History of
Electric Power Companies
in Nova Scotia



The full, official, legal name of each company is given.
This list is known to be incomplete (I'm working on it).

Where it appears below, "NSL" refers to the Nova Scotia Legislature.
Unless otherwise stated, "Act" means an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature.

Contents:
•   #   Privately-Owned Electric Utility Companies
•   #   Government-Owned Electric Utilities
•   #   Renewable-Energy Electric Companies
•   #   Notes
•   #   Recent additions to this list





Privately-Owned Electric Companies

(All non-government organizations)





Acadia Coal Company

NSL 1883 chapter   64 — Act to incorporate the Acadia Coal Co.
NSL 1898 chapter 165 — Amendment, relating to electric power





Acadia Electric Light Company Limited

Nova Scotia: Acadia Electric Light Company, 1904
The Wolfville Acadian, 8 April 1904

$10 REWARD
As we are under considerable expense in repairing street lights
that are maliciously broken, we offer the above reward for
information that will lead to the conviction of the guilty parties.
Offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Acadia Electric Light Co.



The Acadia EL Co. reported that, during the year 1912, its operating revenue was $7,168.55 and operating expenses were $5,362.64, and it paid out $1,600.00 in dividends.
Source: PUB Annual Report 1912-13



By 1917, the steam-driven electric generating plant of the Acadia Electric Light Company in Wolfville was 26 years old.  Its maximum output was 55 kilowatts, the service operated only seven hours out of twenty-four, and, according to an ancient townsman (who was interviewed by Harry Bruce in the mid-1970s) "You could hardly see the light bulbs even when you turned them on," — translation: the voltage was well below the proper level which meant that the generating plant was overloaded, or the distribution circuits were inadequate, or both.

The Wolfville Board of Trade (whose secretary, incidentally, was George C. Nowlan, a federal cabinet minister forty years later) decided somebody had to do something about the electricity supply in Wolfville.  It asked two of the sharpest young businessmen around town to investigate the Gaspereau River as a power source.

They were Charles H. Wright, a capable and popular building contractor, and Roy A. Jodrey, farmer, apple speculator, and fair-haired boy of the W.H. Chase organization.  L.E. Shaw, a brick manufacturer who was also president of the Wolfville Board of Trade, wrote many years later that Jodrey and Wright "never came back to report.  They found more than we had anticipated."

They found a waterfall, formed a company (Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company), built a dam, installed a powerhouse, and built electric transmission lines out across the Annapolis Valley.  Wright and Jodrey's hydroelectric generating plant at Stivers Falls, White Rock, Kings County, began to operate on February 25, 1920. By May 1920, it was producing electric power for Wolfville, Greenwich, and Port Williams...
Source:   Excerpted from pages 114 and 119, The Story of R.A. Jodrey, Entrepreneur (book), by Harry Bruce, McClelland and Stewart, 1979





Amherst Electric Light & Water Company Limited

NSL 1887 chapter 94 — Act to incorporate the Amherst Electric Light & Water Co. Ltd.





Annapolis Basin Pulp and Power Company Limited

Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry numbers 1038957 and 2231779.





Antigonish Electric Company Limited






Associated Gas & Electric Company

In the 1920s, the Associated Gas & Electric Company of New York was busily buying Nova Scotia utilities.
Source:   Page 137, The Story of R.A. Jodrey, Entrepreneur (book), by Harry Bruce, McClelland and Stewart, 1979

Associated Gas and Electric Company share certificate 1929
Associated Gas & Electric Company share certificate, 1929

The Associated Gas & Electric Co. was broken up in the mid-1930s, under the U.S. Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, which provided for the regulation of utility holding companies by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The Death Sentence Clause

Title I of the Public Utility Act of 1935 is known as the Public Utilities Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA).  PUHCA was enacted to eliminate unfair practices and other abuses by electricity and gas holding companies by requiring federal control and regulation of interstate public utility holding companies.  A regulatory bargain was created between utilities and the government.  In exchange for an exclusive service territory, utilities are required to provide reliable electric service to all customers at a regulated rate.  A holding company under PUHCA is an enterprise that directly or indirectly owns 10% or more of stock in a public utility company.  To eliminate the complex and confusing structure of holding companies that had made them almost impossible to regulate, Section 11b of Title I (the "Death Sentence Clause") of PUHCA abolishes all holding companies that were more than twice removed from their operating subsidiaries.  All electric and natural gas holding companies are required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  Under PUHCA, the SEC regulates mergers and diversification proposals of holding companies whose subsidiaries engage in retail electricity or natural gas distribution.  In addition, PUHCA requires that before purchasing securities or property from another company, a holding company must file for approval with the SEC.





Atlantic Power & Development Company Limited

NSL 1916 chapter 96 — Act to incorporate the Atlantic Power & Development Co. Ltd.





Avon River Power Company Limited

NSL 1923 chapter 121 — Act respecting the Avon River Power Co. Ltd.

In 1921, the Avon River Power Company was incorporated by Roy Jodrey and Charles Wright.  The company had its head office in Windsor.

The Avon River Power Co. bought the Windsor Electric Light & Power Co. in November 1925, and the Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Co. in 1926.

In April 1929, the Nova Scotia Light & Power Co. bought Avon River Power Co. and thereafter operated it as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

During 1931, the Avon River Power Co. bought six small electric utilities:
      Centreville Electric Light & Power Company,
      Gaspereaux Valley Electric Light Company,
      Lower Horton Electric Company,
      Kingston Electric Light Commission,
      the Town of Middleton's electric power system, and
      Sheffield Mills Light & Power Company.

In August 1941, the Avon River Power Co. bought the electric power distribution system owned and operated by the Canning Water Commissioners.




Barrington Electric Company Limited

Shelburne County

NSL 1919 chapter 139 — Act to incorporate the Barrington Electric Co. Ltd.

Also see: Barrington Municipality




Barss Corner Electric Light Company Limited

Lunenburg County, Barss Corner and vicinity.

The Barss Corner EL Co. was incorporated on 23 June 1921.  The BCEL Co. was purely a distributing company, meaning it did not generate any electric power; it purchased all of its electric power from J. Zwicker & Son of New Germany.




Bear River & Digby Electric Light, Heating & Power Company Limited

NSL 1899 chapter 137 — Act to change the name of the Bear River Electric Light, Heating & Power Co to the Bear River & Digby Electric Light, Heating & Power Co.

Also see: Bear River Electric Light, Heating & Power Co. Ltd.




Bear River Electric Light, Heating & Power Company Limited

NSL 1899 chapter 137 — Act to change the name of the Bear River Electric Light, Heating & Power Co to the Bear River & Digby Electric Light, Heating & Power Co.

Also see: Bear River & Digby Electric Light, Heating & Power Co. Ltd.




Bedford Electric Company Limited

NSL 1898 chapter 133 — Act to incorporate the Bedford Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1899 chapter 136 — Amendment
NSL 1901 chapter 171 — Amendment
NSL 1903 chapter 182 — Amendment
NSL 1906 chapter 156 — Amendment
NSL 1908 chapter 137 — Amendment
NSL 1909 chapter 131 — Amendment





S.P. Benjamin Company Limited

NSL 1897 chapter 111 — Act to incorporate S.P. Benjamin Co. Ltd.
NSL 1900 chapter 165 —

Also see: Nova Scotia Electric Light Co. Ltd.
The Benjamin Lumber Mill, White Rock, Nova Scotia. c.1910
The Benjamin Lumber Mill, White Rock

This photograph appears on page 152 of "White Rock Past and Present"
by Doris Atwell, published 2004

This postcard was postmarked in Kentville in September 1915.
The photograph is believed to have been taken some years before 1915.

Located where the Black River flows into the Gaspereau River, White Rock – often called White Rock Mills – has seen numerous mill operations, including that of S.P. Benjamin.  About 1885 Benjamin bought out the Calder and Freeman mill along with much of the timberlands upriver and around the lakes.  Running day and night with 75 men employed, in one year his operation shipped seven million board feet of lumber out of nearby ports.  The route travelled by horse and ox teams over the Deep Hollow Road (paved now but not then) to Wolfville, Canning and Port Williams was no easy haul.
Historic Kings County (booklet), Kings County Historical Society, 2004

Map showing the location of the S.P. Benjamin Lumber Mill, White Rock, Nova Scotia
Map showing the location of the S.P. Benjamin Lumber Mill, White Rock
Thanks to Doris Atwell




Norman Bethune

Service area: Baddeck, Victoria County
In January 1927, Norman Bethune (1899-1986) began providing electric power, during the evening hours only, to a small area of downtown Baddeck.

A PUB report dated 30 June 1927 states that:
Mr. Norman Bethune, owner of the plant, told the PUB that the generating equipment consists of one 15 horsepower oil engine [probably a single-cylinder Diesel (compression-ignition) engine] belted to a ten kilowatt Direct Current [DC] 110-volt generator.  The distribution system includes 1.5 miles [about 2.4 km] of line carried for the most part on poles owned by the Maritime Telegraph & Telephone Company, only fourteen poles having been supplied by Mr. Bethune.

[Comment: Since this was a DC system, there were no transformers anywhere – the entire system operated at the generator voltage.  A system operating at 110 volts DC could not serve customers located 1.5 miles from the generating plant – the voltage drop would be excessive – thus it can be inferred that the generating plant was located roughly at the geographic center of the service area, with distribution lines radiating in at least two directions, east and west, and probably in four directions, so that no customer would be much more than about 2000 feet [600 metres or so] from the generator.  Even with this arrangement, the distribution system would not have been able to supply electricity to the farthest customer at satisfactory voltage.  A ten kilowatt generator supplying 110 volts will be delivering about 90 amperes.  Assuming the distribution system radiated in four directions, with the load divided equally among all four lines (the most favourable arrangement), each circuit would be carrying more than 20 amperes, and the voltage drop would be dramatic even over a distance of two or three blocks.  Mr. Bethune's DC system, as he well knew, was not capable of reaching even to the town outskirts, but this was a startup operation, financed on a shoestring, and it was good enough to bring electric lights to the area for the first time.]


The PUB report continues: The total capital cost of plant installed to date, including land and buildings, is approximately $4,000.   The system has been in operation for five months and has at present 23 consumers connected with the expectation of serving a total of 40 consumers, together with nine 60-watt street lights.

The operating expenses for the five months amounted to $640.00, prorated for twelve months would total $1536.00.  To this should be added for interest, depreciation and return on investment $480.00, making a total required annual income of $2016.00 (for a sustainable continuing operation).

The revenue for the five months was $395.64, which would amount to about $950.00 for the year, less than one-half the return Mr. Bethune is entitled to.  While slightly more than one-half of the prospective consumers are at present being served, it is doubtless true that the most profitable part of the load is connected and the balance when connected will not yield revenue in as great a proportion, while additional fuel cost will further increase the operating costs... However, Mr. Bethune has expressed a willingness to forego an adequate return during the time the load is being built up, and it is the feeling of the Board (that Mr. Bethune should be permitted to continue his electric utility service)...

— Source: PUB Annual Report 1925, pages 117-118





Blockhouse Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1901 chapter 147 — Act to incorporate the Blockhouse Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.





Bridgetown Electric Light Company Limited

Annapolis County

NSL 1888 chapter 132 — Act to incorporate the Bridgetown Electric Light Co. Ltd.

Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Water, Power & Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Town of Bridgetown (municipal electric utility)

Electric utility companies were required to report annually to the PUB, certain basic statistics such as operating revenue, operating expenses, taxes, debt, and the like. For the year 1912, the Bridgetown EL Co.'s statistics are missing in the PUB Annual Report, and the note "burned out" appears on that line. There is no further information; this note may mean that there was a fire in the company's office and its records were destroyed.




Bridgetown Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Annapolis County
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Water, Power & Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Town of Bridgetown (municipal electric utility)




Bridgetown Electric Light, Heat & Power Company Limited

Annapolis County

NSL 1898 chapter 148 — Act to incorporate the Bridgetown Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ltd.

Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Water, Power & Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Town of Bridgetown (municipal electric utility)




Bridgetown Water, Power & Light Company Limited

Annapolis County

NSL 1898 chapter 150 — Act to incorporate the Bridgetown Water, Power & Light Co. Ltd.

Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Town of Bridgetown (municipal electric utility)




Bridgewater Electric Light, Water, & Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1891 chapter 148 — Act to incorporate the Bridgewater Electric Light, Water, & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1898 chapter 158 — Act to confirm the sale of the Bridgewater Electric Light, Water, & Power Co.

