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.
To achieve these results for Nova Scotians, a critical part of our work is system planning.
What is System Planning
The electricity grid is a complex machine made up of miles of transmission and distribution lines, transformers, sensors, software, communication systems, and other equipment. It is essential to enable power to be delivered to our homes and businesses in a safe, reliable, and efficient way.
System planning helps system operators prepare the electricity grid to meet both current and future needs in a resilient, low-carbon, cost-effective way.
It looks at how the entire electricity system works together — from demand to generation to transmission — and identifies what investments, upgrades, and changes will be needed over time.
System planning is one of the responsibilities IESO Nova Scotia is taking over from Nova Scotia Power.
For IESO Nova Scotia, system planning involves forecasting future electricity demand, evaluating energy supply resources, assessing the resilience and capacity of the transmission lines, and scenario planning for things like peak demand, storm damage, or equipment failure. We look at these factors through many lenses, including cost, emissions intensity, efficiency, and infrastructure resilience.
At the core of IESO Nova Scotia’s system planning process is our Integrated Resource Plan, or IRP.
An IRP is the regular and robust long-term planning exercise electricity system operators use to create a roadmap for a reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective power grid for the next 20 to 30 years.
Input from stakeholders is critical as part of the IRP process. Their input shapes the detailed assumptions and scenarios that are at the heart of the IRP.
Through modelling and analysis by technical experts and engagement with stakeholders from power producers to industrial users to household customers, the IRP process gathers important data IESO Nova Scotia needs to:
- Plan for future electricity demand and varying scenarios
- Determine the right mix of energy sources to meet that demand reliably and at the lowest possible cost to customers
- Advance the province’s transition to renewable energy and away from coal
- Guide procurement by identifying when and where new generation, transmission, or energy storage resources should be built
IESO Nova Scotia’s Integrated Resource Plan will help us make transparent, evidence-based decisions for our province’s energy system — and its customers.
We are in the process of conducting our very first IRP now. If you want to participate in shaping Nova Scotia’s energy future, let us know at irp@ieso-ns.ca and we will keep you posted on opportunities to get involved throughout the coming months.