Frustration, worry over power hike

Although sentiments ranged from frustration, worry and resignation, everybody contacted by The Weekly News last week agreed that Nova Scotia Power's upcoming 9.4 per cent electricity rate hike will impact them negatively.

Last week, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved a settlement agreement reached in September by representatives of all Nova Scotia Power groups. Effective Jan. 1, 2009, residential and commercial customers will pay 9.4 per cent more for electricity.

"With this economic meltdown we're having, forestry has been in it for three years already and survival has been the name of the game," said Barrett Lumber Company's Dave Barrett. "Add on another nine per cent and it makes everything all that much more unmanageable."

Barrett said the latest increase means even more belt tightening for the company that provides 73 local jobs.

"As a family company, we made the decision to keep running. We're finding it tight and getting tighter," Barrett said. "We're in for a rocky ride. We're getting hit every time we turn around."

This latest electricity rate increase is the fifth in seven years. The most recent hike was on April 1, 2007.

"We appreciate that any increase in the price of electricity will be challenging for many customers," Nova Scotia Power president Rob Bennett said on Nov. 5. "As our regulator points out in today's decision, the world price of coal, which is the main fuel we use to make electricity, remains high and is twice as much as it was when rates were last set."

Middle Sackville resident Louis Sinclair echoed the sentiments of others contacted by The Weekly News via telephone about how the price hike will effect them.

"The cost of power is increasing much faster than the cost of living," Sinclair said. "It was warranted when the price of fuel went up, but it has gone down. Now that they've had another increase, they'll be making that much more profit."

Other residents like Robert Mitchell in Bedford are resigned to the fact they're going to be paying more for electricity.

"I expect it. You just kind of become a little numb about it after awhile," he said.

Susan Nelson owns and operates Fall River's Inn On the Lake. Like other commercial and residential customers, she's unhappy with the price increase.

"It just goes to the bottom line, that's the problem. It's not positive news," Nelson said. "We will have to trim in other areas. It will impact on expenditure."

Nelson pointed out that businesses are also struggling with transportation and shipping fuel surcharges.

"Everybody is charging it, but the price of gas has gone down. Who's looking at that on behalf of small businesses?" she asked.

ydentremont@hfxnews.ca