Also see: Bridgewater Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Town of Bridgewater (municipal electric utility)




Bridgewater Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1897 chapter 103 — Act to incorporate the Bridgewater Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1898 chapter 158 — Act to confirm the sale of the Bridgewater Electric Light, Water, & Power Co.

Also see: Bridgewater Electric Light, Water, & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Town of Bridgewater (municipal electric utility)




Brooklyn Light & Power Company Limited

Hants County: Brooklyn




Canada Electric Company Limited

Cumberland County

NSL 1889 chapter 128 — Act to incorporate the Canada Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1898 chapter 167 — Act to authorize the Company to sell property to the Town of Amherst
NSL 1913 chapter 166 — Amendment

Also see: Eastern Utilities Ltd.



Nova Scotia Power Commission
acquires
Canada Electric Company Limited
January 4, 1961

As of January 1st, 1961, the total authorized capital of the Canada Electric Company Limited was 15,000 shares, divided 11,500 common and 3,500 preferred. Of these authorized shares, 9,000 common shares and 2,500 preferred shares were issued.

By agreement dated January 1st, 1961 and effective January 4th, 1961, all issued shares — 9,000 common and 2,500 preferred — were acquired from the former shareholders and as of January 4th, 1961 said shares were held as follows:
       Her Majesty the Queen   . . . .  2500 preferred shares
       Her Majesty the Queen   . . . .  8970 common shares
       George I. Smith   . . . . . . .     5 common shares
       Harvey W.L. Doane   . . . . . .     5 common shares
       Ronald G. Smith   . . . . . . .     5 common shares
       J. Craig MacDonald  . . . . . .     5 common shares
       Roderick J. McSween . . . . . .     5 common shares
       William L. Jodrey   . . . . . .     5 common shares
                                        ----
               Total                    9000 common shares
                                        2500 preferred shares
Source: 1961 Annual Report of the Public Utilities Board, pages 86-87

Note: In January 1961, George Issac Smith of Truro was the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners (the directors) of the Nova Scotia Power Commission.  The other five men named above were Commissioners.  The assignment of shares to them was part of the legal proceedings required to transfer ownership and management control to the new owner.




Maccan steam generating plant, Canada Electric Company
Canada Electric Company's 27 MW Maccan steam generating plant
at Harrison Lake, Cumberland County.  This location was chosen
because it was the best available source, in the Amherst area,
of cooling water for the steam turbine condensers.
Photograph:— Nova Scotia Power Commission annual report 1966, page 19

This generating plant was located on the north side of Harrison Lake

GPS location:   45°42'54"N   64°16'57"W
Google map





Canadian Provincial Power Company Limited

NSL 1914 chapter 181 — Act to incorporate the Canadian Provincial Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1915 chapter   93 — Amendment
NSL 1918 chapter 128 — Amendment
NSL 1919 chapter 164 — Amendment





Canadian Tungsten Mines Limited

NSL 1911 chapter 113 — Act to incorporate Canadian Tungsten Mines Ltd.
NSL 1912 chapter 187 — Amendment
NSL 1912 chapter 188 — Amendment
NSL 1913 chapter 173 — Amendment
NSL 1914 chapter 182 — Amendment
NSL 1914 chapter 183 — Amendment
NSL 1915 chapter   94 — Amendment

Also see: Halifax Power Co. Ltd.

In 1911 a company was incorporated under the name of The Canadian Tungsten Mines Limited, which name was afterwards changed more than once, and in 1913 it was called The Halifax Power Company Limited. The Act of incorporation gave legal authority to the company to engage in certain business activities, which included mining of scheelite and tungsten, transportation of freight and passengers on land or water from places in Nova Scotia, and the authority to "generate, sell and deliver, electricity or electric energy generated from steam or water power, and to build and maintain dams and make use of water power, and generate, sell and deliver, energy generated from water power."
Source:   Excerpted from the decision of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court dated 18 September 1913, on the appeal of Miller versus Halifax Power Co. Ltd. and Thomson versus Halifax Power Co. Ltd., as reported on pages 394-408 of the Eastern Law Reporter, volume XIII number 5, 24 December 1913, published by the Carswell Company, Toronto.





Canard Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County, Canard, Upper and Lower Canard, and Church Street.

Total pole line in service (April 1922) about 11 miles, from the point of connection with Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company near Port Williams, to the customers in the serviced territory. Canard EL&P Co. never operated a generating plant, and bought its electric power wholesale from Gaspereaux River LH&P Co. Beginning in 1923, Canard EL&P Co. sold electric power wholesale to Centreville EL&P Co.




Canning Water & Electric Light, Heating & Power Company Limited

Canning, Kings County
More about the Canning W&ELH&P Co.

NSL 1893 chapter 158 — Act to incorporate the Canning Water & Electric Light, Heating & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1894 chapter   93 — Amendment

Also see: Water Commissioners of the Village of Canning




Cape Breton Bus & Tram Company Limited

On 29 September 1944, Cape Breton Bus & Tram Co. acquired all the property of Cape Breton Tramways Ltd.




Cape Breton Electric Company Limited

NSL 1900 chapter 130 — Act to incorporate the Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1901 chapter 159 — Change name to Cape Breton Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1902 chapter 183 — Amendment
NSL 1909 chapter 136 — Amendment
NSL 1911 chapter 115 — Amendment
NSL 1917 chapter 197 — Amend chapter 130 of 1900

More about the Cape Breton Electric Co.
Also see: Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Stone & Webster




Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Company Limited

NSL 1900 chapter 130 — Act to incorporate the Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1901 chapter 159 — Change name to Cape Breton Electric Co. Ltd.

More about the Cape Breton ET&P Co.
Also see: Cape Breton Electric Co. Ltd.
Also see: Stone & Webster




Cape Breton Tramways Limited

Cape Breton Tramways Ltd. operated an electric streetcar system within the Town of Glace Bay and an interurban line (public transit electric railway) between Glace Bay and Sydney.  On 29 September 1944, Cape Breton Tramways Ltd. transferred all its property to the Cape Breton Bus & Tram Co.





Cape Split Development Company

Cape Split, Kings County, Nova Scotia

The Cape Split Development Company was created in 1916 with a four-fold purpose:
•  to examine the economic viability of the development of a hydroelectric power plant at Cape Split;
•  to obtain an engineer's report;
•  to carry out experimental work; and
•  to raise the capital necessary to complete the project.

After raising its initial capital by selling shares, the company hired the services of the New York consulting engineers Bogart and Pohl, whose report emphasized the growing need for hydroelectric power in the Maritimes and the suitability of the Cape Split site for the generation of said hydroelectric power.  Also hired was the consulting engineer Charles M. Allen, who conducted experiments on the efficiency of the Clarkson Current Motor prototype, which the company hoped to use, and gave an extremely favorable report.  All was ready for the beginning of construction at the Cape Split site, except for the necessary capital.  Unfortunately, the initial $31,000 raised through the selling of shares was the sum total of all of the company's capital, so the project fell through.

In 1928, the property was sold to Minas Basin Pulp and Paper, although the right to develop power on the property was retained by the company.  This right was deeded to the Nova Scotia Power Commission in 1957.
Sources:
    http://library.acadiau.ca/archives/research/acadia_archives/NSPC.pdf
    http://library.acadiau.ca/archives/research/acadia_archives/Moir_Alexander.doc





Carboline Gas Light Company Limited

NSL 1872 chapter 96 — Act to incorporate the Carboline Gas Light Co. Ltd.





Centreville Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Kings County, Centreville and vicinity

On 23 July 1923, Centreville EL&P Co. received official approval to issue 60 shares of common stock at a par value of $50.00 each, to raise $3,000 to pay for construction of its transmission line from "A.S. McDonald's corner, where connection is made with the Canard Electric Light & Power Co., into the district of Centreville, a distance of 2.3 miles [3.7km].  Construction materials included 90 cedar poles with cross arms and insulators, 2888 pounds [1307kg] of line wire, and seventeen 10-ampere kW·h meters." In July 1923, seventeen consumers were connected, "with the prospect of eight additional later". Centreville EL&P Co. never operated a generating plant.  From the beginning in 1923, Centreville EL&P Co. bought its electric power wholesale from Canard EL&P Co. Canard EL&P Co. bought its electric power wholesale from Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Co.  In 1931, the Centreville EL&P Co. was sold to the Avon River Power Company.





Chambers Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Colchester County: Truro

NSL 1889 chapter 130 — Act to incorporate the Chambers Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1894 chapter 101 —
NSL 1901 chapter 172 — Amendment
NSL 1904 chapter 177 — Amendment

More about the Chambers EL&P Co.
Also see: Truro Electric Co.

Section 6 of chapter 130 of the Acts of 1889, as amended, reads as follows: The Chambers Electric Light & Power Company "is hereby empowered to erect and place upon and along the streets, ways, and other necessary places and highways in the town of Truro, and also in the county of Colchester, poles or other necessary supports with wires thereon for the transmission of electric currents for purposes of the company's business, but not to interfere with the Nova Scotia Telephone or Western Union Telegraph wires now erected in Truro, and no person or corporation shall erect or place any electric light or other wires within three feet 90 cm of the wires of the company."
Source:   Excerpted from the Nova Scotia court decision by J. Ritchie dated 21 November 1913, on the action by the Town of Truro versus Chambers Electric Light & Power Company, as reported on pages 443-450 of the Eastern Law Reporter, volume XIII number 6, 15 January 1914, published by the Carswell Company, Toronto.





Chandler Electric Company Limited

NSL 1888 chapter 129 — Act conferring certain powers upon the Chandler Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1890 chapter 202 —





Chester Light, Power & Water Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1910 chapter 128 — Act to incorporate the Chester Light, Power & Water Co. Ltd.





Chester Light & Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County: Chester, Marriotts Cove, Chester Basin, Gold River, Western Shore, Martins Point, Martins River, Indian Point, East Chester, Blandford, Hubbards, Queensland, Black Point, Ingramport

NSL 1924 chapter __ — Act to incorporate the Chester Light & Power Co. Ltd.

The Chester L&P Co. was incorporated in 1924, by Foreman Hawboldt, Carrol Manning, Roy Hennigar, Harold Hilchie, Owen Zinck, and Eugene Publicover.  In November 1924, the Chester L&P Co. had 73 electricity meters in service, which indicates it had 73 paying customers.





Chignecto Light & Power Company Limited






Chipman's Corner Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County: Chipman's Corner (about 3km northeast from Kentville)

In 1928, Chipman's Corner EL&P Co. bought $408.20 worth of energy from Avon River Power Co.
Source: Page 123, The Story of R.A. Jodrey, Entrepreneur (book), by Harry Bruce, McClelland and Stewart, 1979





Cobequid Power Company Limited

Service area: In Colchester County, Belmont, Debert, Great Village, Bass River, and surrounding territory

Cobequid Power Co. never operated a generating plant. When it started in business, it purchased all its electric power from The Falls hydroelectric generating station in Colchester County, owned and operated by the Northumberland Light & Power Co. To get this power from The Falls to its service area, it erected a 4-wire 3-phase 12.5 kV transmission line from The Falls 17.5 miles to Stewart's Bridge in Colchester County, and thence toward Truro. This transmission line bringing electric power from The Falls was the sole source of supply for the Cobequid Power Co. until 1 October 1933, when Cobequid ceased to draw its power from The Falls, and began purchasing it from the Truro Electric Commission. At that time, the transmission line became unnecessary to Cobequid's operation, and in May 1934 Cobequid applied to the PUB to sell part of this line, the 17.5 miles from the Falls to Stewart's Bridge, to Northumberland L&P Co. This transaction was complicated by the fact that this portion of the line served not only for transmission of wholesale electric power, but also supplied two domestic (residential) customers along the route. After extensive examination of the situation, on 27 July 1934 the PUB denied the application to sell the line.





Dartmouth & Cow Bay Electric Company Limited

NSL 1911 chapter 120 — Act to incorporate the Dartmouth & Cow Bay Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1914 chapter 170 — Amendment





Dartmouth Gas & Electric Light & Heating & Power Company Limited

NSL 1889 chapter 132 — Act to incorporate the Dartmouth Gas & Electric Light & Heating & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1920 chapter 181 — Amendment

The Dartmouth GELHP Co. was incorporated on 17 April 1889, under chapter 132 of the 1889 Acts of the Legislature. On 25 February 1935, official approval was given by the PUB for the Dartmouth GELHP Co. to sell its entire property, assets and undertaking to the Nova Scotia Light & Power Co.





