Liberal Leader Iain Rankin is calling on the Houston government to intervene if the Nova Scotia Utility Review Board (UARB) approves Nova Scotia Power’s new rate hike.

Yesterday’s proposed rate increase means people will see their power bill go up an extra 10 per cent over the next three years. Their proposal also included a two per cent increase to recover costs from storm damages and new financial penalties to solar power users, punishing Nova Scotians who invested in renewable energy.

This is just a day after they announced the extension of the Trenton coal power plant, placing Nova Scotia’s climate targets into jeopardy. With inflation now ballooning to a 30-year high, people simply cannot afford to see their power bill go up as well.

“Life is becoming more expensive everywhere Nova Scotians turn, and they don’t need to be digging further into their pockets,” says Liberal Leader Iain Rankin. “The Houston government needs to legislate a continued stable rate plan for Nova Scotians to stop this unreasonable increase.”

Stable power rates have given predictability to Nova Scotians in what has been a period of unprecedented hardship these last two years.

“The government has to make sure the people of this province aren’t being unfairly penalized on their power bills as we work toward economic recovery,” says Rankin.