to be completed by 2028, complementing existing interconnections, including the Maritime Link, which flows energy from Newfoundland and Labrador into Nova Scotia. We are also progressing preliminary en...

AI summary The 2026 ACE Plan outlines investments in infrastructure and renewable energy to support Nova Scotia's transition to a low-carbon electricity system by 2030. Key initiatives include the development of the NS IESO, renewable energy projects, and the maintenance of existing generation assets.

Undertaking U-3: To provide NS Power's Average Service Availability Index (ASAI) for 2020-2025 at a system level. 6 Response U-3: 8 The Average Service Availability Index (ASAI) (equation provided below) is calculated for 2016 9 to 2025 us...

AI summary NS Power is required to provide its Average Service Availability Index (ASAI) for the period 2020-2025 at a system level, calculated using all-in outage data from 2016 to 2025.

$$ASAI = 1 - \frac{SAIDI}{Annual\ Hours}$$ Year SAIDI (All-In) Annual Hours ASAI 2016 11.90 8,784 99.86% 2017 8.57 8,760 99.90% 2018 16.26 8,760 99.81% 2019 43.88 8,760 99.50% 2020 6.57 8,784 99.93% 2021 5.60 8,760 99.94% 2022 74.87 8,760...

AI summary The text presents a formula for calculating the Average Service Availability Index (ASAI) and provides a table with historical data from 2016 to 2025 showing SAIDI, Annual Hours, and ASAI. It also includes a section about an undertaking and response related to a letter from the Minister regarding directives under the Synchronous Condenser Project.

1 Undertaking U-9: 2 3 Re: C0053214 – 76W-T1 Transformer Replacement 4 5 (a) To provide a list of previous outages over the last five years for the existing 6 transformer related to C0053214. 7 8 (b) To provide the feeder load values and n...

AI summary The response to Undertaking U-9 provides a summary of events impacting the 76W-T1 transformer from 2021 to 2025, noting that all outages were due to transmission line interruptions rather than the transformer itself.

Date / Time Momentary / Cause Sustained Interruption 2021/05/17 15:18:14 MI Adverse Weather 2022/02/07 17:46:54 SI Adverse Weather 2023/03/02 22:35:54 SI Failed Equipment 2023/03/03 01:44:27 SI Failed Equipment 2023/03/14 17:41:45 MI Adver...

AI summary The document presents a chronological list of power interruptions, including dates, times, types of interruptions (momentary or sustained), and causes such as adverse weather, failed equipment, foreign interference, and system conditions. The data spans from 2021 to 2025 and includes both confidential and non-confidential sections.

2026 ACE Plan U-18 Attachment 1 Page 2 of 2 1 Undertaking U-19: Adverse Weather 17.1% 38.2% 11.0% 9.4% 34.6% 20.3% 9.2% 13.9% Defective Equipment 22.8% 16.0% 30.0% 26.0% 11.7% 14.3% 19.8% 15.0% Foreign Interference 13.1% 7.4% 15.1% 15.0% 6...

AI summary The table presents the percentage distribution and event counts of various causes of power interruptions in the 2026 ACE Plan U-18 Attachment 1. It includes categories such as Adverse Weather, Defective Equipment, and Tree Contacts, along with corresponding numerical data across multiple years.

- [1] Each year, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated files an Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan outlining its proposed capital expenditures for the upcoming year. In accordance with ss. 35, 35A and 35AA of the Public Utilities Act, RSNS 198...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Incorporated submitted its 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan for approval, seeking Board approval for projects totaling $76.7 million and Routine Capital Expenditures of $207.3 million. The Board approved the plan, except for the RTU Deployment project, which was deferred pending a Synapse Energy Economics Consultants report. The Board also addressed broader issues related to capital spending and reliability planning.

2.2.4 C0080111 – 2026 RTU Deployment [28] This project will install 21 new Remote Terminal Units (RTU) in substations throughout Nova Scotia over the next three to four years. The RTU and telecom will be installed at substations that curre...

AI summary This project involves the installation of 21 new Remote Terminal Units (RTU) in Nova Scotia substations over the next three to four years. The RTUs will improve system visibility and remote operability, enabling faster emergency response and outage resolution. The project aligns with NS Power's Advanced Grid Modernization program and its Five-Year Reliability Plan goals.

2.3.6.1 Findings [76] The Board accepts NS Power's position. The evidence does not establish that its existing spare equipment strategy is unreasonable, ineffective or that participation in an existing pooling arrangement would produce low...

AI summary The Board accepts NS Power's position that its existing spare equipment strategy is reasonable and effective, and participation in a pooling arrangement would not necessarily lead to lower costs without negatively impacting reliability.

4.0 FIVE-YEAR RELIABILITY PLAN [120] In response to ongoing concerns and Board directives in the 2024 ACE Plan Decision, NS Power submitted a Five-Year Reliability Plan as Exhibit N-3 in the 2025 ACE Plan . In this Plan, the Company outlin...

AI summary NS Power submitted a Five-Year Reliability Plan in response to the 2024 ACE Plan Decision, proposing a $1.3 billion investment from 2025-2029 to improve customer reliability and reduce SAIDI by 20%. The Board directed NS Power to provide annual updates and consider new reliability metrics in the 2026 ACE Plan.

Vegetation Management and Tree Trimming [123] The Plan has a focus on expanding tree-trimming programs along power lines to reduce outages and clearing transmission and distribution corridors to enhance reliability.

AI summary The Plan emphasizes expanding tree-trimming programs along power lines to reduce outages and clearing transmission and distribution corridors to enhance reliability.

4.1 Findings [150] The Board agrees that vegetation management, system hardening and grid modernization are recognized tools for reliability improvements. It is on this basis, and an assessment of the individual merits of each project subm...

AI summary The Board acknowledges the importance of vegetation management and grid modernization but is concerned about the lack of demonstrated reliability improvements despite significant spending. It questions whether the investments are providing value for ratepayers and emphasizes the need for a clearer connection between expenditures and reliability outcomes.

4.2.1 New Reliability Metrics [155] As directed in paragraph 208 of the 2025 ACE Plan Decision, the Board asked NS Power to provide an update on its evaluation of potential new reliability and resiliency metrics in the 2026 ACE Plan. NS Po...

AI summary The Board requested an update on NS Power's evaluation of new reliability metrics for the 2026 ACE Plan. NS Power reported on its work with CEATI, including a Grid Resiliency Workshop and updates on resilience frameworks and indicators. CEATI has not finalized the Terms of Reference for the Grid Resiliency Working Group but continues to incorporate member feedback.

tepayers. One would expect any private non-utility proponents who contract with the IESO Nova Scotia for energy generation, or ancillary services, to have a rate of return factored into their pricing. [168] None of the foregoing examples h...

AI summary The document discusses concerns raised by the DOE regarding NS Power's capital spending growth and its alignment with system reliability and capacity. There is a concern that while the asset base has expanded, generating and distribution capacity and reliability have not kept pace. The Board is also uncertain about the meaning of 'corresponding expansion of physical system benefits.'

7.1.1 Coordination with the IESO Nova Scotia [201] In a letter dated October 9, 2024, the Minister of Energy directed NS Power "…to provide the equipment and systems necessary to maintain the stability, reliability, and power quality of th...

AI summary The Minister of Energy directed NS Power to ensure grid stability with renewable energy integration, including synchronous condensers. The IESO is tasked with conducting competitive procurements for electricity resources under the More Access to Energy Act, as outlined in a letter from the Premier and Minister of Energy.

PRELIMINARY ISSUES LIST The following issues will be dealt with in the public hearing on NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan, scheduled to begin on April 21, 2026, in addition to the usual review of projects for which approval is sought (including th...

AI summary The preliminary issues list outlines topics to be addressed during the public hearing on NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan, including reliability investments, capital spending criteria, and updates to various reports and projects.

FINAL ISSUES LIST The following issues will be dealt with in the public hearing on NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan, scheduled to begin on April 21, 2026, in addition to the usual review of projects for which approval is sought (including the Rout...

AI summary The Final Issues List outlines key topics to be addressed during the public hearing on NS Power's 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, including reliability investments, capital spending criteria, cybersecurity breach impacts, and integration of IESO-NS work into NSPI's capital plans.

Request IR-19: - On page 48 of the application, NS Power states: "The focus for transmission capital investments - in 2026 is on sustaining and improving system reliability and transformational investment in - Energy Storage and Synchronou...

AI summary The document requests clarification on the expected improvements in performance standards metrics from the 2026 ACE Plan T&D projects, specifically how these projects will impact system reliability and the expected net positive impact on each metric.