Dartmouth Gas Light & Water Company Limited

NSL 1861 chapter 76 — Act to incorporate the Dartmouth Gas Light & Water Co. Ltd.





Dartmouth Tram & Power Company Limited

NSL 1890 chapter 189 — Act to incorporate the Dartmouth Tram & Power Co. Ltd.





Dartmouth Water & Gas Company

NSL 1867 chapter 55 — Act to incorporate the Dartmouth Water & Gas Co.





Digby Electric Light Company Limited

The Digby EL Co. reported that, during the year 1912, its operating revenue was $5,941.68 and operating expenses were $5,324.52, and it paid $108.87 in taxes.
Source: PUB Annual Report 1912-13

On 14 June 1922, the Digby EL Co. received official approval from the PUB to sell the whole of its undertaking to the Town of Digby.
Source: PUB Annual Report 1922





Dominion Iron & Steel Company Limited

    DISCO
Nova Scotia: DISCO electric generating plant, 1902
Electric generating plant, 1902
Dominion Iron and Steel Company, Sydney, Nova Scotia
Three main electric generators, each driven by a
compound reciprocating steam engine (three large flywheels).
Source: page 219, "Cape Breton, Canada, at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century"
by C.W. Vernon, Nation Publishing Company, Toronto, 1903





Dominion Utilities Company Limited

Incorporated on 20 May 1913 as Waterford Public Utilities Co. Ltd.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1000914.
Name changed 24 November 1921 to Dominion Utilities Co. Ltd.





Eastern Development Company Limited

NSL 1882 chapter   61 — Act to incorporate the Eastern Development Co. Ltd.
NSL 1883 chapter   71 —
NSL 1884 chapter   71 —
NSL 1885 chapter   99 —
NSL 1886 chapter 141 —
NSL 1890 chapter 181 — To extend powers, as to Gas Works and Water Works, etc.





Eastern Light & Power Company Limited

Incorporated on 26 January 1911 as Sydney Mines Electric Co. Ltd.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1000776.
Name changed 9 June 1931 from Sydney Mines Electric Co. Ltd.

Service area: Sydney and North Sydney and vicinity.
Also see: Sydney Mines Electric Co. Ltd.

By Order In Council dated 9 June 1931, the name of the Sydney Mines Electric Co. Ltd. was changed to Eastern Light & Power Co. Ltd., with head office in Sydney.

On 30th December 1966, all of the outstanding shares of Eastern Light & Power Company Limited were purchased by the Nova Scotia Power Commission at a cost of $3,900,000.
— Nova Scotia Power Commission Annual Report 1966, page 12





Eastern Utilities Limited

Eastern Utilities Limited was a holding company (it owned shares of other companies), not an operating utility company – it did not own any generating plants or transmission lines or any other equipment used in the production and/or distribution of electric power, it did not deliver electricity to anyone, and it did not send bills to electric power consumers.  Eastern Utilities Limited was incorporated in Prince Edward Island; it is included in this history of Nova Scotia electric companies because it owned companies in the electric power business in Nova Scotia — Canada Electric Co. Ltd., Maritime Coal, Railway and Power Co. Ltd., and Joggins Coal Co. Ltd. (all three based in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia).




May 1940:   Eastern Utilities Limited is an investment holding Company which owns all the issued shares of Canada Electric Company Limited; The Eastern Electric and Development Company Limited; and with the exception of 33 shares, all of the 11,254 shares (par value $100) of the Moncton Electricity and Gas Company Limited; also the majority of common (voting) shares of Maritime Coal, Railway and Power Company Limited; and all the issued shares of Joggins Coal Company Limited.

The Managing Director of Eastern Utilities Limited is J.H. Winfield of Halifax.  Other directors are: Hon. F.B. McCurdy, P.C. of Halifax; L.A. Lovett, K.C. of Halifax; Hon. C.W. Robinson of Moncton; and H.A. Forsythe, M.M. King, and M.K. Bell of Charlottetown.

Source: a prominent display advertisement in the Kentville Advertiser, 9 May 1940, by Johnston and Ward, a large Montreal brokerage firm, offering for sale shares of Eastern Utilities Limited.  "The statements contained herein are based on information which we believe to be reliable..."





The Edison Electric Light & Power Company Limited of Springhill

NSL 1892 chapter 155 — Act to incorporate the Edison Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd. of Springhill
NSL 1914 chapter 151 — Amendment





Egerton Tramway Company Limited

Pictou County: Trenton - New Glasgow - Stellarton - Westville

NSL 1902 chapter 137 — Act to incorporate the Egerton Tramway Co. Ltd.
NSL 1903 chapter 234 — Amendment
NSL 1904 chapter 133 — Act respecting assessment of the Egerton Tramway in New Glasgow, Stellarton, and Westville
NSL 1906 chapter 160 — Amendment
NSL 1909 chapter 142 — Act to confirm contract between New Glasgow Electric Co. Ltd. and Egerton Tramway Co. Ltd.
NSL 1909 chapter 143 — Amendment and name changed
NSL 1910 chapter 163 — Amendment
NSL 1916 chapter 105 — Amendment

More about the Egerton Tramway Co.
Also see: New Glasgow Electric Co. Ltd.




Electric Association of Nova Scotia

NSL 1921 chapter 160 — Act to incorporate the Electric Association of Nova Scotia





Emera Incorporated

Incorporated as 3021211 Nova Scotia Limited on 23 July 1998.
Name changed to NS Power Holdings Incorporated on 11 September 1998.
Name changed to Emera Incorporated on 10 July 2000.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3021211.

Also see: NS Power Holdings Inc.
Also see: Nova Scotia Power Inc.
On 10 July 2000, the company name was changed to Emera Inc. from NS Power Holdings Inc.

There is a conflict in the change of name information published in two different but both highly-reliable sources.  The Joint Stock Registry reports that the change of name was legally effective on 10 July 2000, but the Emera Annual Report for 2000 states that the change of name was effective on 17 July 2000.  This difference is minor, only seven days, and is of no consequence to us, many years later.  It is mentioned here only to avoid the possibility that the reader of this history might form an impression that the author of this history was careless.


On 2 December 1998 shareholders approved a proposal to reorganize Nova Scotia Power Inc. to create a holding company structure. This reorganization allows the regulated utility business of Nova Scotia Power (NSPI) to be held in a corporation separate from other business activities. On 9 December 1998 the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia ratified the new holding company structure. On 1 January 1999 all NSPI common shareholders exchanged their shares for NS Power Holdings Inc. common shares on a one-for-one basis.
Source: NS Power Holdings Inc. Annual Report 1998
    http://www.emera.com/images/annreport98.pdf


NS Power Holdings Inc. common shares were approved for listing on the Toronto and Montreal stock exchanges and began trading on 6 January 1999. The company name was changed to Emera Inc. on 17 July 2000.
Source: Emera Inc. Annual Report 2000
    http://www.emera.com/images/annreport00.pdf


In early October 2001, final regulatory approvals for the merger between the Bangor Hydro Electric Company and Emera Inc. were received. On October 10, 2001, Emera completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding common stock of the Bangor Hydro Electric Company for US$26.806 per share in cash.
Source: Bangor Hydro Electric Company Annual Report 2001 (SEC form 10-K)
    http://biz.yahoo.com/e/020320/bgr.html




As of July 2002, Emera Inc., 1894 Barrington Street, Halifax, had the following subsidiary companies:
•   Nova Scotia Power Inc. (wholly owned)
•   Bangor Hydro-Electric Company (wholly owned)
•   Emera Energy (wholly owned)
•   Emera Fuels Inc. (wholly owned)
•   Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline (12.5% interest)
•   Sable Project (SOEP) (8.4% interest)
The SOEP infrastructure assets comprise a gas processing plant at Goldboro, Nova Scotia; a natural gas liquids fractionation plant at Point Tupper, Nova Scotia; a natural gas liquids pipeline connecting the Goldboro and Point Tupper operations; offshore production platforms; and sub-sea gathering pipelines.
Source: Emera's website http://www.emera.com/






Bangor Hydro-Electric Company

Bangor Hydro service area Bangor Hydro
service area
The purchase of Bangor Hydro-Electric Company by Emera Inc. was completed on 10 October 2001.  Emera acquired all of the outstanding shares of Bangor Hydro common stock for US$26.50 per share in cash, and the holders of the outstanding warrants to purchase Bangor Hydro's common stock received US$26.50 less the $7.00 exercise price per warrant.  Bangor Hydro's outstanding preferred stock was not affected by the transaction.  Bangor Hydro is an electric utility serving a population of about 192,000 in an area encompassing 5,275 square miles 13,660 square kilometres in eastern and east coastal Maine.  Bangor Hydro is a member of the New England Power Pool and is interconnected with other New England utilities to the south and with the New Brunswick Power Corporation to the north.
Source: Bangor Hydro-Electric Company website
    http://www.bhe.com/about/news_action.cfm?news_id=31





Eureka Power Company Limited

Pictou County




Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company Limited

Kings County
Incorporated March 3, 1920, by C.H. Wright and R.A. Jodrey, both of Wolfville.

In 1917, electric power service in the town of Wolfville, supplied by the Acadia Electric Light Company in Wolfville was far from satisfactory.  The Wolfville Board of Trade (whose secretary, incidentally, was George C. Nowlan, a federal cabinet minister forty years later) decided somebody had to do something about the electricity supply in Wolfville.  It asked two of the sharpest young businessmen around town to investigate the Gaspereau River as a power source.

They were Charles H. Wright, a capable and popular building contractor, and Roy A. Jodrey, farmer, apple speculator, and fair-haired boy of the W.H. Chase organization.  L.E. Shaw, a brick manufacturer who was also president of the Wolfville Board of Trade, wrote many years later that Jodrey and Wright "never came back to report.  They found more than we had anticipated."

Wright and Jodrey found a waterfall, formed a company (Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company), built a dam (at Stivers Falls), installed a powerhouse, and built electric transmission lines out across the Annapolis Valley...

No one is precisely sure about the construction schedule of the dam, powerhouse, and pulpworks that Wright and Jodrey built at Stivers Falls, White Rock, Kings County, but two facts are known:

      • Wright and Jodrey got provincial approval for the dam on June 15, 1917.  Charlie Wright had his plans ready, and, that day, work began on construction of the dam.

      • The hydroelectric generating plant began to operate on February 25, 1920.  By May 1920, it was producing electric power for Wolfville, Greenwich, and Port Williams...
Source:   Excerpted from pages 114, 118 and 119, The Story of R.A. Jodrey, Entrepreneur (book), by Harry Bruce, McClelland and Stewart, 1979


How Electricity came to the eastern Valley, Kings County Advertiser, March 2009
How Electricity came to the eastern Valley
Kings County Advertiser, 24 March 2009




In 1926, the Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company was sold to the Avon River Power Company.


Today, in 2008, Charlie Wright's dam at Stivers Falls still stands as solid as ever, and still produces daily revenue for the current owner, Nova Scotia Power Inc.  It was built originally to impound water to form the head pond for the Stivers Falls generating plant.  The Stivers Falls plant was demolished in the late 1940s, and was replaced by the modern White Rock generating plant, completed in 1950.  The head pond for the modern White Rock generating plant is the same body of water that originally was the Stivers Falls head pond.  Charlie Wright's dam today impounds the water that flows from the dam site along the White Rock canal to supply water to drive the turbine in the White Rock generating plant.





Gaspereaux Valley Electric Light Company Limited

Kings County
Incorporated March 3, 1920, by C.H. Wright and R.A. Jodrey, both of Wolfville.

On July 29, 1920, the Gaspereaux Valley EL Company applied to the Public Utilities Board for authority to issue 800 shares valued at ten dollars each, to get $8,000 to build six miles ten km of power line between the Stivers Falls powerhouse at White Rock and the village of Gaspereau.
Source:   Excerpted from page 120, The Story of R.A. Jodrey, Entrepreneur (book), by Harry Bruce, McClelland and Stewart, 1979




In 1931, the Gaspereaux Valley EL Co. was sold to the Avon River Power Company.





Gaspereaux Valley Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Kings County




Gold River Mines & Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1905 chapter 136 — Act to incorporate the Gold River Mines & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1906 chapter 168 — Amendment

The Gold River Mines & Power Co. was incorporated under 5 Edw. VII c. 136, passed by the Nova Scotia Legislature on 7 April 1905.





