Nova Scotia Power and Predictable Power Outages

Nova Scotia Power is the only "mainstream" power provider for about www.nspower.ca..." target="_blank" class="postlink">500,000 customers in Nova Scotia, a "have not" province. With no competition to speak of, NS Power has, over the years, raised its rates to about 15 cents per kilowatt hour. NS Power also charges residential customers $10.83 each month as a service charge, much like a bank.

NS Powers' parent company, Emera paid its CEO 4.7 million dollars last year.; NS Powers ' own President made 1.2 million. This comes straight off the backs of hard working, salt of the earth people who are sometimes too stupid to protest this. Since the PC government made the idiotic decision to privatise Nova Scotias one and only power company, it has made 2.5 billion dollars in profit. This is well and good for capitalism, if that's what you believe in, but it's horrible for our provinces economy. Imagine the stimulation that could have been enjoyed in NS's economy if the public was able to spend this money at small businesses, or invest it in education opportunities, etc.

This injustice of the private sector is not my true point here, though. I believe the true conspiracy lies in the blackouts NS has been experiencing since Hurricane Juan in 2003. Some Nova Scotians at the time had no power for up to a week. Faith in the power company being at an all time low, no one was surprised when different communities started experiencing several hour long power outages about once a month. This month and last month, down to the day, my small community, and about 21,000 other NS Power customers experienced a power outage of about 3 hours. The explanation given by the company representatives raged from " Power Interruption" to "I Don't Know". This has been happening intermittently for years, and rates keep going up and up. Profits keep going up and up.

NS Power also has a habit of overcharging its customers via power metres that keep spinning in outages, and with their payment plan that allows you to pay a flat rate based on how much power you used last year. People only recieve payment for these over-charges after mass protest. During these short power outages, NS power is still charging these customers who pay a flat rate a certain amount per day, regardless of any power outage that might be experienced.

In short, I believe Nova Scotia power is causing these power outages intentionally to scrounge what little they can while the power is off, because most customers will never think to protest about this. Nova Scotia Power takes advantage of customers who face $800 power bills in the winter months without using their flat rate per month billing option.

I don't know how many Nova Scotians are here on ATS, but if you're here, please bring this up with NS Power if it affects you. Nova Scotia Power should be brought back into the public sector and its record breaking profits being made off the back of our people should stop.

Another point that should be taken into consideration is Nova Scotia Powers plan to replace its linesmen and women with low paid foreign workers. They planned to pay these people minimum wage minus a barely legal fee for putting them up in housing owned by NS Power.

NS Power is a scum corporation, and it's conspiracy to steal money from Nova Scotians should be outed. Even if it's $3 worth of power during an outage, that adds up! It's YOUR MONEY and it's being paid in the millions to some guy who doesn't give a # about you when all the groceries you have go bad in the fridge during an outage, or if your elderly family members freeze during winter time black outs.

It's your money, so let's fight back. Demand they bury the lines. Demand they lower the rates. Demand it become public. Enough with this Canadian passiveness.

Five hundred thousand customers and one point two million salary for one person. That is almost two dollars and fifty cents a year per household just to pay for the smaller president. Then you look at profit margins and the costs of the parent companies execs as a percentage. That is a lot of money added to the bills of people for just a few execs.

Then these people probably have stock options and bennies too. corporate cars, travel expenses, etc...

We let them create this system of inequality. There is no way a public system would cost as much as a private under these circumstances unless the people were stupid enough to allow an employee of the power generation system make more than the head of the country. We have the same thing going on here, but we also have college football coaches making much more than our president and congressmen too.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Yep, it is sick what's going on. In Ontario they just announced that they will be selling off 40% of Ontario Hydro to make 4 million dollars. I almost wish they would increase the rates to keep it public because once it goes private the rates will increase more and more over the years. But I do seem to remember hearing long ago that this was the plan to ultimately privatize all these publicly owned assets which in turn will make rates sky rocket. I think you are correct about doing something about it. I will contact member of parlement next week and maybe write to our local news paper.

a reply to: Fireflysky

This is amazing. I'm going to do the same.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Great post. We need to point out to people how we continually get screwed in every facet of our lives.

Here at ATS, we often talk about the big things---but your post exemplifies that we're up against the small things, too, like the cost of food and utility bills. People don't realize that if we use our voices and our wallets, we can create change. We have to stop stooping over and accepting things as they are.

Come on folks! We need to start speaking up and demanding better lives!

On a side note, I come to Nova Scotia a lot as a tour director. I'll be there in July!

a reply to: MRuss


Thank you. It's the small things that make up every day of our lives.

I'm glad you get to enjoy Nova Scotia! I go to the "Boston States", as my grandfather would call them, few times a year. I'm a big lover of road trips and New England is beautiful in the fall. When I come back, I'm always ready for Halloween.

a reply to: Atsbhct

I totally feel your pain, NS power are horrible.....and I have been ripped off on more than a few occasions.

When you talk to them they just ask personal and stupid questions about your laundry habits.....

One time my meter failed...I tried to tell them a couple times...my bills were high...when it quit I just equally failed to notice it and viola pay back.

Oh and nice to see a fellow blue noser, hello from the Annapolis Valley!

This is what ATS IS ABOUT.Why I visit anyway.Power To The People. Right On...The way the power companies are set up is to drain the finances of the populace...each and everyone of us monthly. This is a great place to start and try to change the system .It has to be done ...They are making law against going off grid as the tech is becoming avalibale to do so.

a reply to: Treespeaker

Hello from Colchester County!

I agree, representatives from NS Power are never willing to discuss their mistakes, even blatant ones! Who doesn't know that running one less load of laundry a week, or line drying your clothes will save power! This makes me so angry.

I love when they offer "free services" like installing laundry lines, exchanging Christmas lights, or removing old appliances. They not only charge us in return for these "free" services, they make money, by selling the metals to recyclers and shipping the scrap overseas. It's such a racket.

a reply to: jkeyes

I would definitely suggest everyone go off grid if they can, in whatever ways they can!

.15 cents per KWH sounds hi to me, here in Tennessee I pay about .10 but I also have the monthly service charge.

There are a few thing you can do to keep the power company honest. Read you own meter each month as close to the same time as power company to check them, or install a meter of your own, see link below.

On the meter running during an outage, sorry that can't happen with a standard watt hour meter, you must have power on and current flow for the meter to turn. The meter could be out of calibration as you stated. If so you need another meter connected to test it ageist .

www.emon.com...

a reply to: Nickn3

I'm not saying the meter is running during power outages, what I am saying is that NS Power offers a flat rate payment each month, based on your previous years usage. People take advantage of this because, for some, it's hard to balance the budget when power bills can vary wildly from under $100 in the summer to over $800 in the winter. When power outages are experienced, NS Power give no pro-rated discount for times when no power is being used.

NS Power has shifted the cost of losing some bigger contracts onto the average joe.
I used to live there. A couple years ago after hiking up the power rates again (every year they're raising them). They payed out giant bonuses to their execs.

It's the only power company. So you pretty much have to pay them if you want to have power. Its stupid. It's the same here in newfoundland (granted our power is overall cheaper) but it's the same deal. Costs keep going up. Nova scotia is quickly turning into the worst place in canada. No jobs. Education sucks. More people are borderline poverty. It's like detroit.