Request IR-47: On page 99, NS Power states: "Over the course of the last year, NS Power has continued its work to identify and evaluate potential alternative reliability metrics." Please describe the alternative reliability metrics that NS...

AI summary The document contains three requests directed at NS Power regarding alternative reliability metrics, the 'resilience gap' concept, and a residential customer Value of Lost Load (VoLL) survey. The requests seek updates, analysis, and findings related to these topics.

Request IR-50: - Page 100 of the application discusses the metrics and the measure of Reliability Cost Efficiency - (RCE) and its potential use/challenge. Please provide an example(s) of how the metric would be - used by NS Power, showing...

AI summary Request IR-50 asks for an example of how the Reliability Cost Efficiency (RCE) metric would be used by NS Power, focusing on the cost of reducing outage impacts at the project level and how large customer counts yield better results compared to small ones. It also requests a referenced residential customer VoLL survey.

Request IR-53: - Page 106 states "…both tree contact and failed equipment related outages are influenced by the - prevailing weather conditions, further contributing to the overall effects of adverse weather on - system performance." Has N...

AI summary The document requests Nova Scotia Power to explain whether they have investigated more weather-resilient equipment used by other utilities in harsher climates and the reasons for not pursuing such equipment if they have.

Request IR-54: - Page 109 states "Despite the increased frequency of severe weather events and higher Major - Event Days (MED) thresholds, there is a positive trend in reducing customer impact compared to - the last 5 years (2020 2024)." P...

AI summary The document requests support for a statement regarding a positive trend in reducing customer impact from severe weather events between 2020 and 2024, excluding Hurricane Fiona, by providing data on outages per event.

Request IR-55: - Figure 71 on page 111 presents customer hours of interruption for Year-to-Date October 2025 by device type. - a) Please provide an update with the complete 2025 data. - b) How many crossarm failures occurred in 2025? - c)...

AI summary Request IR-55 seeks updates on 2025 customer interruption data, including crossarm, pin insulator, and Primary Aerial Conductor failures, their ages, and the proportion of outages caused by severe weather events.

Request IR-82: - Page 194 states: "It was determined that individual blade replacement or refurbishment would not significantly reduce the risk of blade failure and would increase the likelihood of repeated work - scope in the future." - a...

AI summary The text references a determination that individual blade replacement or refurbishment would not significantly reduce blade failure risk and may lead to repeated work. It requests an explanation of how the assessment was conducted and how the conclusion was reached.

Request IR-101: - Page 325 of the capital application states: "Fast-acting generation assets like Burnside Unit #2 - are critical tools for system operators managing elevated levels of variable generation—such as - wind—and responding to s...

AI summary The document requests clarification on whether Nova Scotia Power's remaining CT units, and when combined with Battery Energy Storage Systems, can provide sufficient generation to maintain system reliability if the CT-BGT2 unit is out of operation.

Request IR-129: - Page 408 states "Over the last five years (2020-2024), tree contacts have caused over 19,200 - outage events, 2.2 million customer interruptions and 19.2 million customer hours of interruption, - which represents 24 perce...

AI summary The text requests detailed statistics on outage events, customer interruptions, and customer hours of interruption caused by tree contacts from 2020 to 2024, along with SAIDI, SAIFI, CKADI, and CKAFI metrics for targeted circuits in Phase 11 and whether any branch circuits have higher SAIFI than the overall feeder.

Request IR-137: - a) Please explain if any analysis has been carried out to reduce the propagation of outages using modern automation technologies such as sectionalizers, automatic reclosers, or any other suitable devices. - b) In Matter M...

AI summary The document requests explanations regarding the use of automation technologies to reduce outage propagation, analysis of the effectiveness of a 10-year Vegetation Management Program, assessment of future vegetation management plans, and whether the Board should wait for the outcome of a reliability plan review before approving further investments.

D03: C0080612 57C-426H Melrose Reconductor and Line Extension Phase 1

AI summary The document outlines the Melrose Reconductor and Line Extension Phase 1 project, focusing on infrastructure upgrades for the electricity grid. It discusses the need for reconductoring and line extensions to enhance reliability and capacity, with considerations for cost, performance, and regulatory compliance.

Appendix E Mersey Update pages 627 to 647

AI summary The text provides an overview of the Mersey Update, covering various aspects of energy infrastructure, including updates on power generation, grid reliability, and regulatory considerations. It discusses the status of projects, operational performance, and potential future developments.

Appendix G 5 Year Reliability Plan pages 703 to 773

AI summary The document outlines the 5-Year Reliability Plan, focusing on ensuring the reliability of the electricity grid in Nova Scotia. It includes details on infrastructure planning, generation and grid resources, and regulatory processes to meet reliability standards.

Request IR-182: - Page 710, NS Power describes the benefits of the Five-Year Reliability Plan. "The benefits of the - program and the impact on the reliability of the system will be felt cumulatively as the combined - impacts of reliabilit...

AI summary The document discusses the Five-Year Reliability Plan by NS Power, which is projected to cost $1.3B over five years and reduce SAIDI by one hour by 2029. Questions are raised about the impact on rates, customer willingness to trade reliability for lower rates, and the development of reliability targets.

Request IR-183: - Page 710, "NS Power agrees with the NSEB and stakeholders that effective investments lead to - the best possible balance between reliability improvements and affordability for customers." How - has this trade off been det...

AI summary NS Power agrees with the NSEB and stakeholders that effective investments balance reliability improvements and affordability for customers. The question raised is how this trade-off has been determined.

Request IR-184: - Figure 3 at page 714 graphically depicts the Annual Customer Hours of Interruption (Tree - Contacts). The 2025 projected total and the 2020 actual total appear roughly equal at just over - 500,000 customer hours of interr...

AI summary The text raises concerns about the projected total of Annual Customer Hours of Interruption in 2025 being equal to the 2020 actual total, questioning the accuracy of the projection and the effectiveness of vegetation management over five years in reducing interruptions from Tree Contacts.

Request IR-185: - Figure 4 at page 715 graphically depicts the Annual Customer Hours of Interruption (Failure of - Equipment). The 2025 projected total and the 2020 actual total appear roughly equal at just over - 400,000 customer hours of...

AI summary The text references Figure 4, which compares the projected 2025 and actual 2020 Annual Customer Hours of Interruption. It raises concerns about the accuracy of the 2025 projection and the lack of improvement from the 2020 total.

Request IR-189: In reference to Demonstrated Reliability Impact/Benefit on page 719, NS Power states "… it is important to recognize that the full impact of the program will take time to materialize. Meaningful trends and improvements in S...

AI summary NS Power asserts that the full impact of a $1.3B investment in reliability improvements will take time to materialize, with meaningful trends in SAIDI only being accurately assessed over the full duration of the program. The question raised is about ratepayer recourse if the investment fails to deliver expected improvements.

s the Board’s 2025 ACE Plan directive to provide an update on the Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI) Grid Resiliency working group in the 2026 ACE Plan application. 1. Please provide an update on CEATI a...

AI summary The document requests updates on the CEATI Grid Resiliency working group, specifically regarding activities since the 2026 ACE Plan application, the status of the Resiliency Benchmarking Survey, and the approval of terms of reference. It also inquires about alternative reliability metrics evaluated by NS Power and their rationale for not being adopted.

weather that is used by other utilities in harsher climates than Nova Scotia? 1. If so, what are the reasons for not seeking out those more resilient components or manufacturers? 2. If not, why not? Page 109 states “Despite the increased f...

AI summary The text raises questions about the resilience of infrastructure components used by Nova Scotia utilities, the reduction in customer impact from severe weather, and the details of outages and equipment failures in 2025. It requests data on outage causes, device failures, and transmission line outages, including their age, location, and frequency.

sts between 2025 and 2049. G08: C0080135 CT-BGT2 Engine Refurbishment Please provide a high-level summary and dates of any refurbishment work conducted on the Burnside Combustion Turbine Unit 2. 1. How many operating hours has the unit run...

AI summary The document requests information about the refurbishment history of the Burnside Combustion Turbine Unit 2, including operating hours, OEM recommendations, and the number of operations in 2024 and 2025. It also asks about third-party reviews of inspection findings and the ability of remaining CT units and battery storage systems to maintain system reliability if CT-BGT2 is out of operation. Cost-effectiveness analysis for refurbishment versus purchasing a new engine is requested.

with their respective contribution to the totals. 2. Current SAIDI, SAIFI, CKADI and CKAFI. 3. Are there any branch circuits of the feeder that have a higher SAIFI than the overall feeder SAIFI? What is the expected improvement in SAIDI an...

