Manage Your Account   

A guide to managing your electricity account

This guide is designed to provide everything you need to know as a NS Power account holder. 

If you’re a new customer, you might have questions about connecting power or billing and payment options. 

As a current customer, you may want insights into your energy usage or the options available if you need help managing your bills. 

Whatever your question, we are here to help find the answers.

 

Making Your Service Request

Whether you are a new or existing customer, you can request a power connection online or by calling Customer Care at 1-800-428-6230. Try to give us at least 10 days notice so we can schedule your connection when you need it. 

To connect power, you must be the owner or occupant of the premises that will be connected. 

Here’s what we’ll need from you:
  • Your new street or mailing address, including unit number
  • A contact telephone number
  • Your date of birth
  • Your driver’s license number or government issued ID
You can also provide the name of anyone you want to be able to speak with us about your account. 

Getting Connected
Connection charge
To connect power, there is a charge of $11. You will notice a charge on your first bill after you connect service. 

*If your premises does not have a smart meter, a fee of $46 is charged to do the on-site service connection. If you wish to switch to a smart meter, let us know. Upgrading to our standard smart meter service is free. 

Establishing credit
If you have had power in your name before, just confirm the last address and we can simply reactivate your old account. 

If your account is closed, and you have an outstanding balance, we can work with you to develop a flexible repayment plan. A deposit may still be required but may be managed within your repayment plan. 

If you’re a new customer, we do require a form of security on your account. You may choose from one of these three options:

  1. Permission for us to do a personal credit check completed through Equifax Canada which confirms how well you pay your personal bills. 
  2. A reference letter from another utility showing your payments were made on time.
  3. A security deposit, equal to three months of service. We will return your deposit with interest when you close your account, or after two years of satisfactory payment history, whichever comes first.
If you are unable to choose options 1 or 2, you’ll have to put down a security deposit. You may ask for the deposit to be made in equal monthly payments over 12 months. If you are receiving social assistance or other similar types of income security payments, a security deposit may not be required. 

Understanding Your Usage and Managing Costs

The way you use your electricity has a big impact on the amount you pay. For some quick tips, click here. 

Efficiency Nova Scotia also has programs and funding support that can help you lower your energy bills and improve the comfort of your home. Use the energy profile tool to find programs and funding that best meets your needs. Learn more here. 

 

Billing

Our standard billing frequency is bi-monthly (every 2 months), but we also offer a monthly billing option. 

Equal Billing
Our Equal Billing Plan can help you manage your budget by spreading the cost of your annual electricity use over 12 equal monthly payments. Customers who heat with electricity find this plan particularly helpful. Learn more here. 

You can learn how to read your bill here. 

Paperless Billing
More than half of our customers have made the convenient choice to go paperless and receive bills online. 

Paperless billing is a convenient summary of your bill emailed directly to your inbox. The email notification provides your amount owing, payment due date, and the option to view your full bill and usage history. Your electronic bill looks exactly the same as your paper bill. Learn more here. 

Paying Your Bill
We offer a number of secure and convenient ways to pay your bill. Find the payment option that’s right for you here. 

Automated payments give you peace of mind knowing your bill is always being paid directly from your bank account. You’ll never have to worry about forgetting a bill again. To get started, just call Customer Care at 1-800-428-6230. Be sure to have your banking information ready so we can get your account set up. 

What to know
You are responsible for paying the bill if it is in your name as the customer of record. If you move out, but do not cancel your service, we may continue to hold you legally responsible for the bill even after you are no longer living at the premises.

Late payments
If your bill is not paid on time, you will be charged interest at 1.5% per month, compounded monthly, to a maximum interest rate of 19.75% per year. 

If your bill is unpaid for a period of 30 days after the billing date, your power may be disconnected.

Returned Payments
A charge of $23 will be issued for each returned payment due to insufficient funds. This charge is in addition to any charges your financial institution may charge for returned payments.

Help Managing Your Bill

If you are having difficulty paying your bill, or you cannot pay your bill on time, reach out and talk to us at 1-800-428-6230.  We have payment options that can help bring your account up to date.

Payment Agreements
You may be able to negotiate a payment agreement if you are having difficulty paying your bill in full on time.  

A payment agreement lets you pay back the money owing on your bill in installments. It also temporarily pauses interest charges while you are on a payment agreement.

Your payments may be extended for a period of up to 24 months based on:
  • How much money you owe
  • Your ability to pay, your source of income, expenses and number of dependents
  • Your payment history
  • Your medical needs (if applicable)
  • Your employment history
Before you commit to the terms of the agreement, please ensure the payments work within your budget. Otherwise, you could be setting yourself up to fail. If you break a payment agreement, it will be harder to negotiate another in future.