Grafton Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Kings County




Guysboro Heat, Light & Power Company Limited






Habitant Electric Light Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County, Habitant and vicinity (about two km east from Canning)

The Habitant Electric Light Company Limited was incorporated in 1921. 

The Habitant EL Company never generated electric power, it bought its electricity wholesale from the Canning Water Commission's electric system.

On 21 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of Habitant Electric Light Company to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax.  The sale price was $800.
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1941, pages 82-88

See note 3




Halifax Development Company Limited

NSL 1913 chapter 141 — Act to authorize the Halifax Development Co. Ltd. to erect poles and wires
NSL 1913 chapter 142 —





Halifax Electric Light Company Limited

NSL 1881 chapter 58 — Act to incorporate the Halifax Electric Light Co. Ltd.





Halifax Electric Tramway Company Limited

NSL 1895 chapter 107 — Act to incorporate the Halifax Electric Tramway Co. Ltd.
NSL 1896 chapter   87 — Amendment
NSL 1897 chapter 92 — Act respecting amalgamation of Halifax Gas light Co. with People's Heat & Light Co.
NSL 1902 chapter 180 — Act to amend chapter 107 of 1895
NSL 1906 chapter   66 — Act respecting taxation by City of Halifax
NSL 1911 chapter   11 — Of Street Railway Companies
NSL 1912 chapter 209 —
NSL 1912 chapter   78 —
NSL 1913 chapter 194 —

More about the Halifax Electric Tramway Co.
Also see: Halifax Street Railway Co.
Also see: Halifax Gas Light Co. Ltd.

Electric Streetcars Begin Operating in Halifax
13 February 1896

"The first trolley car started out on February 13, 1896," according to a technical paper Halifax Electric Tramway Plant and Steam Engineering read on May 7, 1907, by Philip A. Freeman, Chief Engineer of the Halifax Electric Tram Company, before the Nova Scotia Society of Engineers.  It is unclear whether this was a test run or the beginning of regular service, but it is certain that the electric street railway was able to operate at least one car on the track on this day, meaning that the electric generating plant was operational, and the track and overhead trolley wire were in place and able to perform their intended functions.




There are very few soft coal regions where so little use has been made of coal gas and coke as is the case in Nova Scotia, notwithstanding that Nova Scotian coals are particularly suitable for gas manufacture, and are "fat" coals, yielding a larger percentage of by-products than any Canadian coals.  The gas works of the Halifax Electric Tramway Company in Halifax, and the Yarmouth Fuel Gas Company, are the only gas works in the Province of Nova Scotia.
Source:— page 37 The Coal-Fields and Coal Industry of Eastern Canada, A General Survey and Description
by Francis W. Gray, Canada Department of Mines, 1917





Halifax Gas Consumers' Company

NSL 1872 chapter 94 — Act to incorporate the Halifax Gas Consumers' Co.





Halifax Gas Light Company

NSL 1840 chapter   16 — Act to incorporate the Halifax Gas Light & Water Co.
NSL 1844 chapter   72 — Change name to Halifax Gas Light Co.
NSL 1857 chapter   71 —
NSL 1863 chapter   70 —
NSL 1864 chapter   64 —
NSL 1867 chapter   78 —
NSL 1874 chapter   85 —
NSL 1881 chapter   60 —
NSL 1887 chapter 123 —
NSL 1888 chapter 118 —
NSL 1889 chapter 122 —
NSL 1897 chapter   92 — Act respecting amalgamation with the Peoples' Heat & Light Co.

Also see: Halifax Electric Tramway Co. Ltd.
Also see: Halifax Gas Light & Water Co.
Also see: Peoples' Heat & Light Co. Ltd.




Halifax Gas Light & Water Company

NSL 1840 chapter 16 — Act to incorporate the Halifax Gas Light & Water Co.
NSL 1841 chapter 19 — Amendment
NSL 1844 chapter 72 — Change name to Halifax Gas Light Co.

Also see: Halifax Gas Light Co.




Halifax Power Company Limited

NSL 1911 chapter 113 — Act to incorporate Canadian Tungsten Mines Ltd.
NSL 1912 chapter 187 — Amendment
NSL 1912 chapter 188 — Amendment
NSL 1913 chapter 173 — Amendment
NSL 1914 chapter 182 — Amendment
NSL 1914 chapter 183 — Amendment
NSL 1915 chapter   94 — Amendment
NSL 1917 chapter   88 — Act to authorize the City of Halifax to hold shares in the Halifax Power Co. Ltd. and to lend money thereto
NSL 1919 chapter   83 — Act to authorize and confirm agreement between City of Halifax and the Halifax Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1919 chapter   84 — Amendment

Also see: Canadian Tungsten Mines Ltd.

In 1911 a company was incorporated under the name of The Canadian Tungsten Mines Limited, which name was afterwards changed more than once, and in 1913 it was called The Halifax Power Company Limited. The company proposed to develop a water power site at St. Margaret's Bay, by damming the waters of North East River and diverting them into the bed of Indian River, the latter being dammed at various places.
Source:   Excerpted from the decision of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court dated 18 September 1913, on the appeal of Miller versus Halifax Power Co. Ltd. and Thomson versus Halifax Power Co. Ltd., as reported on pages 394-408 of the Eastern Law Reporter, volume XIII number 5, 24 December 1913, published by the Carswell Company, Toronto.




A project called the St. Margaret's Bay hydroelectric system, using the waters of these rivers, was built by the Nova Scotia Power Commission, an agency of the Nova Scotia Government.  This project, which began regular operation in the autumn of 1922, consists of three hydroelectric plants, Mill Lake and Sandy Lake (these two generating plants are in the same building but utilize water from two separate rivers, the Mill Lake plant working under a head of 162 feet 49.4 m and the Sandy Lake plant working under a head of 125 feet 38.1 m), and Tidewater (taking the combined flow from both rivers and working under a head of 91 feet 27.7 m).  The total installed capacity of these plants is 15,700 horsepower 11,700 kW.  In 2008 it is owned and operated by Nova Scotia Power Inc., a subsidiary of Emera Inc.





Halifax Power & Pulp Company Limited

Halifax County: Sheet Harbour and vicinity

In 1933, the PUB officially declared that the Halifax Power & Pulp Company "is a public utility within the scope of the Public Utilities Act".





Hantsport Fruit Basket Company Limited

About 1915-1918, the steam-powered electric generating plant of the Hantsport Fruit Basket Company sold about $2,500 worth of electricity a year, to the town of Hantsport (probably mostly, perhaps all, for street lighting).  The company burned slack coal and wood waste from its wood-working mill.
Source:   Excerpted from page 114, The Story of R.A. Jodrey, Entrepreneur (book), by Harry Bruce, McClelland and Stewart, 1979




Hillaton Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County, Hillaton and vicinity (about two km southwest from Canning)

The Hillaton EL&P Company never generated electric power, it bought its electricity wholesale from the Canning Water Commission's electric system.

On 21 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of Hillaton Electric Light & Power Company to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax.  The sale price was $350.  At the time of the sale, the Hillaton EL Company served 31 customers.
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1941, pages 82-88

See note 3




Inverness Electric Light, Heat & Power Company Limited

NSL 1902 chapter 145 — Act to incorporate the Inverness Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ltd.





Island Electric Company Limited






Joggins Coal Company Limited

Also see: Eastern Utilities Ltd.




Joggins Coal & Railway Company Limited

Cumberland County: Joggins and vicinity
Also see: Eastern Utilities Ltd.

In November of 1897 the Joggins Coal and Railway Company which was operating a small electric generating plant at their mine offered to provide electricity to light the streets of Joggins.  The only requirement was that the citizens provide the necessary poles, wire and lanterns (electric light fixtures).  This was quite an achievement for a small town at this date as only the major centres had electricity.  The citizens of Joggins were excited about this latest development in their fair town as travel out and about on the wooden sidewalks after dark would now be considerably safer.
Source: History of Joggins by Dara Legere
    http://www.geocities.com/dblegere/home.html





Kentville Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Kings County: Kentville and vicinity

NSL 1891 chapter 149 — Act to incorporate the Kentville Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1892 chapter 175 — Amendment
NSL 1902 chapter 187 — To amend chapter 149 of 1891

More about the Kentville EL&P Co.
Also see: Kentville Electric Commission




Kerosene Gas Light Company

NSL 1850 chapter 25 — Act to incorporate the Kerosene Gas Light Co.
NSL 1851 chapter   8 — Amendment





Kingsport Electric Light Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County, Kingsport and vicinity (about five km east from Canning)

On 27 September 1922, the Kingsport EL Co. received approval to issue 30 shares of common stock of par value $100.00 each, to raise $3000 for capital expenditures — the cost of construction of a power line from Habitant to Kingsport and a distribution system in Kingsport.

The Kingsport EL Company never generated electric power, it bought its electricity wholesale from the Habitant Electric Light Company.

On 21 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of the Kingsport Electric Light Company to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax.  The sale price was $2,600.
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1941, pages 82-88

See note 3




Lawrencetown Light, Heat & Power Company Limited

Annapolis County: Lawrencetown and vicinity




Lockeport Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Shelburne County: Lockeport and vicinity
Act to Incorporate LEL&P passed in 1924.




Logan & Company

Halifax County: Shubenacadie and vicinity




Louisburg Electric, Water & Power Company Limited

(Note: Louisburg is the correct spelling for this company name, not Louisbourg.)

Cape Breton County

NSL 1900 chapter 132 — Act to incorporate the Louisburg Electric, Water & Power Co. Ltd.





Lower Horton Electric Company Limited

Kings County

In 1931, the Lower Horton Electric Co. was sold to the Avon River Power Company.





Lunenburg Gas Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1889 chapter 133 — Act to incorporate the Lunenburg Gas Co. Ltd.
NSL 1897 chapter 124 — Amendment
NSL 1898 chapter 160 — Amendment

In spite of its name the Lunenburg Gas Company Limited sold electric power, not gas, at least in its later years.





Lunenburg Water, & Electric Light, Heating & Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County

NSL 1888 chapter 117 — Act to incorporate the Lunenburg Water, & Electric Light, Heating & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1890 chapter 179 — Amendment
NSL 1892 chapter 187 — Amendment
NSL 1894 chapter 104 — Amendment
NSL 1895 chapter 130 — Amendment





Mahone Bay Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County




Maritime Coal, Railway & Power Company Limited

Also see: Eastern Utilities Ltd.




Maritime Fuel & Heating Gas Company Limited

NSL 1889 chapter 134 — Act to incorporate the Maritime Fuel & Heating Gas Co. Ltd.
NSL 1890 chapter 196 — Amendment





Medway Hydro Electric Power Company Limited

The Medway HEP Co. was incorporated 9 August 1919.




Mersey Hydraulic Company Limited






Miller & Gordon Manufacturing Company Limited






Milton Electric Light, Power & Manufacturing Company Limited






Milton Hydro-Electric Company Limited






Morristown Electric Light & Power Company Limited






New Glasgow Electric Company Limited

Pictou County

NSL 1887 chapter 102 — An Act to incorporate the New Glasgow Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1889 chapter 129 — Amendment, as to construction of Street Railways
NSL 1890 chapter 163 — Amendment, as to Powers of Directors
NSL 1891 chapter 178 — Amendment, as to borrowing money
NSL 1892 chapter 180 — Enacting several amendments
NSL 1893 chapter 182 — Enacting several amendments
NSL 1894 chapter   95 — Enacting several amendments
NSL 1895 chapter 145 — Enacting several amendments
NSL 1895 chapter 146 — Amendment, powers of Directors to borrow money
NSL 1896 chapter 110 — Amendment, limiting time for construction
NSL 1898 chapter 172 — Amendment, time for construction and completion
NSL 1909 chapter 142 — Act to confirm contract between New Glasgow Electric Co. Ltd. and Egerton Tramway Co. Ltd.
NSL 1909 chapter 143 — Amendment and name changed
NSL 1910 chapter 163 — Amendment
NSL 1916 chapter 105 — Amendment

Also see: Egerton Tramway Co. Ltd.
Also see: Pictou County Power Board
        Historical Notes




Thomas G. Nicol

Shelburne County

In 1925, the PUB wrote: Thomas G. Nichol of Mahone Bay ... owns and operates a hydroelectric development at Canada Hill (in Shelburne County).  In April 1924 (there seems to be some confusion in these dates) this plant was sold to the Town of Lockeport.