AI summary The text includes questions about the impact of vegetation management work on SAIDI, SAIFI, CKADI, and CKAFI metrics, as well as the cost and status of New Distribution Rights-of-Way Phase 10. It also asks why some feeders worsened in condition after the work and seeks clarification on discrepancies in cost estimates.

e explain any discrepancy with this amount and the amount identified in NS Power’s capital application under Matter M11921. 3. What is the expected final unit cost per km for “contracts” for Phase 10? The estimated unit cost estimate for C...

AI summary The text contains a series of questions directed at NS Power regarding capital applications, cost estimates for distribution rights-of-way, long-term operational cost reductions, and the effectiveness of vegetation management and reliability plans. The questions seek clarification on discrepancies in costs, the use of automation technologies, and the Board's role in assessing future investments.

during periods of net peak demand.” 1. What is the current estimated cost of the conversion of Lingan units 1, 3 and 4? 2. What is the current estimated cost of the Point Tupper unit 2 to natural gas Section 7.3 Green Hydrogen Projects, pa...

AI summary The text includes questions about the costs of converting Lingan and Point Tupper units to natural gas, the development of green hydrogen projects, and risk management related to supply chain and geopolitical factors. It also raises concerns about off-take agreements, grid access, and potential transmission impacts.

risks? 1. Is NS Power able to restrict its procurement to Canadian and European manufacturers/suppliers? 2. Does this category consider geopolitical risk aside from the Russian invasion of Ukraine? NS Power states “The lead time for combus...

AI summary The document raises questions about NS Power's procurement restrictions, geopolitical risks, and the lead time for combustion turbines. It also inquires about the cost and customer impact of the Five-Year Reliability Plan, including whether customers would trade reliability improvements for lower rates. The plan is projected to cost $1.3B over five years and aims to reduce SAIDI by one hour by 2029.

phically depicts the Annual Customer Hours of Interruption (Tree Contacts). The 2025 projected total and the 2020 actual total appear roughly equal at just over 500,000 customer hours of interruption. 1. Does the projected total for 2025 c...

AI summary The text discusses concerns regarding the accuracy of projected customer interruption hours for 2025 and the lack of improvement in reducing interruptions from tree contacts and equipment failures over a five-year period. Questions are raised about the effectiveness of vegetation management and the maintenance schedules for right-of-way widening.

e describe the planned maintenance schedule for right-of-way widening. 2. Please describe how the planned maintenance schedule accounts for local vegetation, weather and other geographical attributes. In reference to Demonstrated Reliabili...

AI summary The text includes questions about NS Power's maintenance schedules, the impact of a $1.3B investment on reliability metrics like SAIDI, the use of the 2025 vegetation management budget, and the selection and remote operation of reclosers and trip savers. It also asks for a breakdown of 2025 investments.

b) What is the share of this total amount of planned investment requested in a) above as a percent of: i) Total Distribution capital projects in this Application? ii) Total Transmission and Distribution projects in this Application? M12619...

AI summary The text outlines questions related to the distribution and transmission projects in NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan, focusing on investment percentages, reliability improvements, impacted feeders, customer classes, capacity upgrades, and growth support. These questions are part of a regulatory proceeding.

ubmittal, CI# 49595 HYD – TUS 1 Overhaul. 1. How does this project connect or interact with the ongoing Tusket project, which is currently before the Board as an Application to Overspend in M10197? Please refer to the Application Page 35 o...

AI summary The document outlines questions regarding the connection between the Tusket project and previous applications, the status of customer surveys on Value of Lost Load (VoLL), and the evaluation of customer-centric metrics by NS Power. It references specific pages and figures in the application for further details.

- 29 (ii) its interfaces with the "broader Energy Delivery team" and 30 "Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) team"; and 1 (iii) accountability (role/title) for vegetation management, feeder 2 inspection, transmission line inspection, capital...

AI summary The document outlines requests for information related to accountability roles in vegetation management, reliability-based project evaluation metrics, and storm performance updates. It references the 2026 ACE Plan and seeks details on reliability metrics used by other utilities.

- related capital investments". - Preamble: NSPI identifies capital programs for storm response/reactive work for 2026 including - 5 D008 and T001. - 6 (a) Please describe how NSPI allocates storm-related costs between capital 7 storm rout...

AI summary The document outlines questions regarding how NSPI allocates storm-related costs between capital programs and operating expenses, and how increased reliability investments affect storm response cost estimations over time.

Reference: Exhibit N-1: Application - Section 8.0 Distribution a) Please explain how Distribution capital planning is explicitly linked to historical and forecast customer additions, specifically addressing any deviations from the historic...

AI summary The document contains a series of questions aimed at understanding NS Power's distribution capital planning, spending, cost justification, benchmarking, connection standards, and cost-containment measures. The focus is on linking capital planning to customer growth, cost drivers, and ensuring investments align with forecast benefits.

25 Request IR-10: 26 27 With respect to Section 11.1.4: 28 29 (a) Please provide tables with the data for Figures 59 and 60. Please provide columns for 30 Atlantic Utilities both with and without NS Power included, 31 32 (b) Please explain...

AI summary The request asks for data tables, explanations of reliability statistics calculations, 2024 reliability outcomes, developments influencing those outcomes, and the final terms of reference for CEATI's Grid Resiliency Working Group.

15 Request IR-24: 16 17 With respect to Appendix G, Figure 2: 18 19 a) Please explain the reasons for changes in the five-year average for each value. For example, 20 tree contacts declined from 49% adjusted contribution to CHI in the prev...

AI summary The document contains a series of requests related to NS Power's vegetation management practices, outage event coding, and analysis of power interruptions during adverse weather. The requests focus on explaining changes in contribution percentages, defining cause codes, and evaluating the effectiveness of tree contact reduction programs.

1 Request IR-25: 2 3 With respect to Appendix G, Figures 3 and 4: 4 5 (a) Please explain how and why the outage event count has been reduced by more than 50% 6 since 2022 for tree contacts and by nearly 50% for failure of equipment, but th...

AI summary The text requests an explanation for the reduction in outage event counts since 2022 and how the five-year reliability plan is expected to further reduce outages and customer hours of interruption.

33 Request IR-29: 34 36 35 With respect to Appendix G, Section 7.3.2 37 a) Please confirm that the improved reliability performance anticipated from the FLISR 38 projects is expected to be caused by faster outage response (reduced power in...

AI summary The request seeks clarification on the reliability improvements from FLISR projects, specifically whether faster outage response is the primary driver. It also references a previous Board decision (M12417) urging NS Power to develop specific metrics for FLISR technology performance.

- 4 i. Please identify any changes that have been made to the format of internal work 5 orders since January 1, 2025. - 7 ii. Please provide an update on NS Power's "continuous improvement initiative," 8 with any results or findings that h...

AI summary The document includes several requests directed at NS Power regarding changes in internal work orders, updates on a continuous improvement initiative, data accessibility, system upgrades, and future actions. These questions are part of a regulatory proceeding and focus on operational and technical aspects of NS Power's activities.

1. Please provide support and context for the assertions that “it is not always possible to take an outage to L-6536” and that “Taking an outage to this line negatively impacts customer reliability in the area.” In your response, please ex...

AI summary The text consists of a series of questions directed at NS Power regarding transmission line outages, switch capabilities, replacement planning, contingency amounts, and cost justifications. It focuses on reliability impacts, switch types, replacement timelines, and cost estimation practices.

ral funding agreement, e.g. through some failure of execution. 4. Please explain why the project is referenced as “ECC Renewable Dispatch Data on p. 4. Request IR-21: With respect to Appendix E: 1. Please provide a working copy of Appendix...

AI summary The text contains a series of requests for information related to a regulatory proceeding, focusing on financial agreements, project data, decommissioning plans, distribution system reliability, and reliability program forecasts. It involves Nova Scotia Power and requests clarification, updates, and detailed analysis.

. If part (a) is confirmed, please explain why there has been no update to the reliability program forecast investment in the past 12 months. Request IR-24: With respect to Appendix G, Figure 2: 1. Please explain the reasons for changes in...

AI summary The document contains a series of requests related to the reliability program forecast investment and the analysis of power interruption causes, specifically focusing on the impact of tree contacts and adverse weather. It asks for explanations regarding changes in figures, definitions of cause codes, and the collection and analysis of data on power interruptions.

rative of how NS Power analyzes these underlying causes and include supporting documentation that exists of any such review processes. Request IR-25: With respect to Appendix G, Figures 3 and 4: 1. Please explain how and why the outage eve...

AI summary The text outlines two requests for information related to NS Power's reliability performance. It asks for an explanation of the discrepancy between the reduction in outage events and the smaller decrease in customer hours of interruption (CHI), as well as an elaboration on how the five-year reliability plan is expected to reduce both outage events and CHI.

ease elaborate on how execution of the plan is expected to reduce both outage events and customer hours of interruption. Request IR-26: With respect to Appendix G, Figures 5 and 7, and p. 21-22: 1. Please explain what is meant by the veget...

