Procurement

IESO Nova Scotia was created by provincial government legislation — the More Access to Energy Act 2024 — to take over long-term electricity system planning, procurement of new energy resources, and transmission grid operations from Nova Scotia Power.

Our mandate is to deliver reliable, sustainable electricity to Nova Scotians at the best possible cost.

How Procurement Works at IESO Nova Scotia

Electricity system procurement in our province is guided by regular and robust Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) and by the Government of Nova Scotia’s Clean Power Plan.

The Clean Power Plan aims to deliver 80% of the electricity we use from renewables and remove coal generation from our energy mix. This is a huge undertaking, in the  early 2000’s around 80% of Nova Scotia’s electricity came from coal (The High Cost of Cheap Power) . Significant progress has been made with now less than 50% of our electricity coming from coal. However, there is still a long way to go and a need for significant investments in wind, solar, batteries, and new gas facilities to enable the transition in a reliable and most affordable way (CER: Renewable Energy in Canada-Nova Scotia).

Led previously by Nova Scotia Power, and now by IESO Nova Scotia, IRPs gather critical data through technical modelling and stakeholder engagement to create a roadmap for a reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective power grid in the coming decades.

The IRP process:

  • Plans for future electricity demand and varying scenarios
  • Determines the right mix of energy sources to meet that demand reliably and at the lowest possible cost to customers
  • Advances the province’s transition to renewable energy and away from coal
  • Identifies when and where new generation, transmission, or energy storage resources should be built

Integrated Resource Plans, both those developed in the past by Nova Scotia Power, and those to be developed going forward by IESO Nova Scotia, enable transparent, evidence-based procurement decisions for our province’s energy system — and its customers.

Current Procurements

There are no current procurements.

Fast-Acting Electricity Generation

IESO Nova Scotia has initiated its first procurement process, seeking to secure at least 300 megawatts of reliable generation capacity for the province.

In October 2025, IESO Nova Scotia issued a Request for Expressions of Interest for the construction and operation of one or two 300 megawatt fast-acting natural gas-fired facilities in Pictou County. 

This added capacity, identified in the Province of Nova Scotia’s Clean Power Plan and the most recent IRP completed by Nova Scotia Power, is critical to the province’s ability to continue to meet growing electricity demand, transition away from coal, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and achieve Nova Scotia’s renewable energy goals.

IESO Nova Scotia received Expressions of Interest from several proponents during the fall 2025 call. We thank the interested companies for their submissions, and for their valuable feedback.

The draft Request for Proposals (RFP) and Tolling Agreement for the 300 megawatt fast-acting natural gas generating facilities is now available for proponent review and comment.

Draft Request for Proposals

Draft Tolling Agreement

Draft Site Lease

Draft Functional Description

Draft Cost Model

Draft Workbook Forms

Draft Site Access Agreement

RFP and Tolling Agreement Feedback Form

The deadline to submit feedback on the drafts is March 28, 2026. 

We look forward to launching the formal Request for Proposals by April 30, 2026, and to receiving competitive bids from proponents.

More Information

  • Read our news release on the Request for Expressions of Interest
  • Explore materials from our community open houses in Marshdale and Salt Springs
  • Learn more about opportunities for community engagement on this project by visiting our Engagement page or by contacting community@ieso-ns.ca

Supplier Opportunities

There are no active procurements at this time.

Procurement Archive

The following Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are provided for transparency and reference purposes. These procurement processes are closed and are no longer accepting submissions.