2023-2025 Demand Side Management Plan

Benefits for everyone

The three-year investment of $173 million will:

• generate over $540 million in bill savings for ratepayers
• support 5,300 jobs across the province
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 2 million tonnes

Our Plan delivers more programs to more Nova Scotians, including: $35 million to help low-income Nova Scotians, including renters, live more comfortably in their homes; $7 million to help Mi’kmaw communities reduce electricity costs and improve comfort, while supporting local job creation; and, $20 million to help small businesses on their path to recovery.

Our Plan also includes:

• Industry training and support to ensure all Nova Scotians have access to skilled trades and qualified products to complete upgrades and renovations.
• Youth engagement activities, and training to improve diversity and inclusion in the energy efficiency industry.
• New supports to ready the residential construction market for advanced building codes.
• Free installation of even more energy saving products, including occupancy sensors, lighting controls and smart thermostats.
• Expanded rebate offerings for businesses of all sizes, including more opportunities to save instantly in-store.
• Performance-based incentives to encourage large energy users to achieve higher electricity savings.
• Managed services and incentives to help industrial facilities complete complex, multi-year projects and achieve higher electricity savings.
• Continued access to efficiency expertise and support, including more virtual resources, guides, and tools.

First we listened

Before developing our Plan, we listened to Nova Scotians, surveying over 1,400 homeowners and renters, and 360 businesses and organizations. We also met with Mi’kmaw Chiefs, business groups, government officials, community organizations, and environmental groups.

We heard loud support for programs that reduce electricity costs and shrink Nova Scotia’s carbon footprint.

• Eight in ten Nova Scotians say access to efficiency programs is important to reducing electricity costs and
  investment in those programs will help us reach our provincial environmental goals.
• Nova Scotians plan to make efficiency upgrades in the next two years but are concerned about being able to afford the upgrades they need and want.

Our new Plan responds to the majority of Nova Scotians who want access to more support. Nova Scotians want to reduce their electricity bills and take personal action on climate change, and they want our help.

Efficiency investments provide a return for all Nova Scotians

Rates may go up, but your bill doesn’t have to. 

Residential electricity bills may go up about $2 a month to deliver more programs to more Nova Scotians – but electricity customers will on average save about $5 a month in return.

EfficiencyOne knows, after over a decade delivering programs in Nova Scotia, that reducing electricity demand is the best way to lower energy costs and reduce the impact of climate change.

Energy efficiency programs have very little impact on power rates

Programs account for only 2% of Nova Scotia Power’s expenses.

The current cost of energy efficiency programs – around $41 million per year – is already included in electricity rates. The cost of increasing program activities to the levels proposed in our Plan is more than offset by the benefits ratepayers receive.

Access to efficiency programs is essential to help Nova Scotians reduce their energy use and keep bills lower in the face of rising electricity rates.

Getting to net-zero has a cost – investment in energy efficiency is the lowest cost option to help green our province.