The Town of Antigonish Council has directed staff to file a General Rate Application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB) for an increase of 7.2% in the domestic and general service utility rates and an increase of 7.9% in the streetlight (unmetered) rates. The is the first General Rate Application the Town has submitted in decades.
“A rate increase to electric utility customers is not something we welcome,” says, Jeff Lawrence, the Town’s Chief Administrative Officer. “However, at our current rates, the Electric Utility cannot maintain financial stability. With the high market energy costs, we expect our cost to purchase power will be up 28% from last year.”
The Town’s Electric Utility purchases power at a wholesale rate from Nova Scotia Power.
“A large portion of the proposed increases are due to the cost of purchasing power rising significantly while a small percentage is for continued operations, maintenance, and administration,” says Lawrence.
In the Spring of 2023, the Town hired BDR North America, a firm that specializes in utility rates and regulations, to conduct a rate study for the Town’s Electric Utility. BDR, in partnership with CIMA+ have also completed rate studies for municipally owned electric utilities in Berwick, Riverport, and Mahone Bay.
The rate study was recently completed and presented to Town Council. The rate study includes information about the Town’s Electric Utility, details of assets and values, expenses, and a recommendation for an increase in rates to customers.
For the rates to come into effect, the Town first needs to apply to the NSUARB. Once the application is submitted and processed, a date for a public hearing will be set. As part of the public hearing, there will be an opportunity for stakeholders to participate. Following the public hearing, a decision will be made regarding the application.
The Town’s application asks the NSUARB to consider implementing the new rates as of April 1, 2024. The Town’s proposed domestic rate will be 12% lower than the new Nova Scotia Power domestic rates as of April 1, 2024. It is predicted that average monthly usage will increase by $10.50 a month or $21 a bill.
-30-
To download a copy of this release, please pdf click here (227 KB) .