NSP DOING FINE JOB

I support Nova Scotia Power and I think they are doing a fine job and should be given a break. They are good corporate citizens. (No, I never have worked for them and have no family or shares in the company.)

Unlike where I lived before, power transmission in Nova Scotia is extremely difficult. For one thing, transmission cables cannot be buried underground as they can be in Alberta, where there is only dirt to dig through. Nova Scotia is all rock, and blasting or digging out rocks is time-consuming and extremely expensive. Thus, wires are exposed to the elements where they are subjected to wind and heavy loads of ice and snow.

Twice, I had to call NSP out for issues that resulted, in one case, in a transformer being replaced and, in the other case, wires spliced and separated to prevent short circuits. The crews appeared within an hour of my complaint and actions were both completed in the evenings. I was very impressed.

Our power rates are not the highest in Canada. In fact, in Alberta, with all that natural gas for power generation and only dirt to put wires in, the rate for a kilowatt hour is two cents higher! We do not yet have the benefit of hydro, like Quebec, to get our rates any lower.

Frequently not mentioned is the fact that the roads in this province are lined on both sides with trees that have exceptional growth rates, requiring constant trimming. I don’t think they have that problem in Saskatchewan.

We had a power failure the other night. Our freezer is good for 12-16 hours keeping food frozen as long as the freezer door is kept closed, and for longer outages that are broadcast by NSP, I can fire up my generator to power the well pump, furnace and some kitchen outlets. You can buy three generators like this for the price of an iphone.

Bob Found, Indian Harbour