North Sydney Electric Light & Water Company Limited

NSL 1888 chapter 124 — An Act to incorporate the North Sydney Electric Light & Water Co. Ltd.





North Sydney Gas & Electric Light Company Limited

NSL 1882 chapter   80 — An Act to incorporate the North Sydney Gas & Electric Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1888 chapter 149 — An Act to incorporate anew





North Sydney Water & Electric Company Limited

NSL 1890 chapter 170 — An Act to incorporate the North Sydney Water & Electric Co. Ltd.





Northumberland Light & Power Company Limited






Nova Scotia Electric Light Company Limited

White Rock Mills Tramway

Gaspereaux, Kings County

NSL 1873 chapter   24 — Act to authorize the construction of a Tramway from White Rock Mills, by S.P. Benjamin and others
NSL 1897 chapter 111 — Act to incorporate S.P. Benjamin Co. Ltd.
NSL 1899 chapter 135 — Act to incorporate the Nova Scotia Electric Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1900 chapter 165 — Amendment, limiting service area to Kings and Annapolis Counties, and respecting sale by S.P. Benjamin Co. Ltd.
NSL 1901 chapter 174 — Amendment
NSL 1902 chapter 171 — Amendment

Also see: S.P. Benjamin Co. Ltd.




Nova Scotia Gas & Electric Light, Fuel & Power Company Limited

NSL 1887 chapter 92 — Act to incorporate the Nova Scotia Gas & Electric Light, Fuel & Power Co. Ltd.





Nova Scotia General Electric Company Limited

NSL 1894 chapter 86 — Act to incorporate the Nova Scotia General Electric Co. Ltd.





Nova Scotia Hydraulic Company Limited

NSL 1910 chapter 160 — Act to incorporate the Nova Scotia Hydraulic Co. Ltd.
NSL 1911 chapter 146 — Amendment





Nova Scotia Light & Power Company Limited   1911-1972

Incorporated on 1 January 1914.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1001082.

More about the Nova Scotia Light & Power Co. Ltd.




Nova Scotia Natural Gas Company Limited

NSL 1913 chapter 190 — Act to incorporate the Nova Scotia Natural Gas Co. Ltd.
NSL 1916 chapter 117 — Amendment





Nova Scotia Power Company Limited  1889

NSL 1889 chapter 135 — Act to incorporate the Nova Scotia Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1890 chapter 193 — Amendment, authorize to purchase property of Halifax Street Railway Co.
NSL 1891 chapter 158 — Amendment
NSL 1892 chapter 184 — Amendment, as to claims upon the Halifax Street Railway Co.





Nova Scotia Power Incorporated  1992-

Also see: Nova Scotia Power Corporation (a government-owned company)
Also see: NS Power Holdings Incorporated (a privately-owned company)

Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI), a new privately-owned electric utility company, began operating on 12 August 1992, the day it bought the the assets of Nova Scotia Power Corporation (NSPC), which was wholly owned by the Government of Nova Scotia.

On 12 August 1992, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (New NSP), a new privately-owned electric utility company, officially bought the assets of Nova Scotia Power Corporation (Old NSP). As the Halifax Chronicle-Herald reported the next day, Chuck MacNeil, Nova Scotia's Minister of Finance, "tightly clutching a $192,000,000 cheque, joined Premier Don Cameron" and New NSP President Louis Comeau "to officially close the deal to privatize the power utility ... The province's $192,000,000 cheque was the government's profit from the sale of $851,000,000 worth of new NSP shares. The utility received a cheque for $557,000,000 ... from RBC Dominion Securities, the lead underwriter" of the share sale (RBC is a short form of 'Royal Bank of Canada').

See: An Act to Permit the Corporate Reorganization of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated December 1998
    http://www.canlii.org/ns/laws/sta/1998c.19/20041004/whole.html

Nova Scotia Power Incorporated


Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
for the 12 Months of the Calendar Year
  1992
(MW·h)
1993
(MW·h)
1994
(MW·h)
1995
(MW·h)
1996
(MW·h)
Thermal,
Coal Fired
5,994,000 6,345,600 7,159,700 7,053,100 7,850,300
Thermal,
Oil Fired
2,469,500 2,117,200 1,205,700 1,239,400 608,700
Hydro 875,000 877,600 1,012,000 883,200 1,111,600
Purchased 194,700 218,900 216,200 499,500 254,600
Total Generated
and Purchased
9,533,200 9,559,300 9,593,600 9,675,200 9,825,200
Less: Losses and Internal Use 731,300 665,200 627,700 640,400 679,600
Total Electrical Energy Sold 8,801,900 8,894,100 8,965,900 9,034,800 9,145,600
Source: 1996 Annual Report, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated
[Note: The above figures, for 1 January 1992 to 12 August 1992, are those recorded by the Nova Scotia Power Corporation (NSPC), the former owner and operator of the electric power system which was sold to Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI) on 12 August 1992.]
one MW·h = 3,600 MJ
One MW·h is usually (1998) worth about $50 to $60
when sold as electricity at wholesale rates.





Nova Scotia Power Incorporated
Number of Customers
Buying Electric Power Service

as of 31 December in Each Year

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Residential 365,672 371,270 375,553 380,055 384,856
Commercial 32,143 32,289 32,342 32,383 32,329
Industrial 1,533 1,537 1,581 1,633 1,686
Other 5,518 5,596 5,731 5,892 5,908
Total 404,866 410,692 415,207 419,963 424,779

These numbers do not include customers of the
seven independent municipal electric utilities:
Antigonish, Berwick, Canso, Kentville,
Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, and Riverport.

[Source: 1996 Annual Report, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated]




In July 1996, Halifax lawyer David Mann was appointed president of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated.  Mr. Mann was chosen after then-president Gerry Godsoe died suddenly in the spring of 1996.  Mr. Godsoe had been appointed president in February 1996 after a year-long search to replace longtime president Louis Comeau.  NSP's chairman was Derek Oland.
[Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 14 December 1996]




Early in 1997, NSPI moved its "entire Annapolis Valley operation from Wolfville" to a site in the Annapolis Valley Regional Industrial Park.  Previously, NSPI's Annapolis Valley operation headquarters was situated across from Willow Park in Wolfville, with the 'Valley Shop' electrical maintenance facility at the east end of town opposite Tideways.  Both these buildings were to be closed down, with the downtown facility slated for demolition.  The downtown building was built about 1950 by the Nova Scotia Light & Power Company, before it was absorbed by the Nova Scotia Power Commission, which in time became NSPI.  In January 1997, NSPI employed 33 people in Wolfville; all were moved to the new location and kept their previous jobs.  A 1996 study indicated that 65% of the work done by this operation was located west of Kentville.
[Kentville Advertiser, 28 January 1997]




The 8 April 1998 issue of the Halifax Chronicle-Herald reported that David Mann, President of Nova Scotia Power Inc., got a boost in his paycheque last year.  His salary for 1997 was $335,521, plus a $65,000 bonus, the utility reported in a proxy circular distributed to shareholders before the company's annual meeting slated for April 23, 1998.  This was the first full year of reportable earnings for Mr. Mann since he took over the job on July 22, 1996.  Last year, reported salary earnings for his first five months showed Mr. Mann earned a salary of $130,000, plus a $25,000 bonus.  In addition to his 1997 salary and bonus, Mr. Mann received $3,893 in compensation and is provided with a car and its operating costs, along with membership in three social or recreation clubs.  When Mr. Mann took over the job, NSP provided him a $250,000 loan to help with income liabilities arising from the sale of his partnership shares in his former Halifax law firm, Cox Downie.  He can draw upon this loan in one or more advances, at any time until April 30, 1998.  To date, there have been no advances made against the loan, it was reported in the proxy circular.  Former NSP president Louis Comeau earned a salary of $185,287 in 1995.  Mr. Mann's total pay of more than $400,000 for 1997 tops the salary list of the power utility's executives.  Phil Sidebottom, NSP's vice-president of power production, earned the second-highest salary, a base of $149,770, plus a bonus of $22,500.  The bonus was down from $26,460 the previous year.  Robbie Shaw, vice-president of marketing and customer service, had a salary increase; his base salary rose from $144,997 to $149,615, plus a $24,000 bonus.  Terry MacDonald, vice-president of business development, maintained the same salary, earning $144,999.  However, Mr. MacDonald's bonus nearly doubled, from $17,400 in 1996 to $34,000.  And Murray Coolican, vice-president of public and regulatory affairs, had a salary of $138,000 and a $24,000 bonus.  Derek Oland, president and CEO of Moosehead Breweries, remains as the chairman of the board for NSP and receives a retainer of $50,000 per year.  He does not receive any additional money for attendance at meetings.  Each director is paid $14,000 per year, a fee of $900 for each board, committee and shareholders meeting attended, and $900 if a day's travel time is required to attend such meetings.  Disclosure to shareholders of salaries of a company's top executives and board members is mandatory for all companies trading shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
[Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 8 April 1998]



On 2 December 1998 shareholders approved a proposal to reorganize Nova Scotia Power Inc. to create a holding company structure.  This reorganization allows the regulated utility business of Nova Scotia Power (NSPI) to be held in a corporation separate from other business activities.  On 9 December 1998 the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia ratified the new holding company structure.  On1 January 1999 all NSPI common shareholders exchanged their shares for NS Power Holdings Inc. common shares on a one-for-one basis.
Source: NS Power Holdings Inc. Annual Report 1998
    http://www.emera.com/images/annreport98.pdf


NS Power Holdings Inc. common shares were approved for listing on the Toronto and Montreal stock exchanges and began trading on 6 January 1999. The company name was changed to Emera Inc. on 17 July 2000.
Source: Emera Inc. Annual Report 2000
    http://www.emera.com/images/annreport00.pdf




14 June 2006
Bowater Mersey Paper Company Limited versus Nova Scotia Power Incorporated
concerning the Interpretation of the Mersey System Agreement... NSUARB-NSPI-P-401.33 http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?language=en&searchTitle=Search+all+CanLII+Databases&path=/en/ns/nsuarb/doc/2006/2006nsuarb55/2006nsuarb55.html
(Note: You can access this online record by using your browser's Copy and Paste feature to paste this URL into your browser's URL window.)




8 March 2007
Nova Scotia Power rate decision by UARB: NSUARB-NSPI-P-886 http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?language=en&searchTitle=Search+all+CanLII+Databases&path=/en/ns/nsuarb/doc/2007/2007canlii6841/2007canlii6841.html
(Note: You can access this online record by using your browser's Copy and Paste feature to paste this URL into your browser's URL window.)




15 January 2008
Aplication to approve Nova Scotia Power Incorporated's Demand Side Management Plan: NSUARB - NSPI - P-884 http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?language=en&searchTitle=Search+all+CanLII+Databases&path=/en/ns/nsuarb/doc/2008/2008canlii567/2008canlii567.html
(Note: You can access this online record by using your browser's Copy and Paste feature to paste this URL into your browser's URL window.)



     Nova Scotia Power Inc.
         Net Peak Load
   Wed.  27 Dec 2006   1810 MW
   Thu.  28 Dec 2006   1895 MW
   Fri.  29 Dec 2006   2016 MW
   Sat.  30 Dec 2006   1881 MW
   Sun.  31 Dec 2006   1846 MW

   Sun.  14 Jan 2007   1840 MW
   Mon.  15 Jan 2007   1979 MW
   Tue.  16 Jan 2007   1968 MW
   Wed.  17 Jan 2007   2144 MW
   Thu.  18 Jan 2007   2086 MW

   Sat.  15 Dec 2007   2115 MW
   Sun.  16 Dec 2007   2020 MW
   Mon.  17 Dec 2007   2046 MW
   Tue.  18 Dec 2007   2021 MW
   Wed.  19 Dec 2007   2111 MW
   Thu.  20 Dec 2007   2115 MW
   Fri.  21 Dec 2007   2021 MW
   Sat.  22 Dec 2007   1902 MW
   Sun.  23 Dec 2007   1747 MW
   Mon.  24 Dec 2007   1583 MW
   Tue.  25 Dec 2007   1530 MW
   Wed.  26 Dec 2007   1600 MW

"Net load" is the total of "net generated power" for 
  all generating plants within the system.
"Net generated power," for an individual generator or power plant, 
  is the gross generated power less "station service."
"Gross generated power" is the measured power output at the 
  terminals of the generator, either for an individual generator
  or for several generators within one plant.
"Station service" is the electric power consumed by equipment 
  within the generating plant itself. For hydro plants, 
  station service is minimal: a few kilowatts to run the pump 
  to provide pressurized oil for the governor, a small air 
  compressor, and the plant lights. For coal-fired steam power 
  plants, station service consumes as much as eight percent of 
  the generated power, for power to drive conveyor belts, to 
  pulverize the coal, to pump large quantities of cooling water, 
  to drive the forced draft and induced draft fans, lighting, 
  and all the other equipment needed to operate the plant.
Note: The load on an electric power system is controlled by the
  customers or consumers, not by the electric utility company.



