HALIFAX, NS — The Nova Scotia Independent Energy System Operator (NSIESO) has submitted its first revenue application to the Nova Scotia Energy Board, as it gets ready to assume responsibility for managing the province’s electricity grid.
NSIESO’s board of directors, appointed in February by the Government of Nova Scotia, has been overseeing the organization’s startup phase.
“We’re setting the building blocks of this new non-profit entity that will be responsible for the planning and operation of the province’s electricity grid,” says Board Chair Douglas Reid. “Our first-year budget reflects the work being done to establish the structure, the team and the tools to modernize our electricity system, focused on bringing value to ratepayers by balancing reliability, sustainability and affordability.”
NSIESO’s revenue application is seeking approval for $5.3 million to cover expenses until March 31, 2026.
Highlights of NSIESO’s 2025-26 forecast include:
- $5.0 million in staUing, corporate administration and governance
- $1.0 million for procurement planning
- $1.0 million for facilities and technology, including IT and cyber security
- $1.0 million in one-time startup and transition planning costs
Expenses have been offset by the $2.7 million contribution from the Province for NSIESO’s startup phase. Some costs are already recovered from rates and will transfer from Nova Scotia Power to NSIESO.
There will be no immediate impact on ratepayers because, as part of its application, NSIESO is seeking approval for:
- a deferral account to track early costs and recover them once a cost recovery system is approved, and
- a variance account to handle any changes between budget forecast and actuals
NSIESO will include a cost recovery proposal with its 2026-27 annual rate application before January 1, 2026.
“Every dollar must deliver value for Nova Scotians,” says Reid. “Our approach is to be efficient, transparent and focused on value. We’ll seek cost-effective energy resources, encourage more players in the market, and bring transparency to decisions—getting the best results for electricity customers.”
The Board of Directors launched a national search for a President & CEO in April and hopes to announce an appointment soon. Once in place, the CEO will assume leadership of NSIESO’s startup phase, oversee staffing, and lead detailed transition planning for functions currently performed by Nova Scotia Power. This fall, NSIESO will begin its first Integrated Resource Plan.
The Nova Scotia Energy Board will make the application and related material available later today at: https://nserbt.ca/nseb .
QUICK FACTS
- Roughly 540,000 customers are connected to Nova Scotia’s electricity grid, including homes, businesses and industries.
- The system operator balances electricity 24/7, ensuring supply meets demand, and undertakes long term planning to ensure that the sustainability and reliability of the grid is ensured.
- Under the Clean Power Plan (2030), the Nova Scotia electricity system will: end coal use, add new clean energy sources and energy storage, and strengthen reliability by expanding interconnection to New Brunswick.
ABOUT
NSIESO was created in response to Nova Scotia’s Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force Report (2024), which recommended: “System operation must be independent, impartial, and focused on ratepayer value—not corporate profit. Independence improves transparency, levels the playing field for new energy providers, and builds public trust in how grid decisions are made.”
When fully operational, NSIESO will:
- plan for future energy needs–making sure we forecast what’s needed for peak times, population growth, and future grid changes, like more intermittent wind connecting into the system and shutting down coal plants.
- purchase new energy generation through competitive bidding in the marketplace so ratepayers get the best prices and the most value.
- balance supply and demand–ensuring the amount of electricity being produced matches the amount being used.
- monitor the electricity grid–tracking the flow of electricity, monitoring how it’s working and responding to any issues, like a power plant going offline.
NSIESO’s Board of Directors is comprised of Douglas Reid (Chair), Peter Doig, Maureen Higgins, Carmine Marcello, Robert Patzelt, Eric Paul, Alison Scott and David MacGregor (Associate Deputy Minister, Nova Scotia Department of Energy and non-voting member).