Nova Scotia Power Should Pause System Access Charge Proposal and Consult Nova Scotians

Nova Scotia Power Should Pause System Access Charge Proposal and Consult Nova Scotians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 31, 2022 – Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS— EfficiencyOne is asking that Nova Scotia Power pause its proposed System Access Charge until they have consulted with Nova Scotians and the solar industry.

Nova Scotia Power’s recent General Rate Application filed on January 27, 2022, includes proposed changes to the net metering program including the introduction of a System Access Charge of $8/kW/month for net metering customers. The proposal will, and already has, caused unnecessary uncertainty and disruption to Nova Scotians exploring solar PV systems for their homes, and the solar industry across the province.

“Nova Scotians have embraced solar as part of the immediate action required to address the climate crisis”, says Stephen MacDonald, President and CEO of EfficiencyOne, the non-profit operator of Efficiency Nova Scotia. “Now is not the time to create barriers”.

The demand for solar installations is at an all time high. The SolarHomes program has helped nearly 5,000 homes install solar PV systems since it was launched in 2018 and the number of companies registered as solar installers has risen from 13 to nearly 80.

In a recent White Paper, 2050: A Net-Zero Carbon Nova Scotia, EfficiencyOne noted that the current institutional and regulatory framework in Nova Scotia predates the climate emergency and is not aligned with achievement of provincial net-zero. Accelerating progress toward net-zero will require a holistic approach in which energy efficiency, the shift to electricity derived from non fossil based systems, and the growth of the renewable energy supply are achieved together.

“We must continue to encourage all Nova Scotians to do their part and we must ensure that the infrastructure and supports are in place to help Nova Scotians achieve the targets set out in the province’s Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act” says MacDonald.

About EfficiencyOne

EfficiencyOne, operating in Nova Scotia as Efficiency Nova Scotia, has a proven track record of success in designing and delivering resource efficiency programs and services for homes, businesses, and large industrial customers. To date, EfficiencyOne has achieved more than $1.4 billion in energy savings and contributed 25% of Nova Scotia’s GHG emission reductions in the last 10 years. Learn more at efficiencyone.ca