Nova Scotia Power generators
tops in reliability in 2007

        HALIFAX, Aug. 12 – Nova Scotia Power (NSPI) has among the most reliable electrical generation units in Canada, according to an independent industry analysis.

        Four generators at the Point Tupper, Lingan and Tufts Cove power plants were ranked among the tops in their class in an annual review by the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA).

        "We're very pleased with these results," said Rick Janega, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Nova Scotia Power.  "These results are a tribute to the talented men and women at our generating stations and their dedication to maintaining our systems to ensure reliable service to Nova Scotians."

        The CEA ranked the No. 2 generator at the Point Tupper generating station near Port Hawkesbury as the most reliable fossil fuel unit in Canada.  Point Tupper No. 2 took top place for having both the highest "operating factor" and the "incapability"

        "Operating factor" measures the percentage of time an individual unit was running.  For Point Tupper No. 2, that percentage was 98.9%.  The "incapability factor" measures the percentage of time a unit was unable to operate, not counting occasions when the unit was available but didn't operate because it wasn't needed.  Point Tupper's percentage in this category was 1.5%.

        The No. 1 generator at the Lingan generating station, near New Waterford, placed sixth for incapability factor (4.5%) and ninth for operating factor (95.5%).

        Among combustion turbine generators, the No. 4 and 5 units at Tufts Cove in Dartmouth placed first and second for lowest incapability factor (1.2% and 1.3%).  In the operating factor category, Tufts Cove No. 5 was second and No. 4 was third (34.8% and 31.5%).  Combustion turbines are generally only run during times of peak demand.

        Point Tupper No. 2 is a 150 megawatt unit commissioned in 1973.  It originally burned oil, but was converted to coal in 1987.  Lingan No. 1 is a 150 megawatt coal unit that began service in 1979.  The combustion turbines at Tufts Cove are both 50 megawatt units added in 2003 and 2004.  They are fueled by natural gas.

        The CEA report analyzed data from 2007, and included results for 80 fossil fuel units and 29 combustion units.

        — Source: NSP Media release, 12 August 2009




Nova Scotia Power: A Tidal Pioneer
The Annapolis Tidal Power Plant, diagrams and description





Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company Limited

Cape Breton County: Sydney Mines

NSL 1902 chapter 178 — Act relating to Electric Light by the Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co. Ltd.





Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Company Limited

Historical Notes

From 1919 to 1924, Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Co. was under the management of Stone & Webster Inc., Boston.

In 1924, Isaac Walton Killam, through the Royal Securities Corporation, bought control of Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Co.

In 1928, Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Company Limited changed its name to Nova Scotia Light & Power Company Limited.





NS Power Holdings Incorporated

Incorporated as 3021211 Nova Scotia Limited on 23 July 1998.
Name changed to NS Power Holdings Incorporated on 11 September 1998.
Name changed to Emera Incorporated on 10 July 2000.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3021211.

See: Emera Incorporated

See: An Act to Permit the Corporate Reorganization of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated December 1998
    http://www.canlii.org/ns/laws/sta/1998c.19/20041004/whole.html

Also see: Emera Inc.
Also see: Nova Scotia Power Inc.
On 17 July 2000, the company name NS Power Holdings Inc. was changed to Emera Inc.

NS Power Holdings Incorporated (NSH), a holding company, was incorporated on 23 July 1998.  (A holding company owns shares of other companies.  That's all it does.  A holding company does not own any physical assets and does not operate any business.  NSH owns no generating plants, no transmission lines, and produces no electricity. NSH owns NSPI, and NSPI owns the generating plants and transmission lines, and produces the electricity.)

Effective 1 January 1999, the common shareholders of Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) exchanged all of their common shares for common shares of NS Power Holdings Inc. on a one-for-one basis.

Nova Scotia Power Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emera Inc., is the dominant electricity supplier in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Power has 440,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers, and assets totaling $2,800,000,000. NSP's operations are regulated by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, and include approximately 97% of the generation, 99%of the transmission and 95%of the distribution of electric power throughout Nova Scotia.

The wholly-owned subsidiaries of NS Power Holdings, in January 2000, were:
    Nova Scotia Power Inc.
    Enercom Inc.
    NSP Pipeline Inc.
    NSP U.S. Holdings Inc.
    Strait Energy Inc.
    NS Power Services Inc., and
    Stellarton Basin Coal Gas Inc. (SBCGI).

NSP Pipeline Inc. and NSP U.S. Holdings Inc. own a 12.5% equity investment in Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, which is regulated by the National Energy Board (NEB) in Canada and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the U.S. Enercom Inc. is an unregulated subsidiary which has expanded NSH's energy product line to include distribution of a full range of fuel oil products.

Sources:
The Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 18 and 23 February 2000
and SEDAR   http://www.sedar.com/


NS Power Holdings Incorporated [RJSC ID#3021211] has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company's directors, as of 17 February 2000, were:
•   David McD. Mann, Halifax, Nova Scotia; President and CEO
•   Derek Oland, New River Beach, New Brunswick
•   George A. Caines, Q.C., Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   Purdy Crawford, Q.C., Toronto, Ontario
•   R. Irene d`Entremont, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
•   James K. Gray, Calgary, Alberta
•   Thomas R. Hall, Marble Mountain, Nova Scotia
•   M. Edward MacNeil, Sydney River, Nova Scotia
•   Dr. Elizabeth Parr-Johnston, Fredericton, New Brunswick
•   Kenneth C. Rowe, Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   Rosemary Scanlon, London, England
•   Paul D. Sobey, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
The company's recognized agent is:
Richard J. Smith, Secretary & General Counsel


Nova Scotia Power Incorporated [RJSC ID#1567820] has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company's directors, as of 17 February 2000, were:
•   Paul D. Sobey, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
•   Thomas R. Hall, Marble Mountain, Nova Scotia
•   M. Edward MacNeil, Sydney River, Nova Scotia
•   Derek Oland, New River Beach, New Brunswick
•   Elizabeth Parr-Johnston, Fredericton, New Brunswick
•   Kenneth C. Rowe, Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   Rosemary Scanlon, London, England
•   George A. Caines, Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   R. Irene d`Entremont, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
•   Purdy Crawford, Toronto, Ontario
•   David McD. Mann, Halifax, Nova Scotia; President and CEO
•   James K. Gray, Calgary, Alberta
The company's recognized agent is:
Richard J. Smith, Secretary & General Counsel


Enercom Communications Incorporated [RJSC ID#3028342] (formerly Scotiacom Telecommunications) has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company's directors, as of 17 February 2000, were:
•   Richard J. Smith, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Secretary
•   David McD. Mann, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Chairman and CEO
•   Jay Forbes, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Vice President
•   Wayne J. Crawley, Nova Scotia; Vice President
The company's recognized agent is:
Richard J. Smith, Secretary


Quality Connections Communications Incorporated [RJSC ID#2267629] has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company's directors, as of 17 February 2000, were:
•   Richard J. Smith, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Secretary
•   David McD. Mann, Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   Jay Forbes, Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   Wayne J. Crawley, Nova Scotia
The company's recognized agent is:
Richard J. Smith, Secretary


Enercom Mobile Communications [RJSC ID#3039357] has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. As of 17 February 2000, the RJSC lists no directors.
The company's recognized agent is:
Richard J. Smith


Enovacom [RJSC ID#3039355] has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. As of 17 February 2000, the RJSC lists no directors.
The recognized agent of this Partnership/Business is:
Richard J. Smith


Stellarton Basin Coal Gas Incorporated [RJSC ID#2230823] has its registered office at 1894 Barrington Street, Barrington Tower, Scotia Square, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company's sole director, as of 17 February 2000, was:
•   Richard J. Smith, Halifax, Nova Scotia; President and Secretary
The company's recognized agent is:
Richard J. Smith


Nova Scotia Light and Power Company Limited [RJSC ID#1001082] (previous name Nova Scotia Tramways and Power Company Limited) has its registered office at 1723 Hollis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company's directors, as of 17 February 2000, were:
•   A.G. Manuel, Halifax, Nova Scotia; President
•   C.H. Loveless, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Vice President Finance
•   H.W.V. Matthews, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Treasurer
•   James G. Spurr, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Secretary
•   George Perrin, Halifax, Nova Scotia
•   A.L. Bruce, Truro, Nova Scotia
•   J.G. MacDonald, Sydney, Nova Scotia
•   G.J. McCulloch, Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia
•   Barbara Walker, Halifax, Nova Scotia
The company's recognized agent is:
James G. Spurr


Sources:
Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/bacs/rjsc/
and SEDAR   http://www.sedar.com/





C. O'Dell Electric Light Company Limited

Annapolis County

NSL 1898 chapter 149 — Act to incorporate the C. O'Dell Electric Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1898 chapter 170 — Amendment





Oxford Electric Company Limited






Oxford Electric Light & Power Company Limited






Oxford Water & Power Supply Company Limited

NSL 1896 chapter 97 — Act to incorporate the Oxford Water & Power Supply Co. Ltd.
NSL 1899 chapter 92 — Act to authorize the Village of Oxford to purchase the Water Works of the Oxford Water & Power Supply Co. Ltd.





Cyril L. Parks

Service area: In Hants County, Noel

In a report dated 12 October 1934, the PUB wrote:  Cyril L. Parks, "is the owner of a shingle mill at Noel, and in response to the requests of the people of the Village of Noel, he has entered upon the business of supplying electric energy to the public, and therefore has become a public utility..."





Paradise Electric Company Limited

The Paradise Electric Co. was incorporated on 22 May 1920.





Paradise West Electric Light Company Limited

Service area: In Annapolis County, Paradise West and vicinity.

On 10 November 1922, the Paradise West EL Co. received approval to issue 45 shares of common stock of par value $100.00 each, to raise $4500 to pay the cost of construction of a transmission line and electrical distribution system.





Peoples' Heat & Light Company Limited

NSL 1893 chapter 157 — Act to incorporate the Peoples' Heat & Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1895 chapter 137 —
NSL 1896 chapter 102 —
NSL 1897 chapter 90 —
NSL 1897 chapter 91 —
NSL 1897 chapter 92 — Act respecting amalgamation of Halifax Gas Light Co. with the Peoples' Heat & Light Co.
NSL 1898 chapter 159 —
NSL 1899 chapter 162 —
NSL 1900 chapter 164 —

Also see: Halifax Electric Tramway Co. Ltd.
Also see: Halifax Gas Light Co.
Also see: Halifax Gas Light & Water Co.




Pereaux Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County, (northeast from Canning) "the School Sections of Upper Pereaux, Middle Pereaux, Lower Pereaux, Blomidon, and Medford, and districts thereto adjacent not at present (1934) supplied with electric power."

The Pereaux EL&P Company never generated electric power, it bought its electricity wholesale from the Canning Water Commission's electric system, which got its electricity from Avon River Power Company's generating station at Stivers Falls on the Gaspereau River.

The Pereaux Electric Light & Power Company was incorporated in 1934.  On 19 November 1934, the Pereaux EL&P Co. was authorized to issue 30 common shares at a par value of $100.00 each, to raise $3,000 to pay for construction of a transmission line and electrical distribution system.

— Source: PUB Annual Report 1934


As of 28 March 1935, the total capital expenditure was $4,181.62, "and it appears that this is a reasonable expenditure considering the amount of work done."  On this date, the Pereaux EL&P Co. had fifteen customers connected and taking electric power, 13 domestic (residential) and two commercial customers; fourteen of these customers were shareholders in the company.  The largest commercial customer was the British Canadian Fruit Association.