AI summary The text contains a series of requests for clarification regarding vegetation management practices, budget forecasts, and cost minimization actions related to a reliability program. Specific questions focus on reconciling planned and actual kilometers managed, wildfire risk, and the integration of vegetation management into project delivery models.

n plans (pre- and post-storm), and other elements of the plan necessary to provide a fulsome evaluation. Request IR-28: With respect to Appendix G, Section 5.3 and Exhibit N-7, RIR-12 in M12012: 1. Is NS Power a member of Grid Assurance’s...

AI summary The text contains several regulatory requests directed at NS Power regarding its participation in spare transmission equipment programs, reliability performance from FLISR projects, and the review process for PDM documentation. These requests aim to evaluate NS Power's preparedness, transparency, and compliance with regulatory expectations.

System Security NSEB IR-116 Attachment 1 Partially Confidential CA IR-17 Partially Confidential CA IR-17 Attachment 1 Confidential CA IR-17 Attachment 2 Confidential NSEB IR 116 Attachment 1 includes a distribution diagram which is confide...

AI summary The document discusses the confidentiality of system security-related attachments, including distribution diagrams, key connections, and transmission switches, due to concerns about preserving power system reliability and reducing external threats.

1690 Hollis Street, Joseph Howe Building, 11th Floor, PO Box 2664, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 3P7 April 15, 2026 Nova Scotia Energy Board 3rd Floor, Summit Place 1601 Lower Water Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3P6 RE: Interim Guidan...

AI summary The Minister of Nova Scotia emphasizes that the IESO must lead competitive procurements for new transmission and electricity system resources, ensuring bulk system adequacy, reliability, and cost-effective solutions for ratepayers.

CONTINUED DATE UND# DESCRIPTION REQUESTED OF FOR DUE DATE was in 2025, what's carrying forward to 2026, and the total spend for 2026 April 21, 2026 U-6 To provide examples of projects where the proposed new definition for a scope change wo...

AI summary The document contains a table with several requests directed to NSPI and its Board Counsel, including inquiries about project scope changes, reliability metrics, load growth forecasts, transformer outages, and inspection reports for specific projects. The requests are part of an ongoing regulatory proceeding and are due by May 6, 2026.

s based on anecdotal information as opposed to verifiable tracking. Continued use of this estimate certainly poses some difficulty in assessing whether the reliability plan investments are worthwhile. With respect to reliability-related pr...

AI summary The Consumer Advocate suggests that NS Power should provide a fuller inventory of spare parts to assess the cost-effectiveness of spare inventory pooling, despite NS Power's claim that it has already evaluated and rejected such arrangements. The Consumer Advocate argues that market conditions may have changed since 2024 and that this information could help assess the cost-effectiveness of pooling programs.

BEFORE THE NOVA SCOTIA ENERGY BOARD IN THE MATTER OF The Public Utilities Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c.380 as amended - and - IN THE MATTER OF an Application by Nova Scotia Power Incorporated for approval of its 2026 ANNUAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE (A...

AI summary The Small Business Advocate (SBA) provides closing submissions regarding Nova Scotia Power Incorporated's 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, emphasizing the need for investments in resiliency and reliability while considering the impact on ratepayers. The SBA highlights the importance of vegetation management and its increasing cost.

- are a main cause of outages, both as standalone events and under the cause code of 'adverse - weather', and that vegetation management is the best way to address this issue. - 3 In the hearing, Charlene MacMullin (Ms. MacMullin), on beha...

AI summary The document discusses the relationship between vegetation management and power outages, with NS Power clarifying how its data on tree contacts and outages is interpreted. The SBA argues that NS Power's system should be resilient to storms less severe than Major Event Days (MEDs).

B. Asset Growth vs. Declining Generation & Stagnant Capacity The most significant concern regarding NS Power's long-term capital strategy is the apparent divergence between growth in the utility's asset base and the underlying evolution of...

AI summary The document highlights a growing mismatch between NS Power's asset growth and declining generation capacity and stagnant energy sales. Key indicators show a significant drop in internal generation contribution and capacity utilization, while total assets have grown steadily. This raises concerns about whether ratepayers are receiving value for these investments and suggests the need for better alignment between capital expenditures and actual system needs.

13 Reliability Investment vs. Performance Achievements NSPI has consistently identified system reliability as a key driver supporting significant capital investment requirements, including forecast expenditures of approximately $1.3 billio...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) has invested heavily in grid reliability, yet has not consistently met performance targets. The document highlights a 'Reliability Gap' where capital expenditures have not directly translated into improved system performance, suggesting a need for better performance monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Capital Escalation Trends Across the Portfolio - The evidence demonstrates that material project escalation is not limited to isolated projects or - unique operational circumstances but instead reflects a broader and recurring pattern acro...

AI summary The analysis highlights systemic capital project cost escalations across Nova Scotia Power's portfolio, exceeding normal inflation and supply-chain impacts. These increases are attributed to expanded project scopes, evolving definitions, and immature cost estimates, raising prudence concerns about governance, cost estimation, and the value of incremental spending.

Portfolio-Wide Findings - A review covering indicative projects with escalation levels of 50% or greater relative to prior approved or historical project values reveals several recurring themes: - Systemic Escalation: Cost growth is system...

AI summary A review of projects with cost escalations of 50% or more reveals systemic cost growth across Distribution, Generation, Transmission, Hydro, and General Plant portfolios. Projects show divergence from baseline cost drivers and have evolved into broader resiliency and modernization programs. Software and technology initiatives, along with large capital projects, require closer scrutiny.

Distribution The Distribution portfolio demonstrates some of the most significant cumulative escalation levels within the reviewed sample. Of particular concern is the extent to which routine and recurring - programs have expanded into ver...

AI summary The Distribution portfolio shows significant capital expenditure increases without clear justification related to customer growth or reliability outcomes. Items such as Provincial Distribution ROW and New Customers Residential Routine have seen massive escalations, raising concerns about prudence, forecasting assumptions, and the classification of expenses as capital versus operating costs.

Conclusion & Requested Board Actions - At a time when affordability pressures facing Nova Scotian households remain significant, the Board's oversight role becomes increasingly important. The Department therefore respectfully submits that...

AI summary The Department requests the Board to implement structural measures for the 2026 ACE Plan, including capping the ACE envelope, auditing the Fixed Asset Register, enforcing reliability performance accountability, and applying prudence reviews. These actions aim to ensure affordability, prudence, and alignment with public interest.

Delivered by E-mail Crystal Henwood Regulatory Affairs Officer/Clerk Nova Scotia Energy Board 3rd Floor, 1601 Lower Water Street PO Box 1692, Unit "M" Halifax NS B3J 3S3 Dear Ms. Henwood: Re: M12619 – NSPI – 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure...

AI summary The Industrial Group has submitted closing comments on NSPI's 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, expressing concerns about the increasing capital spending and the need for greater transparency and regulatory oversight. They highlight the need for updated reliability plans, improvements to capital expenditure justification criteria, and enhanced reporting on routine capital spending.

by Mr. MacIntosh in response to questions from Board Member Murphy during the GRA proceeding, Matter M12451, NSPI will manage the capital expenditure program to match the GRA forecast.[64](#page-16-0) Arising from that questioning, NSPI re...

AI summary The text discusses NSPI's capital expenditure variances, highlighting underspending in 2023 and overspending in 2024, as well as spending outside the ACE Plan. It criticizes the lack of affordability or necessity scrutiny in the ACE and GRA proceedings and calls for a quantitative assessment of the Reliability Plan's impact on rates and affordability.

The Risk of Duplication and Misalignment If IESO-NS is now leading, or expected to lead, system planning through the IRP process, capital planning decisions should logically depend on those system planning outcomes. Without consultation or...

AI summary The text highlights concerns about duplication and misalignment in capital planning between NSPI and IESO-NS, especially regarding the 2026 ACE Plan and the Synchronous Condensers project. It emphasizes the need for coordination and integrated planning to avoid unnecessary costs and ensure alignment with updated IRP outcomes.

- Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NS Power, Company) seeks approval from the Nova Scotia - Energy Board (NSEB, Board) of the Company's 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan - filed with the Board on December 12, 2025 pursuant to secti...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NS Power) is seeking approval from the Nova Scotia Energy Board (NSEB) for its 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, which includes investments of $284 million to improve grid reliability and reduce outages through vegetation management, infrastructure upgrades, and storm hardening.

