HALIFAX – A fee added to power bills in Nova Scotia to pay for efficiency programs would be removed next year under legislation introduced Monday by the provincial government.
Amendments to the Public Utilities Act would also give the Utility and Review Board regulatory oversight of efficiency programs to determine whether they are affordable and require Nova Scotia Power to cover the costs of efficiency programs.
Energy Minister Andrew Younger says electricity bills will go down beginning Jan. 1 as a result of the changes.
Although the energy efficiency fee would be removed, Nova Scotia Power would be allowed to spend up to $35 million to pay for efficiency programs in their first year and would be permitted to recover those costs from customers over eight years beginning Jan. 1, 2016.
Younger says Nova Scotia Power has also agreed to pay $37 million over the next 10 years to upgrade all low-income electrically heated homes in the province.
The Liberals were elected last year after campaigning to remove the energy efficiency fee, estimated to cost customers about $46 million annually.
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