— Source: PUB Annual Report 1935, pages 46 and 47


On 13 May 1935, the Pereaux EL&P Co. got official approval for its schedule of rates:

Pereaux Electric Light & Power
Company

May 1935


ITEM DESCRIPTION PRICE
PER kW·h
Domestic (Residential) Service
Service charge: $1.66 per month  
Energy charge: First 10 kW·h
per month:
All over 10 kW·h
per month:
13.4 ¢
6.6 ¢
Minimum bill: $2.77 per month  
Commercial Lighting
Service charge: $2.22 per month
per kilowatt
of connected load
 
Energy charge: All usage 6.6 ¢
Minimum bill: $3.33 per month,
or the service charge,
whichever is the greater
 
A discount of ten per cent shall be allowed
on bills paid on or before the tenth day
of the month in which they become payable.

Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report 1935

On 21 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of the Pereaux Electric Light & Power Company to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax.  The sale price was $3,250.
See note 3

— Source: PUB Annual Report 1941, pages 82-88




From the monthly Canning Gazette, issue #106, November 1996:
Remember a few months back we asked if anyone knew of the Pereaux Electric Light & Power Company?  We were able to find out, from an elderly gentleman of great storytelling and farming skills, that the venture was started by a man named Hewitt, who lived over on the North Medford Road.  We were able to locate his son, who now lives in Germany, and have written to him inquiring if he has any knowledge or memory of this business.

In May 2005, research in the PUB records in Halifax turned up this: Mr. Francis J. Hewett was President and Managing Director of the Pereaux EL&P Co. in 1934 and 1935 (beyond 1935 is unknown).





Pictou Gas Light Company

  (incorporated 1846)

NSL 1846 chapter 41 — Act to incorporate the Pictou Gas Light Co.
NSL 1851 chapter 10 — Amendment





Pictou Gaslight Company Limited

NSL 1885 chapter 110 — Act to incorporate the Pictou Gaslight Co. Ltd.





Pictou County Electric Company Limited

Historical Notes

Photograph: Pictou County Electric Company's car barn with streetcars
    http://www.parl.ns.ca/projects/industry/Business-Factory/PictouCoElect40.jpg





Port Hawkesbury Electric Company Limited

NSL 1892 chapter 162 — Act to incorporate the Port Hawkesbury Electric Co. Ltd.





Port Hood Development Company






Port LaTour Telephone Company Limited

Also distributed and sold electric power, using its telephone poles to support electric power wires.




Pugwash Electric, Limited

Act to Incorporate PEL passed in 1924





Randville Electric Light Company Limited






Leonard Rodenizer

Also see: Sherbrooke Electric Company




Sackville River Electric Company Limited

NSL 1914 chapter 187 — Act conferring certain powers on the Sackville River Electric Co. Ltd.

On 25 February 1935, official approval was given by the PUB for the Sackville River Electric Co. to sell its entire property, assets and undertaking to the Nova Scotia Light & Power Co. Ltd.





St. Croix Paper Company Limited

NSL 1897 chapter   96 — Act to incorporate the St. Croix Paper Co. Ltd.
NSL 1899 chapter 169 — Amendment
NSL 1910 chapter 169 — Amendment





Seaboard Power Corporation Limited

The Seaboard generating station was located in Glace Bay.
More about the Seaboard Power Corporation
Seaboard Power first synchronized, 1966 Feb 02
Photograph taken in the Seaboard Power generating plant at Glace Bay,
1:20am 8 February 1966, on the occasion when the Seaboard generating plant
was first synchronized with (connected to) the mainland power grid.

Photograph by Norman Gentile

Saved from discard in 1985 by Reg Mollon




Sheffield Mills Light & Power Company Limited

Kings County, Sheffield Mills and vicinity

On 7 November 1922, the Sheffield Mills L&P Co. received approval from the PUB to issue 120 shares of common stock of par value $50.00 each, to raise $6000 for construction of a power distribution line.  In 1931, the Sheffield Mills L&P Co. was sold to the Avon River Power Company.





Shelburne Electric Company Limited

Shelburne County

NSL 1903 chapter 185 — Act to incorporate the Shelburne Electric Co. Ltd.





Shelburne Power Company Limited

Shelburne County

NSL 1900 chapter 151 — Act to incorporate the Shelburne Power Co. Ltd.





Sherbrooke Electric Company Limited

Guysborough County: Village of Sherbrooke and vicinity

Approval issued by the PUB on 16 April 1934 to "Leonard Rodenizer doing business as the Sherbrooke Electric Company", engaged in the business of generating and distributing electric power to the public in the Village of Sherbrooke; Streetlighting Rate, operating from Twilight to Midnight, 60 watt lamps installed, maintained, and renewed by Sherbrooke Electric Co., $12.00 per lamp per year.





Somerset Electric Light & Power Company Limited






South Berwick Electric Light Company Limited






Standard Engineering Company Limited

PUB reported that, as of 20 December 1909 the Standard Engineering Co. of Maccan in Cumberland County, supplied electricity to a "few houses" in Chignecto, Maccan, River Hebert, and Joggins.





Stewiacke Electric Light & Power Company Limited






Stone & Webster

Stone & Webster Management Association   1907
Stone & Webster Management Division   1917
Stone & Webster Incorporated   1929
Stone & Webster Service Corporation   1929
Stone & Webster Management Consultants Inc. 1968

Also see: Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Co.
Also see: Cape Breton Electric Co. Ltd.

Stone & Webster Wikipedia
Stone & Webster Robert Monks
Stone & Webster Time, July 1929
Stone & Webster The Boston Globe, March 2006

No adequate history of the electric power industry in Nova Scotia can be written without prominent mention of Stone & Webster.  In the 1920s and 1930s, Stone & Webster had important financial and management associations with several Nova Scotia electric utility companies.  For most of its existence the Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Co. was a direct subsidiary of the Stone & Webster electric utilities and railways empire.

From 1919 to 1924, Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Co. was under the management of Stone & Webster.  (In 1928, Nova Scotia Tramways & Power Co. changed its name to Nova Scotia Light & Power Co.)

In 1887, Frank J. Sprague demonstrated the first electric streetcar in Richmond, Virginia.  His invention, known as electric traction, offered a new, much cleaner — compared to the horse-drawn streetcar services widely used until Sprague's new technology offered a reliable alternative — and more efficient way to move people which, combined with the safety elevator, would permit much denser urban development. It also created one of the first commercially profitable uses for electric power, becoming commercially feasible before such later developments as electric lighting, industrial machinery, and domestic appliances.

Urban and interurban electric railways played a major part in defining early twentieth century transportation routes and growth patterns throughout North America, at a time when highways were primitive.  Two interurban electric railways were built in Nova Scotia in the early 1900s — the Egerton Tramway Company, incorporated 27 March 1902, built an electric streetcar line in Pictou County, Trenton - New Glasgow - Stellarton - Westville; and the Cape Breton Electric Tramway & Power Company, incorporated 30 March 1900, built a high-speed electric interurban line between Sydney and Glace Bay.  (There were serious plans made to build other electric railways in Nova Scotia, including a line between Halifax and Bedford along the west side of Bedford Basin, a line between Halifax and Lunenburg, and the Blomidon Railway Company Limited planned a line from Wolfville through Canning to Scots Bay, but financing problems caused delays which ultimately defeated these proposals.)

At this time, streetcar services and most other utilities were privately financed and owned, although their performance was subject to charters or franchises granted by cities and other local governments.  The rapid multiplication of uncoordinated streetcar and interurban lines in the 1880s and 1890s begged for consolidation.  This was initially achieved by the giant Stone & Webster Management Company, founded in Boston by engineer-entrepreneurs Edward Sibley Webster and Charles Augustus Stone, the central figures in the prestigious Boston engineering firm of Stone & Webster, the most famous enterprise of its kind in North America.  They attracted large amounts of capital for acquisition and/or development of urban utilities and transportation systems across the United States and Canada.

Stone & Webster and its backers wielded control through an array of interlocking holding and operating companies.  By 1910, the company was widely known as "The Electric Octopus".

In the United States, federal anti-trust regulators pulled the plug on Stone & Webster's giant utility cartel in 1934.

Charles Augustus Stone (1867-1941) met his lifelong friend and partner, Edwin Sibley Webster (1867-1950), while they were studying electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Upon graduation, they followed the advice of a professor and rather than set up shop together, Stone worked for welding and manufacturing companies while Webster took up with Kidder, Peabody, & Company, a financial services organization.  Their parents provided seed money in 1889, and they formed a consulting firm, the Massachusetts Electrical Engineering Company, whose first client was a paper mill in Maine in need of a hydroelectric plant for its power.

Public utilities seemed a logical niche for the firm, and they began managing them in 1895, financing them in 1902 through an in-house securities department, and constructing them throughout the firm's history.  By 1912 the firm had 600 consultants housed in an 8-story building, yet Stone and Webster retained adjoining desks and jointly signed their letters. 

What we know today (1999) as Stone & Webster Consultants came into being on 30 September 1907 as Stone & Webster Management Association.  In 1917 Consultants became the Management Division, and in mid-1929 changed names again to become Stone & Webster Service Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary but a separate entity from Stone & Webster.  Its primary responsibility remained management services for utility companies, but it expanded in areas of general advisory services for the operation and development of transportation, natural gas transmission, and manufacturing.  It remained that way through October 1, 1968, when, to better reflect its evolving services to client companies, it became the Stone & Webster Management Consultants, Inc. (also called Stone & Webster Consultants).

New York, May 9, 2000 — The New York Stock Exchange announced today that trading in the common stock of Stone & Webster Incorporated will be suspended immediately.  Following suspension, application will be made to the Securities and Exchange Commission to delist the issue.  The Exchange's action is being taken in view of the fact that the Company announced on Monday, May 8, 2000 that it signed a letter of intent to sell substantially all of its assets and that it intends to file a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in connection with such sale...
See: New York Times, 10 May 2000

Sources:
    http://www.stoneandwebster.com/stoneweb/history/main.html
    http://www.historylink.org/output.CFM?file_ID=2667
    http://www.blancmange.net/tmh/articles/hogisle.html
    http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0772572.html
    http://www.iwon.com/home/careers/company_profile/0,15623,84,00.html
    http://www.eci-online.org/visitors/memdir/mem-ston.html
    http://www.nyse.com/press/NT0005E73A.html


References:
Stone & Webster websites
    http://www.swec.com/engineering/index.htm
    http://www.swec.com/engineering/power/index.htm
    http://www.stoneweb.com/whatsnew/index.htm
    http://www.stoneweb.com/management/index.htm
    http://www.stoneandwebster.com/stoneweb/index.html
    http://www.stoneandwebster.com/stoneweb/services/technology/regulate.html
    http://www.stoneandwebster.com/stoneweb/services/energy/des.html





Suburban Electric Company Limited

NSL 1901 chapter 137 — Act to incorporate the Suburban Development Co. Ltd.
NSL 1903 chapter 211 — Act to incorporate the Suburban Electric Co. Ltd.
NSL 1903 chapter 239 —





Sydney Gas Company

NSL 1872 chapter 95 — Act to incorporate the Sydney Gas Co.





Sydney Gas & Electric Light Company Limited

NSL 1882 chapter   84 — Act to incorporate the Sydney Gas & Electric Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1888 chapter 125 — Act to incorporate anew





Sydney & Glace Bay Railway Company Limited

Effective 26 March 1910: For electric power supplied by Sydney and Glace Bay Railway Co. to Gazette Publishing Company Limited, a "special power rate granted by reason of the fact that the Town of Glace Bay's municipal electric plant provides no day service, 12¢ per kilowatt hour".

(This power likely was 600 volts DC, taken directly from the overhead trolley wire. Direct current was ideal for running a printing press.)





Sydney Mines Electric Light Company Limited






Sydney Mines Electric Company Limited

Incorporated on 26 January 1911.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1000776.
Name changed 9 June 1931 to Eastern Light & Power Co. Ltd.

Also see: Eastern Light & Power Co. Ltd.

The Sydney Mines Electric Co. Ltd. reported that, during the year 1912, its operating revenue was $12,165 and operating expenses were $9,087, and it paid $300 in taxes.
Source: PUB Annual Report 1912-13


By Order In Council dated 9 June 1931, the name of the Sydney Mines Electric Co. Ltd. was changed to Eastern Light & Power Co. Ltd., with head office in Sydney.





James W. Taylor

NSL 1919 chapter 90 — Act to authorize the Town of Antigonish to guarantee to James W. Taylor, owner of Electric Plant, a credit to assist him, etc.





