ANTIGONISH: Town councillors have voted to increase the price residents will pay for electricity, as it now costs more to purchase it from Nova Scotia Power directly.
During a special meeting of Antigonish Town Council on March 20, senior staff heard a presentation from Meaghan Barkhouse, the town’s director of corporate services, recommending they apply to raise their electricity rates, following an approval in relation to the provincially-regulated utility’s increase to their municipal power rate.
“In early November, Nova Scotia Power had a municipal rate increase, this was approved by the Utility and Review Board,” Mayor Laurie Boucher told The Reporter. “So in response to that, we heard a presentation from staff recommending to apply for what’s called an Electric Utility Flow Through Rate.”
If approved by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB), it will allow the town to increase its power rates by 8.1311 per cent.
“That’s directly due to the increase of our purchase rates from Nova Scotia Power. This rate is a cost-recovery formula,” Boucher said. “It’s already approved by the utility and review board that we’re able to do this, but we do have to send a letter and have a letter of approval from the UARB before it comes into effect.”
With an eight per cent increase, the average residential Town Electric Utility customer can expect to see an increase of approximately $30 on every bi-monthly bill.
“Despite the increase in residential rates from Nova Scotia Power and the increase of Nova Scotia’s base rate, we are (still) probably between 18 and 19 per cent lower than Nova Scotia Power,” Boucher said. “So that’s our goal, our goal is to give good, competitive rates for our citizens and going forward that’s what we’re hoping to provide.”