Submission to the Nova Scotia Clean Electricity Solutions Taskforce October 12, 2023 What is the state of our electricity infrastructure in terms of reliability, capacity and storage to

Are there changes to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board Act that should be made in terms of electricity, transmission and rates? The EAC is most excited to see a review of the Utilities and Review Board Act included in the mandate of the Taskforce. [...] In the Taskforce’s recommendation for revision of the Utility and Review Board Act which empowers the board, we urge the Taskforce to consider the relationship between the two acts and how a broader revision to the Public Utilities Act and provision of a sustainability mandate will fundamentally empower the UARB to act in the interest of both ratepayer affordability and the province’s commitment t. [...] The Board shall promote the satisfaction of energy needs in a manner that is consistent with the Government’s electricity policy and environmental, sustainable development, and sustainable prosperity goals described in other provincial enactments and will exercise its functions in keeping with the principles of sustainable development and individual and collective equity. [...] Drawing from language in New Brunswick’s Electricity Act, we suggest that the Public Utilities Act open with the following statement and then proceed to include Nova Scotia’s electricity policy goals and objectives: It is declared to be the policy of the Government of Nova Scotia Included amongst these objectives we suggest the following provisions be included relating to sustainability and sustai. [...] To ensure that the electricity policy outlined in the Public Utilities Act is explicitly tied to the operations and responsibilities of the regulator, we suggest the amendment include the following provision, following the list of policy objectives: These statements of policy shall guide the Board in the exercise of its functions.