CE Plan Hearing Transcript, April 22, 2026, page 434 (PDF page 82 of 254). Exhibit N-6, NSPI (NSEB) RIR-134. Exhibit N-6, NSPI (NSEB) RIR-134. - NS Power recognizes that the cost per kilometre increased in 2024 and 2025 and continues to wo...

AI summary NS Power acknowledges increased costs per kilometre in 2024 and 2025, attributing some of the rise to wildfire risk mitigation measures. The company is working with contractors to manage costs and improve efficiency. The effectiveness and timing of the New Distribution ROW program are emphasized, as delays could impact outage reduction and reliability targets.

4.0 REPORTING ON TREE CONTACTS NS Power's 2026 ACE Plan and Appendix G note that up to 40% of outage events coded as "Adverse Weather" in NS Power's outage management system are estimated to be attributable to tree contacts. Several points...

AI summary NS Power estimates that 40% of outages coded as 'Adverse Weather' are actually due to tree contacts. This estimate is based on operational experience and the understanding that tree contacts often occur during heavy snow, ice, or wind and are later misclassified as Adverse Weather when no visible evidence remains.

5.0 EFFECTIVENESS OF RELIABILITY INVESTMENTS Consistent with the 2026 ACE Plan proceeding, it is important to emphasize that NS Power's reliability investments are effective and are delivering measurable reliability improvements for custom...

AI summary NS Power emphasizes the effectiveness of its reliability investments, citing measurable improvements in reliability metrics and the use of a robust evaluation framework. The Company highlights the importance of using both lagging and leading indicators to assess performance and manage risks proactively. It also notes the potential for changes to performance standards and how the Five-Year Reliability Plan may need to be adjusted accordingly.

tes - The IG submits that there is a need for a more robust annual update of the Five-Year-Reliability - Plan on the basis that there have been no changes to the investment amount, criteria, scope, reliability metrics, or the 2029 targets....

AI summary The Intervenor Group (IG) argues that the Five-Year Reliability Plan requires more frequent updates due to unchanged investment criteria and reliability metrics. NS Power counters that the lack of changes reflects the Plan's stability and long-term strategy, with no material revisions needed at this early stage. NS Power also highlights that the Plan is under review by Synapse, and that reliability improvements are measured through indices like SAIDI and SAIFI.

2.1.1 Actual 2025 Spend The IG points to Undertaking U-5 and submits that there is a contradiction to the claim that NS Power invested $206 million in Year 1, as actual expenditures were approximately $179.4 million, about $26.6 million be...

AI summary The Intervenor Group (IG) challenges NS Power's claim that $206 million was invested in 2025, citing actual expenditures of $179.4 million. NS Power explains the discrepancy by pointing to project delays, unplanned work, and regulatory changes, arguing that adjustments are normal and necessary for effective asset management and reliability planning.

Transcript, page 95. 1 3.5 Reliability-Related Projects 2 3 The CA raises concerns regarding vegetation management effectiveness, tree contact metrics, and 4 the use of estimated attribution factors for adverse weather. It also supports fu...

AI summary The CA raises concerns about the effectiveness of vegetation management and the use of estimated attribution factors for adverse weather. NS Power maintains that the ongoing third-party review is the appropriate forum for assessing these issues. The CA also recommends examining NS Power's spare equipment strategy and pooling arrangements, while NS Power asserts its current risk-based strategy is appropriate and cost-effective.

4.0 REPLY TO SBA SUBMISSIONS The SBA submits that, despite increasing vegetation management spending, tree contacts remain a significant and, in some cases, growing contributor to outages, with the evidence not clearly demonstrating sustai...

AI summary The SBA argues that increased vegetation management spending has not clearly improved reliability outcomes, with tree contacts remaining a significant cause of outages. NS Power responds that vegetation management is an ongoing effort and that improvements in reliability metrics have been observed. The SBA's concerns are being addressed through a third-party review of the Five-Year Reliability Plan.

5.1 Capital Spending Growth DOE submits that capital spending has increased from historical levels, representing a dramatic acceleration that exceeds inflation and economic growth. This is presented as evidence of excessive "asset loading....

AI summary The DOE argues that Nova Scotia Power's capital spending has increased dramatically, exceeding inflation and economic growth, and raises concerns about ratepayer capacity to absorb this spending. NS Power counters that this growth is due to system transformation, aging infrastructure, and decarbonization requirements, and emphasizes that capital investment is driven by operational needs rather than economic indicators.

5.4 Reliability Spending and Improvements in Reliability - The Department argues that reliability performance has not improved in proportion to capital - spending and therefore questions the effectiveness of reliability investments. In NS...

AI summary The Department of Energy argues that reliability performance has not improved proportionally with capital spending, questioning the effectiveness of reliability investments. NS Power counters that factors beyond utility investment, such as severe weather and aging infrastructure, impact reliability. The Company emphasizes that reliability investments are preventative and that the existing Performance Standards framework already ensures accountability for reliability outcomes.

- [1] Each year, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated files an Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan outlining its proposed capital expenditures for the upcoming year. In accordance with ss. 35, 35A and 35AA of the Public Utilities Act, RSNS 198...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power Incorporated submitted its 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan for approval, seeking authorization for projects totaling $76.7 million and routine expenditures of $207.3 million. The Board approved the plan, except for the RTU Deployment project, which was deferred pending the final report from Synapse Energy Economics Consultants in Matter M12558. The Board also addressed several general issues related to capital spending and project approvals.

2.2.4 C0080111 – 2026 RTU Deployment [28] This project will install 21 new Remote Terminal Units (RTU) in substations throughout Nova Scotia over the next three to four years. The RTU and telecom will be installed at substations that curre...

AI summary This section discusses the 2026 RTU Deployment project by NS Power, which involves installing 21 new Remote Terminal Units (RTU) in Nova Scotia substations to improve grid visibility and emergency response times. The project supports the Advanced Grid Modernization program and aims to enhance grid resilience and reliability by enabling faster fault detection and outage resolution.

2.2.4.1 Findings [32] As noted by NS Power, this project will add remote monitoring (i.e. visibility) and control (i.e. SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) for the system operator for the sites where new RTU are installed. NS...

AI summary The NSEB acknowledges the benefits of installing RTUs for remote monitoring and control but is concerned about the lack of quantified benefits for the project, which serves only 3.6% of customers. The Board also notes that RTUs are not the primary fault-clearing system and has decided not to approve the project until the Five-Year Reliability Plan is reviewed and benefits are quantified.

2.3.6.1 Findings [76] The Board accepts NS Power's position. The evidence does not establish that its existing spare equipment strategy is unreasonable, ineffective or that participation in an existing pooling arrangement would produce low...

AI summary The Board accepts NS Power's position that its existing spare equipment strategy is reasonable and effective, and that participation in a pooling arrangement would not necessarily lower costs without adversely affecting reliability.

4.0 FIVE-YEAR RELIABILITY PLAN [120] In response to ongoing concerns and Board directives in the 2024 ACE Plan Decision, NS Power submitted a Five-Year Reliability Plan as Exhibit N-3 in the 2025 ACE Plan . In this Plan, the Company outlin...

AI summary NS Power submitted a Five-Year Reliability Plan, targeting a 20% reduction in SAIDI and achieving SAIFI targets by 2029. The Board directed annual updates on the plan's progress and requested new metrics and a third-party review. The plan focuses on transmission and distribution system investments.

Vegetation Management and Tree Trimming [123] The Plan has a focus on expanding tree-trimming programs along power lines to reduce outages and clearing transmission and distribution corridors to enhance reliability.

AI summary The Plan emphasizes expanding tree-trimming programs along power lines to reduce outages and clearing transmission and distribution corridors to enhance reliability.

4.1 Findings [150] The Board agrees that vegetation management, system hardening and grid modernization are recognized tools for reliability improvements. It is on this basis, and an assessment of the individual merits of each project subm...

AI summary The Board has substantially approved the Five-Year Reliability Plan projects in the 2026 ACE Plan but expresses concerns about the value for ratepayers from significant vegetation management spending and the lack of measurable improvements in reliability despite increased expenditures. The Board emphasizes the need for a clearer connection between spending and improved reliability outcomes.

4.2.1 New Reliability Metrics [155] As directed in paragraph 208 of the 2025 ACE Plan Decision, the Board asked NS Power to provide an update on its evaluation of potential new reliability and resiliency metrics in the 2026 ACE Plan. NS Po...

AI summary The Board requested an update from NS Power on new reliability and resiliency metrics for the 2026 ACE Plan. NS Power provided progress on collaboration with CEATI, including a Grid Resiliency Workshop and updates on the Resiliency Index Framework and Roadmap. CEATI has not finalized the Terms of Reference for the Grid Resiliency Working Group but continues to incorporate member feedback.

tepayers. One would expect any private non-utility proponents who contract with the IESO Nova Scotia for energy generation, or ancillary services, to have a rate of return factored into their pricing. [168] None of the foregoing examples h...