If the repayment plan recommended is not manageable, you may want to reach out to a community organization with experience in these matters. You can call 211, Nova Scotia’s referral service for a list of organizations. 
 
If you have a payment agreement in place, but your circumstances have changed and you can no longer meet the payments, please call Customer Care to discuss your situation. We may agree to amend your agreement to give you more time to pay. It will be easier to arrange a change in your payment agreement if you let us know your situation before missing a payment.

If you are late on a bill payment more than once, the agreement will be cancelled, and you may receive a disconnection notice.


Request a Payment Arrangement

Disconnection

Disconnecting service for non-payment is always a last resort after multiple attempts are made to come up with a payment arrangement or after multiple payment arrangements have been broken.

Disconnection Notice

A disconnection notice, with a required payment amount and due date, can be issued in the form of an email or written letter if:

  • There have been no significant payments on the account for more than 30 days after the billing date of the last bill
  • Terms of a Payment Agreement have been broken
  • A security deposit has not been paid
  • A person's identity has been misrepresented to get electricity connected 
  • There has been an unauthorized interference or diversion of electricity service

If you receive a Disconnection Notice, contact us right away. You can ask for additional time to pay. Once a Notice of Disconnection is received, there is a 16-day period before any further action is taken. This is your opportunity to talk to us about payment arrangements to avoid disconnection.

Final Notice of Disconnection

If you do not pay the amount owing by the due date on the Disconnection Notice, a Final Notice of Disconnection will be issued verbally or by a written notice left at your premises. The notice will include the required payment amount that is due within 7 calendar days to avoid disconnection of service.

We will always allow payment arrangements, regardless of which notice you receive. We encourage you to contact us to make payment arrangements at any time in the process. 


When can power not be disconnected
  • We will not disconnect power when the temperature falls or is forecast to fall below 0° Celsius at any time in the 7 days following the planned disconnection. We encourage you to work with us to keep your account as up to date as possible to avoid getting deeper into debt. 
Weather Exceptions

We will not disconnect power when there is a heat warning, or the temperature falls or is forecast to fall bellow 0° Celsius or at any time in the 7 days following the planned disconnection.

Medical Letter  

We must postpone disconnection for a minimum of 30 days if we receive a letter confirming that disconnection will worsen a serious medical condition for you or someone who lives with you. The letter must be signed by a qualified medical professional and include contact information.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND APPEALS

If you disagree with the amount you have been billed or with the reasons given for disconnection, you can make a complaint to the Dispute Resolution Officer (DRO).

The DRO is responsible for resolving billing disputes, including if you have been billed the correct amount, your meter is operating properly, or whether you are responsible for the amount charged. 

The DRO communicates by email to ensure there is a record of communication for any complaints. The best way to make a complaint to the DRO is to send an email to nspdisputeresolution@gmail.com.

Once you send a complaint, you do not have to pay the disputed amount until you receive a decision from the DRO. We cannot disconnect your power until 12 days after you receive the DRO’s written decision. You must continue to pay any charges that are not in dispute.

If you disagree with the DRO’s decision, you have 12 days from the date you receive the decision to appeal to the Nova Scotia Utility & Review Board. You must appeal in writing by sending a letter to the Board with your reasons and any evidence you wish them to consider. We will submit evidence to the Board as well – the Board should send you a copy of any material filed in relation to your complaint – If you do not receive a copy contact the Board to request one.

If the DRO decides you are required to pay the disputed amount and you file an appeal of the DRO's decision to the Board, you do not have to pay the disputed amount until the Board issues its written decision. 

The DRO is not responsible for arranging payment agreements. If you do not dispute the amount you owe, but need more time to pay your account, you should call us at 1-800-428-6230.

Resources

2-1-1 or ns.211.ca

A free, confidential information and referral service to more than 3,000 community and social services across Nova Scotia. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by dialing 2-1-1 or online.

In support of Nova Scotians living on a low income, our HomeWarming program provides energy efficient upgrades for homeowners, while our Home Energy Assistance Top-up (HEAT) Fund supports with funds for home heating during the cold winter months.

NSP's Income-Based Programs

 

 

Efficiency Nova Scotia Logo

 

EfficiencyOne.ca

 

 

1-877-428-6202 or (902) 428-6202

nspdisputeresolution@gmail.com

1-855-442-4448 or (902) 424-4448

nsuarb.novascotia.ca

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