Nova Scotia Power and Nova Scotia's debt

Since his government was first elected in 2021, Energy Minister/Premier Houston appears to have given little thought to the province's debt; however, he has taken decisions that have affected the operations of Nova Scotia Power:

Ÿ Fining Nova Scotia Power $10 million for not meeting its 40% renewables target, caused by delays in the completion of the Muskrat Falls project, something the company had no control over.

• Enacting Bill 212, stifling the company's ability to raise money, unnecessarily limiting the company's grid upgrading program and impacting its credit rating.

• Creating the province's Independent Energy Systems Operator (Bill 404), an expensive action that has taken over Nova Scotia Power's procurement responsibilities and ability to control grid operations. In doing so it has stopped the company from, for example, purchasing natural gas generators and additional grid-scale batteries that consequently may hinder the province's chances of reaching the 80% renewables target by 2030.

• Sending a letter (as Energy Minister, not Premier) to the Nova Scotia Energy Board, suggesting that Nova Scotia Power may be committing "regulatory fraud" and "a form of securities fraud" by overbilling some customers since the March cyber attack on the company.

• Refusing to support the securitization plan for retiring Nova Scotia Power's coal-fired generation plants after an agreement was reached with all major customer groups as part of the recent 2026-27 rate hearings.

So, it must have been music to the ears of Energy Minister/Premier Houston when Emera Inc. CEO Scott Balfour said capital spending could shift away from Nova Scotia Power to the company's other utilities if the regulatory or political situation worsens in Nova Scotia.

Maybe now's the chance for Energy Minister/Premier Houston to renationalize Nova Scotia Power and have it owned by the province!

After all, what's another couple of billion added to the province's debt?