AI summary The text discusses concerns raised by the DOE regarding the expansion of NS Power's capital program without a corresponding increase in electrical system capacity and reliability. It also touches on the integration of renewable energy and the need for improved asset management.

cilitate a competitive electricity market, coordinate system planning, and, section (m) conduct procurements for electricity supply, capacity, storage ancillary services and hybrid resources. The Minister's position is that all new system...

AI summary The Minister of Energy emphasizes the importance of competitive procurement by the IESO for new system needs, including electricity supply, capacity, storage, and ancillary services, to ensure best value for ratepayers and align with the IESO's statutory responsibilities.

I N D E X O F P R O C E E D I N G S April 21, 2026 PAGE NO. 5 Department of Energy, Government of Nova Scotia, or the 6 Department, for the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure Plan, 7 or the ACE Plan, hearing. 8 The ACE Plan is intended to pro...

AI summary The document discusses the 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan hearing, where Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI) asserts its commitment to providing safe and reliable electric service. The Department of Energy highlights public mistrust and concerns over the cost-effectiveness of NSPI's capital investments. The More Access to Energy Act, which established the Independent Energy System Operator (IESO) NS, is also mentioned.

NS POWER PANEL 37 In-ch, (Power) 1 All told, I have 26 years of 2 transmission and distribution experience in the electric 3 utilities sector. 4 I am a Professional Engineer, 5 registered in the Province of Nova Scotia. I hold a 6 Bachelor...

AI summary The witness, Ms. Peachey, is a System Planning Specialist with Nova Scotia Power, providing planning support following the transition of planning functions to the IESO NS. She has over eight years of experience with Nova Scotia Power, including roles in capital projects and system planning.

NS POWER PANEL 43 In-ch, (Power) 1 integrity programs. Since then, I've held several roles 9 our proposed capital spending totals $702 million, 10 slightly higher than the 692 million in 2025. Within that 11 total, we are seeking approval...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power is proposing a capital spending plan of $702 million, focusing on improving grid reliability, safety, and environmental compliance. Investments include vegetation management, infrastructure upgrades, and storm hardening, with increased annual tree trimming budgets. A third-party review of the Reliability Plan is underway.

OPENING STATEMENT 51 NOVA SCOTIA POWER 1 periods of high demand, such as the extreme cold snap Nova 12 service and carrying out complex infrastructure projects 13 safely and efficiently. 14 And finally, I want to highlight the 15 importanc...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power presents its 2026 Annual Capital Expenditure (ACE) Plan, emphasizing investments in infrastructure to ensure reliability and affordability while aligning with the province's 2030 climate goals. The plan includes risk-based strategies to maintain aging assets and integrate new resources.

close of the RFP? MR. PICKLES: Certainly. So we're about six months into this, at this point, so it would have started late in the year last year and, you know, there's I think there was three months for proposals to be received and there'...

AI summary The discussion touches on the progress of Nova Scotia Power's five-year Reliability Plan, specifically whether the commitments detailed in Year 1 have been completed as of the end of December 2025.

NS POWER PANEL 95 Cr-ex, (Murphy) 1 have the ability to properly mitigate those risks in your 6 something for me. I feel like we're just having a 7 conversation here, but maybe you or maybe somebody else. 8 MR. MURPHY: But Mr. Norwood, if...

AI summary The text discusses tree contacts as a significant cause of outages for Nova Scotia Power's customers since 2014, referencing figures and tables that show customer interruptions and hours of interruption under normal and severe weather conditions. The discussion includes clarification that the data includes adverse weather events.

NS POWER PANEL 101 Cr-ex, (Murphy) 1 that would go forward for our analysis. 2 We do often have weather data separate 3 from that that can be cause analyzed, and in our storm 4 reports that type of data is provided. 5 Q. Okay. And I guess...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the reliability metrics used by Nova Scotia Power, specifically the handling of tree contact outages caused by adverse weather. It explains how such outages are coded and the challenges in accurately attributing them to tree contact versus weather conditions.

NS POWER PANEL 117 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 any definition it's a snow storm, we have snow and ice, we 2 have drifting snow, but they because they don't meet 3 the definition of a major event, they are included under 4 regular business metrics. A...

AI summary The discussion clarifies that certain outages caused by snow and ice are not considered major events but are included in regular business metrics. It also addresses the causes of tree contacts, noting that they are often due to storms or wind, and references Exhibit N-7 and related documents concerning distribution routines and small business advocate responses.

NS POWER PANEL 121 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2025 year to date have been below the previous 5-year average, but still higher than historical averages 2013 and prior. As previously stated, NS Power SAIDI and SAIFI performance have sho...

AI summary The discussion addresses NS Power's SAIDI and SAIFI performance trends in 2025, noting that while performance has shown improvement compared to previous years, the increase in wind gusts over the last 10 years has significantly impacted the system, contributing to outages.

NS POWER PANEL 125 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 gets there, they don't see the tree any more, but there 16 Mr. Beaton and Ms. MacMullin so they're not looking behind 17 them. 18 MS. MacMULLIN: May I ask you to 19 repeat the question, just to make sur...

AI summary The text discusses the reasons for increased spending in D055 in 2025, primarily due to reliability projects in Glace Bay, including rebuilding efforts driven by conditions and outages. The 2025 forecast is noted as lower than expected.

NS POWER PANEL 135 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 Q. And just so I'm clear, while you 2 mentioned that the I think it was the AMI isn't 3 configured to do it, but that you could pull that 4 information we're talking about from those devices down 5 the...

AI summary The discussion revolves around the configuration of AMI devices and their ability to retrieve specific information. It also addresses the preference for momentary outages over sustained outages, with a focus on customer impact and the lack of specific polling data on customer preferences.

NS POWER PANEL 137 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 the sustained outage. 2 So it is strategy that protection 3 engineers would look at, and it has been the one that we 4 have felt has the best benefits for customers. So overall 5 impact to customers is...

AI summary The discussion focuses on NSP's strategy for managing outages, emphasizing a preference for momentary outages over sustained ones to minimize customer impact. The conversation also touches on the integration of grid modification investments and data systems to improve outage management and reliability.

NS POWER PANEL 139 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 momentary versus the impact of a sustained, we'll have 2 more control over that. And so that would be an outcome 3 of having increased grid modernization integration on the 4 system. 5 Thanks. If we scr...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the Average Service Availability Index (ASAI) and its potential use in measuring service availability. Nova Scotia Power acknowledges the ability to calculate ASAI but argues that it does not provide additional insights beyond existing metrics like SAIDI and CKAIDI.

NS POWER PANEL 145 Cr-ex, (Powell) far out that we should just leave it? A. (MacIntosh) Our expectation is that it would not be in the position to be filed as part of this proceeding, but we would take the position that we could file it in...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the Vegetation Management Program and the increase in tree-related outages in 2025, attributing it to the short-term impact of tree removal work, which exposes new edges and leads to a temporary rise in outages due to tree growth patterns.

NS POWER PANEL 151 Cr-ex, (Powell) 1 Q. Thank you for that clarification. 2 That's helpful. 3 If we stay in the IRs, 4 THE CHAIR: Can we just stay there for 5 one second? And I'm not benefitting from the whole table 6 here, but the percent...

AI summary The discussion centers on analyzing outage data and its interpretation, particularly the importance of considering both the number of outages and their percentage within the context of overall feeders. The conversation also addresses the breakdown of a 26% cost increase, attributing it to contractor operating costs and other factors like extra widening.

NS POWER PANEL 157 Cr-ex, (Powell) sort of updated versions now all the data is in. And when I look at those two, I see that it appears on Figure 67 the trajectory is still downward, but less so. But in Figure 68, it looks like it's now in...

AI summary The discussion centers on outage data analysis, highlighting a reduction in outages due to trees and the impact of removing major and extreme events from the data. The speaker emphasizes the importance of interpreting the data in the context of system performance improvements.

- break, probably. 1 Regardless, Mr. Pickles, as it relates 2 to the synchronous condensers and the RFP negotiations and 3 whatnot, is there any provisions in those RFP documents 4 for recovery of cost or penalties, perhaps, if the RFP is...

AI summary The discussion centers on the recovery of costs and penalties related to RFP negotiations for synchronous condensers, with the respondent indicating no penalties or costs would be incurred. The conversation then shifts to the Reliability Plan, focusing on improving reliability metrics such as SAIDI and SAIFI by 2029.

