As approved by Council on March 25, 2025, the Town of Lunenburg has submitted a rate application to the Nova Scotia Energy Board (formerly the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board) on behalf of the Lunenburg Electric Utility.

A public hearing for this application has been scheduled by the Board for July 22, 2025. As part of the application, the Town has requested that the rate increase for General Service customer classes be phased in, with a 15% increase pending approval, and the remaining 6% deferred.

See the official Nova Scotia Energy Board Public Hearing Notice (PDF) here:  pdf Notice of Public Hearing(98 KB)

Here are the hearing details and how you can take part:

• Hearing starts: Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM
  (Continuing Wednesday, July 23, 2025, if necessary)
  
  
• Evening Session: Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM
  
  
• Hearing Location: Town of Lunenburg Council Chambers, 120 Townsend Street (Town Hall Back Entrance), Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

How to Participate in the Public Hearing

• Speak at the Hearing
  If you would like to speak during the hearing, you must let the Board know by Monday, June 23, 2025.
  
  
• Submit Written Comments
  You can share your views in writing by sending a letter to the Clerk of the Board:
  • Mail: P.O. Box 1692, Unit “M”, Halifax, NS B3J 3S3
  • Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Fax: (902) 424-3919
    
    All written submissions must be received by Monday, June 23, 2025.

• Request Intervenor Status
  If you wish to take a more active role—such as presenting evidence or asking questions—you can apply for formal standing as an Intervenor. This request must be submitted by Monday, April 28, 2025, and is subject to Board approval.

What Does This Mean for Customers? 

Domestic (Household) Customers: Based on an average monthly usage of 837 kWh, households can expect their bills to increase by approximately $17.80 per month, from $152.17 to $169.97. 
 
Even with the increase, Lunenburg’s proposed rates are still 2.7% lower than Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) rates for the same usage. 

General Service (Business) Customers: The proposed 21% increase will be phased in to reduce financial pressure: 

• 15% applied immediately upon Nova Scotia Energy Board approval. 

• The remaining 6% will be recovered over a period determined by the Nova Scotia Energy Board.  

These increases must be approved by the Nova Scotia Energy Board before they can take effect. If approved, the new rates are expected to take effect in the fall of 2025. 

The Nova Scotia Energy Board is an independent, quasi-judicial body responsible for regulating utilities and ensuring that rates are fair, reasonable, and in the public interest. In this case, the Nova Scotia Energy Board will review the Town’s proposed rate increases to determine if they are justified and reasonable. 

Why is This Increase Necessary?  

This is the first General Rate increase proposed since 2013. The Town has managed to avoid a general increase as new capital expenditures have been low and relying on smaller adjustments related to power cost flow-throughs. However, rising costs and urgent infrastructure needs have made a rate increase unavoidable. 

The proposed increase will help cover operational costs and fund essential capital investments aimed at improving grid reliability, expanding capacity, and modernizing the system to support future growth and meet climate resilience standards.