NS POWER PANEL 197 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 A. (MacMullin) So if we were to take 2 a look at, I believe, Figures 3 and 4 in Appendix G. 3 MS. MacMULLIN: Perhaps, Mr. Norwood, 4 if you don't mind pulling that up, just so that we're all 5 lookin...

AI summary The discussion focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of the Five-Year Reliability Plan through performance indicators such as reductions in tree-related and defective equipment-related outages, and improvements in SAIDI metrics. The plan is aligned with the Asset Management Strategy and aims to reduce outage duration and frequency.

NS POWER PANEL 199 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 Q. Thanks. I'm not sure that 2 specifically answered my question. I was asking if there 3 was a formalized process or document that would indicate 4 what your process is at the year end. I understand...

AI summary The discussion focuses on NSP's reliability plan, specifically the Five-Year Reliability Plan aiming to reduce outage duration by 20% by 2029. The witness explains that the plan emphasizes steady improvement year over year, acknowledging external factors like weather that affect performance.

NS POWER PANEL 203 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 this question." 13 investment amounts have changed from the 2025 Plan." 14 And then if you don't mind scrolling 15 down to the answer. 16 BY MS. RUDDERHAM: 17 The answer is: Q. 18 19 20 No new inform...

AI summary The discussion revolves around NS Power's 5-Year Reliability Plan, specifically whether changes in investment levels for Year 2 have occurred based on new information or changes in 2025. NS Power states there have been no changes, and investment levels remain the same as originally filed. Decisions on investment are based on asset data, criticality, and performance, rather than a defined threshold.

NS POWER PANEL 211 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 Q. And then the second one or the 2 third one down is the Suzy Lake Substation addition. See 3 that there? 4 (MacMullin) Yes. A. 5 Q. And then the next one down is the 6 Stellarton Substation; correc...

AI summary The text discusses a proceeding related to NS Power's substation projects, including the Suzy Lake Substation addition, Stellarton Substation, and the new Bridgewater Substation, with references to budget figures and their inclusion in the Reliability Plan.

NS POWER PANEL 225 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 BY MS. RUDDERHAM: 15 So that's Matter No. M12784, and 16 that's Exhibit N-1. There it is there. It's the 2025 17 Annual Performance Standards Report. And I'm looking 18 specifically to start at page...

AI summary The text discusses the 2025 Annual Performance Standards Report, highlighting NS Power's investment of $206 million in the Reliability Plan, which resulted in a 19% reduction in outages. The discussion also touches on performance standards for SAIFI (System Average Interruption Frequency Index) and the goal to meet a SAIFI target of 2.05 by 2029.

NS POWER PANEL 231 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 it's not about maintaining, it's also about getting the 2 best number possible? Am I correct on that? 3 (MacMullin) The goal of the plan A. 4 is to continue to see reductions in the overall in the 5...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the effectiveness of a reliability plan by NSP, emphasizing reductions in outage duration and frequency. The SAIDI figure for 2025 is mentioned, and the plan's goal is to achieve a 20% reduction in outages over five years, with progress measured annually.

NS POWER PANEL 233 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 think about the exposure of that many kilometres of line 2 to things such as wind, snow, ice, trees, motor vehicle, 3 all of it, that we understand that there is variability in 4 any given year to ho...

AI summary The discussion focuses on NSP's investment plan to reduce outage duration and frequency, considering system variability and environmental factors. The question raised challenges the need for increased investment in Year 2, given the results from Year 1 and the context of system performance.

NS POWER PANEL 237 Cr-ex, (Rudderham) 1 doing the plan, showing numbers that we think would be 13 pace of execution that delivers acknowledgeable, 14 deliverable improvements over time really focused on 15 sustained level of performance. 1...

AI summary The discussion revolves around NSPI's plan to achieve reliability metrics as directed by the Board, with emphasis on delivering sustained performance improvements through a multi-year strategy. There is clarification that achieving these metrics involves significant but planned costs over the next four years.

NS POWER PANEL 293 Cr-ex, (Mahody) 1 Q. And then in the 2025 ACE Plan, 13 to the issue of metrics themselves. And Ms. MacMullin, 14 are these questions for you? 15 (MacMullin) Likely, with A. 16 potentially my colleague, Mr. MacIntosh. 17...

AI summary The document discusses Nova Scotia Power's efforts to develop a metric or suite of metrics to evaluate the success of reliability-based projects, noting that such a metric is not currently in use in the utility sector. The Board has encouraged this development, and the discussion involves Ms. MacMullin and Mr. MacIntosh.

NS POWER PANEL 297 Cr-ex, (Mahody) 1 improvement in reliability. Surely there must be some 2 measure that reasonably sophisticated electric utilities 3 use to measure the metric that they would utilize; isn't 4 that the case? 5 A. (MacMull...

AI summary The discussion centers on the use of industry-standard reliability metrics such as SAIDI, SAIFI, CKADI, and CKAFI by Nova Scotia Power. The speaker emphasizes that these metrics are widely accepted and used across North America. The importance of understanding the limitations of these metrics is highlighted, as well as the localized impact of individual projects on reliability.

NS POWER PANEL 301 Cr-ex, (Mahody) 1 metrics that you're trying to look at the overall risk of 2 that asset. And that looks at your condition of your 3 assets, as well as what you think it's going to do in 4 terms of performance. There are...

AI summary The discussion centers on the evaluation of asset risk using a suite of metrics, including both leading and lagging indicators, to prioritize investments and demonstrate reliability benefits. The focus is on how specific projects, such as conductor upgrades and line relocations, reduce risk and improve performance over time.

NS POWER PANEL 319 Cr-ex, (Mahody) 1 this project. And the question I wanted to focus in on is 2 BY MR. MAHODY: 3 Witness panel, I'm headed to the Q. 4 Pennsylvania breaker issue. 5 If we could call up N-1, page 402, 6 please. 7 And so you...

AI summary The text references a regulatory proceeding involving Nova Scotia Power, focusing on the Pennsylvania breaker issue and the determination of risk levels associated with circuit breakers. It includes references to specific pages and Board IR-126.

NS POWER PANEL 341 Cr-ex, (Mahody) widening work on 30 percent of our transmission system isn't indicative of lack of completion. It's more an indication of a large chunk of our transmission system is not in need of widening and the curren...

AI summary The discussion revolves around Nova Scotia Power's transmission line widening program and its impact on reducing tree contact incidents, particularly during major weather events like Hurricane Dorian and Fiona. The witness explains that while statistical improvements are limited due to low baseline tree contact numbers, the program showed value during these events by reducing incidents in widened areas.

NS POWER PANEL 451 Questions, (Murphy) of what we were seeing in terms of tree contacts outages due to trees, but it was in a much more severe operating condition. And I think, you know, that, again, when you're evaluating this, it's reall...

AI summary Member Murphy questions the improvement in Nova Scotia Power's performance despite different operating conditions, emphasizing the expectation of improvement under normal weather conditions, referencing a table on customer interruptions and hours of interruption.

NS POWER PANEL 455 Questions, (Murphy) 1 (Beaton) Just for a point of A. 10 then make decisions based on what they're seeing. 11 THE CHAIR: Okay. Thank you. 12 Thank you, Mr. Chair. MEMBER MURPHY: 13 BY MEMBER MURPHY: 14 Okay. I'm going to...

AI summary The text includes questions from Member Murphy during a regulatory proceeding regarding the Tusket 1 Overhaul Project and the Five-Year Reliability Plan, focusing on project requirements and reliability data. Key topics include project necessity and reliability planning.

NS POWER PANEL 467 Questions, (Murphy) 1 where we experienced two large hurricanes. So when we 2 have catastrophic events that hit the system like 3 Hurricane like Hurricane Fiona, we have hangover 4 impacts. So it absolutely in the months...

AI summary The text discusses the impact of catastrophic events like Hurricane Fiona on infrastructure, emphasizing the long-term effects on tree conditions and the need for investments to counteract these effects. The discussion also touches on the evaluation of investments under varying operating conditions.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING INC. CERTIFIED COURT REPORTERS 1 guessing here, but if I took '22 and '23 out, the trend 2 still might be going the wrong way. 3 A. (MacMullin) So again, when we 4 look at real performance of the system, we have see...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the performance of the system in terms of outage reduction, with a mention of performance standards data and the need to verify whether the data includes major/extreme events. The speaker acknowledges a 19 percent year-over-year reduction in outages.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING INC. CERTIFIED COURT REPORTERS 1 would be at risk of damage due to wind. And so we're 2 going after those. 3 And those are the types of things that 4 we that are now starting to reap that benefit. 5 Q. Perhaps when...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the improvement in performance from 2024 to 2025, specifically regarding customer hours of interruption, and acknowledges a long-term investment of $126 million. The speaker notes that while there was improvement in the short term, the graph does not reflect long-term benefits.

NS POWER PANEL 475 Questions, (Murphy) 1 MEMBER MURPHY: Rob, can you to N-1, 2 page PDF page 709? Right at the bottom. 3 Maybe scroll up so we can see the top 4 of the next page, too. 5 BY MEMBER MURPHY: 6 [11:40:04] Okay. It says I'll rea...

AI summary Member Murphy is discussing system performance improvements, highlighting a 53% reduction in customer interruptions and a 29% reduction in customer hours of interruption due to device failure in 2025 compared to 2023. He references data from PDF pages 709 and 715, as well as IR-7 Exhibit N-7 on page 40.

NS POWER PANEL 483 Questions, (Murphy) 1 outages and customer hours interruption, at least under 2 those years without MEDs and EEDs. So, you know, to 3 measure effectiveness just by changing condition rating, 4 at least in my opinion, doe...

AI summary The discussion focuses on the limitations of using condition ratings alone to measure the effectiveness of vegetation management on power lines, emphasizing the need to also consider the consequences of vegetation risks and their criticality to determine overall risk.

1 what's the best reliability cost efficiency to deal with 2 that risk? And that's where we look at mitigation 3 measures to determine what's most cost-effective for our 4 customers. 5 So I agree with your point that 6 condition alone woul...

AI summary The discussion focuses on determining the most cost-effective reliability measures to mitigate risk, considering customer impact and outage analysis. Criticality ratings for assets are used to assess potential customer interruptions and their impact.

1 little bit yesterday. Nova Scotia Power's target for 2 SAIDI for its Five-Year Reliability Plan is 2.05; is that 3 correct? Or SAIFI sorry is 2.05? 4 A. (MacMullin) That's correct. 5 Q. And that's a target for 2029; 6 correct? 7 A. (MacM...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power has a target SAIDI of 2.05 for its Five-Year Reliability Plan, aiming to meet this standard by 2029. The company has already exceeded this target in 2024 and 2025, with SAIDI values of 1.97 and 1.57, respectively. The discussion raises the question of whether the target should be adjusted given these results.

NS POWER PANEL 487 Questions, (Murphy) 1 things. Again, so as you mentioned, the performance 2 standards do have an inherent ratcheting baked into them, 3 so they're as the performance of the system improves 4 the target would move with it...

AI summary The discussion centers on performance standards with inherent ratcheting, SAIDI and SAIFI metrics, and the need for continued investment to reduce both duration and frequency of outages. Reference is made to a target for SAIDI reduction by 2029, with incremental improvements each year.

NS POWER PANEL 489 Questions, (Murphy) 1 but we won't I don't think we'll quibble over the 2 difference there. 3 So your target is 4.08 by 2029. The 4 current standard is 4.29. The performance standard is 5 4.29. So when you look at those...

AI summary The discussion centers on Nova Scotia Power's target for reducing SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) by 12.6 minutes by 2029, with a focus on the justification for spending $97 million on infrastructure improvements. The plan aims for an overall hour reduction in SAIDI by 2029 and includes monitoring and potential revisions based on system performance.

NS POWER PANEL 491 Questions, (Murphy) 1 that I feel is going to get us there within that, 2 absolutely looking at in terms of the real actual 3 result response of the system to those investments and 4 what are we actually getting, in term...

AI summary The discussion focuses on Nova Scotia Power's SAIDI performance and the effectiveness of investments in grid improvements, including right-of-way widening and vegetation management. Concerns are raised about whether these expenditures are delivering the expected improvements in system reliability.

NS POWER PANEL 493 Questions, (Murphy) 1 that have demonstrated that, in terms of the condition 2 that's being reported so we're using satellite imagery 3 to have even more accurate indications of the of where 4 the trees are in proximity...

AI summary The discussion addresses the use of satellite imagery to improve accuracy in identifying tree proximity to power lines, the evaluation of outage performance using both lagging and leading indicators, and the impact of external factors outside the right-of-way on power line maintenance. Efforts are being made to improve system performance despite increasing wind conditions.

NS POWER PANEL 495 Questions, (Murphy) 1 clear more trees away from the line, that is going to 2 build year upon year, and we will see those improvements 3 and 4 Q. Okay. Thank you. 5 One last question on this topic. You 6 recognize that t...

AI summary The discussion centers on the potential adjustment of reliability targets in the Five-Year Reliability Plan if new performance standards are established. If targets are lowered, such as for SAIDI, the plan would be updated to reflect these changes, potentially requiring increased spending on grid modernization and storm hardening initiatives.

NS POWER PANEL 513 Questions, (Chair) 1 know, perhaps the perhaps the coastal nature or what 2 have you, or the winds, you know, maybe that would be an 3 opportunity to move to a clamp-top insulator, that tie 4 wraps aren't the right choic...

AI summary The discussion revolves around the evaluation of historical performance and spending on a feeder line to inform future reliability and maintenance priorities. Historical data on outages, safety, and condition are considered, along with the planned and reactive portions of routine maintenance work.

NS POWER PANEL 521 Questions, (Chair) 1 that are reflected in this routine. It's also there is 2 also variability in terms of the costs associated with 3 certain types of work. So not every pole replacement, not 4 every replacement of a of...

AI summary The discussion highlights variability in costs for infrastructure work due to factors like overtime and location, and emphasizes the focus on reliability improvements through targeted programs and dedicated teams.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING INC. CERTIFIED COURT REPORTERS 1 of the standards, and the NSEB will be able to make the 2 final decision on this after this feedback is received. 3 So there is a review that's, I guess 4 has it started yet? I'm not...

AI summary The discussion revolves around the ongoing review of reliability standards and the Five-Year Reliability Plan by Synapse, with no indication of relaxing standards. The review process is ongoing and is expected to be completed by September.

NS POWER PANEL 545 Questions, (Chair) 1 approve the 2026 ACE Plan, is that sort of a "No-regrets" 2 approval? In other words, would that amount be needed, in 3 any event, no matter what the review of the plan turns up? 4 And why, if that's...

AI summary The discussion centers on the approval of the 2026 ACE Plan, with emphasis on its foundational role in maintaining the safe, reliable, and effective operation of the power system. The plan includes investments in infrastructure such as tree cutting, pole replacement, and conductor upgrades, which are deemed necessary regardless of ongoing reviews by Synapse.

Cr-ex, (Kayter) INTERNATIONAL REPORTING INC. CERTIFIED COURT REPORTERS question. If I could move to the next question by referring you to PDF page 15 of Exhibit N-9. Number 5, Reliability Related Projects. The question is this. You've note...

AI summary The discussion centers on the accuracy of Nova Scotia Power's 40% estimate for tree contact outages during adverse weather, raising concerns about the effectiveness of investments in vegetation management and the ability to track improvements in reliability.

the vegetation management is very difficult for Nova Scotia Power to track and for the Board then to understand that the investment that it is supporting in this work is actually Cr-ex, (Kayter) to the benefit of Nova Scotia Power customer...

AI summary Nova Scotia Power faces challenges in tracking vegetation management efforts and demonstrating their impact on customer reliability during storms. A suggestion is made to develop a reliability indicator to better measure the benefits of these efforts, while acknowledging the limitations in fully understanding outage events.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING INC. CERTIFIED COURT REPORTERS demonstrated to have achieved cost minimization. That's why, in the last couple of years, we've been really focused on these distribution routines and transmission routines and the Rel...

AI summary The speaker acknowledges Nova Scotia Power's efforts in cost minimization, particularly in distribution and transmission routines, and the ongoing third-party Reliability Plan review. They suggest there are still areas for improvement in cost effectiveness and mention the Vegetation Management Program as an example.

1 know, we heard a lot about how much has been invested over 2 the past five to seven years, say, in that. And I share 3 the Board's concern that a lot of that has not proven to 4 be as effective as we hoped it would be. 5 I do think it's...

AI summary The speaker acknowledges investments made by Nova Scotia Power over the past five to seven years but expresses concern about their effectiveness. They note that recommendations from 2024 have been adopted to address tree contact issues and look forward to a third-party review of the Reliability Plan.

Cr-ex, (Kayter) 1 both practical and could be of benefit to Nova Scotia 2 Power in minimizing costs. 3 I think the other area where I've 4 heard testimony that helps sort of fill in some of the 5 dots has been on my recommendations 8 yeah,...

AI summary The text discusses the effectiveness of the Vegetation Management Program and related Reliability Plan programs, highlighting concerns raised by the Board. It also mentions that representatives from the team conducting the third-party review of the Five-Year Reliability Plan are monitoring the proceeding and taking note of points made by Board Members and other parties.