Truro Electric Company

NSL 1887 chapter 108 — Act to incorporate the Truro Electric Co.
NSL 1889 chapter 130 — Act relating to the purchase of the Truro Electric Co. by the Chambers Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1894 chapter 101 —

Historical Notes
Also see: Chambers Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.




Truro Gas Light Company

NSL 1875 chapter 108 — Act to incorporate the Truro Gas Light Co.





Waterford Public Utilities Company Limited

Incorporated on 20 May 1913.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1000914.
Name changed 24 November 1921 to Dominion Utilities Co. Ltd.





Waterville & Cambridge Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Kings County

NSL 1922 chapter 135 — Act to incorporate the Waterville & Cambridge Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.





Welsbach Incandescent Gas Light Company Limited

NSL 1889 chapter 131 — Act to incorporate the Welsbach Incandescent Gas Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1892 chapter 183 — Amendment
NSL 1895 chapter 135 — Amendment





Western Nova Scotia Electric Company Limited

Yarmouth County
Historical Notes




Westport Electric Light, Heating & Power Company Limited

Digby County: Westport and vicinity

NSL 1923 chapter 144 — Act to incorporate the Westport Electric Light, Heating & Power Co. Ltd.





Windsor Electric Light & Power Company Limited

Hants County

NSL 1889 chapter 127 — Act to incorporate the Windsor Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1890 chapter 182 — Amendment
NSL 1895 chapter 132 — Amendment

Historical Notes



In 1925, the PUB reported, in connection with the Gaspereaux River LH&P Co., that "early records of the Windsor company were destroyed in the Windsor fire of 1897".





Windsor Gas Light Company

Hants County

NSL 1874 chapter 84 — Act to incorporate the Windsor Gas Light Co.

Historical Notes




Windsor Kerosene Gas Light Company

Hants County

NSL 1852 chapter 44 — Act to incorporate the Windsor Kerosene Gas Light Co.





Wolfville Electric Light Company Limited

Kings County




Woodside Electric Light Company Limited

Service area: In Kings County, Woodside and vicinity (about three km northwest from Canning)

NSL 1920 chapter 150 — Act to authorize the inhabitants of Woodside to supply themselves with a system of Street Lighting

The Woodside EL Company never generated electric power, it bought its electricity wholesale from the Canning Water Commission's electric system.

On 21 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of Woodside Electric Light Company to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax. The sale price was $800.
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1941, pages 82-88

See note 3




Yarmouth Electric Company Limited

Historical Notes




Yarmouth Fuel & Gas Company Limited

NSL 1914 chapter 190 — Act to incorporate the Yarmouth Fuel & Gas Co.
NSL 1916 chapter 121 — Amendment





Yarmouth Gas Light Company

  (incorporated 1882)

NSL 1882 chapter 89 — Act to incorporate the Yarmouth Gas Light Co.

Historical Notes




Yarmouth Gas Light Company Limited

  (incorporated 1888)

NSL 1888 chapter 127 — Act to incorporate the Yarmouth Gas Light Co. Ltd.
NSL 1895 chapter 134 — Amendment
NSL 1903 chapter 177 — Amendment

Historical Notes




Yarmouth Light & Power Company Limited

NSL 1919 chapter 162 — Act respecting the Yarmouth Light & Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1921 chapter 199 — Amendment

Historical Notes




Yarmouth Street Railway Company Limited

NSL 1887 chapter  93 — Act to incorporate the Yarmouth Street Railway Co. Ltd.
NSL 1889 chapter 124 — Amend, limiting time for commencement of construction
NSL 1890 chapter 191 — Amend, extending time
NSL 1892 chapter 176 — Amend, as to quality of rails
NSL 1892 chapter 182 — Amend, further extending time
NSL 1893 chapter 186 — Amendments
NSL 1904 chapter 145 — Act to consolidate Acts relating to the Yarmouth Street Railway Co. Ltd.
NSL 1908 chapter 139 — Amendment
NSL 1912 chapter 243 — Amendment

Historical Notes




Zwicker Electric Power Company Limited

Lunenburg County: New Germany and vicinity

In November 1944, the Zwicker EP Co. sold its electric power system to the Nova Scotia Power Commission.






The Nova Scotia Water Act
Chapter 5 of the Acts of 1919





Government-Owned Electric Utilities

Provincial and Municipal





Town of Amherst

Municipal electric utility
Cumberland County




Town of Annapolis Royal

Municipal electric utility
Annapolis County

NSL 1902 chapter   61 — Act authorizing the Town of Annapolis Royal to borrow money to extend Electric Light System
NSL 1903 chapter 118 — Act authorizing the Town of Annapolis Royal to borrow money for Electric Light System
NSL 1922 chapter   63 — Act authorizing the Town of Annapolis Royal to borrow money for Electric Light System, etc.





Town of Antigonish

Municipal electric utility
Antigonish County
Also see Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd.




Aylesford Electric Light Commission

Kings County

NSL 1919 chapter 129 — Act authorizing the inhabitants of Aylesford to supply themselves with Electric Light and Power for public and domestic (residential) use





Barrington Municipality

Municipal electric utility
Shelburne County

NSL 1918 chapter 73 — Act authorizing the inhabitants of Barrington to supply themselves with Electric Light

Also see: Barrington Electric Co. Ltd.




Bear River

Annapolis/Digby Counties

NSL 1909 chapter   64 — Act authorizing the inhabitants of Bear River to supply themselves with Street Lighting
NSL 1910 chapter   63 — Amendment
NSL 1911 chapter   14 — Amendment
NSL 1912 chapter 156 — Amendment





Bedford

Halifax County

NSL 1919 chapter 130 — Act authorizing the inhabitants of Bedford to supply themselves with Street Lighting





Town of Berwick

Municipal electric utility
Kings County

NSL 1913 chapter 131 — Act respecting Electric Lighting, etc.
NSL 1914 chapter   89 — Amendment
NSL 1917 chapter 145 — Amendment
NSL 1918 chapter   74 — Amendment
NSL 1920 chapter 147 — Amendment
NSL 1921 chapter 125 — Amendment
NSL 1922 chapter 108 — Amendment
NSL 1923 chapter 114 — Amendment

Also see: Berwick Electric Commission
Also see: Light & Water Commission for the Town of Berwick
Also see: Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd.




Light & Water Commission for the Town of Berwick

Kings County

NSL 1913 chapter 131 — Act respecting Electric Lighting, etc. in the Town of Berwick

Also see: Town of Berwick

The Berwick L&W Commission was incorporated by chapter 131 of the Acts of 1913, and operated an electric utility system in and near Berwick 1913 - 1924.





Berwick Electric Commission

Kings County

The Berwick Electric Commission, owned by the Town of Berwick, serves the residents of Berwick and the surrounding areas of Hall Road, Lawrence Road, Rainforth Road, Taylor Road, and Windermere Road...




Bible Hill

Colchester County

NSL 1919 chapter 131 — Act authorizing the inhabitants of Bible Hill to supply themselves with Street Lighting





Birch Grove Electric Light District

Cape Breton County




Town of Bridgetown

Municipal electric utility
Annapolis County

NSL 1893 chapter 68 — Act to authorize the inhabitants to supply themselves with Street Lighting
NSL 1896 chapter 40 — Act to legalize the Assessment Rolls of the Electric Light District
NSL 1898 chapter 75 —

Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgetown Water, Power & Light Co. Ltd.

The ratepayers of Bridgetown, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting upon the purchase of the electric light system of that town on Tuesday evening [25 May, 1909 ?], decided by a vote of 17 for and 4 against, the sum of $25,000. A vote of $20,000 was passed, and Mr. Beckwith, representing the electric light company, has declined to accept. The town is without lights, except lamps and candles.
Source: The Digby Weekly Courier, 4 June 1909, (reprinted from the Yarmouth Herald)   [This item is not altogether clear about the amount of money, but the above is the complete text as printed in The Digby Weekly Courier.]


The street lighting question, which has been perturbing the citizens of Bridgetown for so many weeks, is at last settled and the town will install its own lighting system.
Source: The Digby Weekly Courier, 18 June 1909





Town of Bridgewater

Municipal electric utility
Lunenburg County

NSL 1900 chapter   93 — Act to provide for Electric Light and Water supply for the Town of Bridgewater
NSL 1904 chapter 108 — Act to authorize the Town of Bridgewater to borrow money for Electric Light and Water
NSL 1907 chapter 125 — Act to authorize the Town of Bridgewater to borrow money to improve the Electric Light system
NSL 1909 chapter   65 — Amendment
NSL 1921 chapter   89 — Act to authorize the Town of Bridgewater to borrow money for Electric Power system

Also see: Bridgewater Electric Light, Water, & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Bridgewater Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Public Service Commission of Bridgewater




Public Service Commission of Bridgewater

Lunenburg County: Bridgewater and vicinity
Also see: Town of Bridgewater




Caledonia Power and Water Board

Cape Breton County: Glace Bay

NSL 1941 chapter   62 —
NSL 1941 chapter   68 —
NSL 1951 chapter 119 —





Water Commissioners of the Village of Canning

Kings County: Canning and vicinity

NSL 1894 chapter   59 —
NSL 1919 chapter 132 —
NSL 1921 chapter 126 —
NSL 1922 chapter 109 —
NSL 1923 chapter 115 —


More about the Canning Water Commissioners
Also see: Canning Water & Electric Light, Heating & Power Co. Ltd.

The Canning Water Commission never generated electric power. Until 1926, it bought its electricity wholesale from the Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company. After the Gaspereaux River LH&P Company was sold to the Avon River Power Company in 1926, the Avon River Power Co. became the supplier of electricity to the Canning Water Commission (but the hardware – generating plant and transmission line – remained the same).

On 28 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of the electric power system operated by the Canning Water Commission to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax. The sale price was $11,000.
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1941

See note 3




Town of Canso

Municipal electric utility
Guysborough County: Canso and vicinity

NSL 1914 chapter 96 — Act to authorize the Town of Canso to borrow money for Electric Lighting
NSL 1917 chapter 97 — Amendment
NSL 1919 chapter 92 — Amendment
NSL 1919 chapter 93 — Amendment

Also see Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd.
Nova Scotia: Canso Electric Rates 2007




Municipality of the County of Cape Breton

Municipal electric utility
Cape Breton County




Village of Chester

Municipal electric utility
Lunenburg County

NSL 1912 chapter 176 — Act to authorize the Village of Chester supply Electric Light, etc.
NSL 1913 chapter 135 — Amendment





Municipality of the District of Clare

Municipal electric utility
Digby County




Town of Clark's Harbour

Municipal electric utility
Shelburne County

NSL 1921 chapter 92 — Act to authorize the Town of Clark's Harbour to borrow money to install an Electric Light Plant





Town of Dartmouth

Municipal electric utility
Halifax County

NSL 1899 chapter 71 — Act to authorize the Town of Dartmouth to operate the Electric Light Plant





Town of Digby

Municipal electric utility
Digby County

NSL 1876 chapter   56 — Act to provide for Lighting the streets of the Town of Digby
NSL 1912 chapter 105 — Act to authorize the Town of Digby to acquire Electric Light Plant, etc.
NSL 1922 chapter   66 — Amendment

Also see: Digby Electric Light Co. Ltd.

On 14 June 1922, the Digby Electric Light Co. Ltd. received official approval from the PUB to sell the whole of its undertaking to the Town of Digby.
Source: PUB Annual Report 1922





Digby County Power Board

Digby County

NSL 1980 chapter   4 — Act Relating to Digby County Power Board and Electric Utilities of Municipality of the District of Digby, Municipality of the District of Clare, Town of Digby, and the Village of Weymouth

Nova Scotia: Digby County Power Board, 1940
Advertisement by The Digby County Power Board
The Tiny Tattler, 9 May 1940
Source: http://www.tinytattler.com/





Municipality of Digby

Municipal electric utility
Digby County




Town of Dominion

Municipal electric utility
Cape Breton County

NSL 1909 chapter 77 — Act to authorize the Town of Dominion to borrow for Light and Water purposes
NSL 1909 chapter 78 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to supply Electricity to the Town of Dominion





Village of Eureka

Municipal electric utility
Pictou County

NSL 1913 chapter 136 — Act respecting Street Lighting in Eureka





Village of Florence

Municipal electric utility
Cape Breton County

NSL 1921 chapter 134 — Act to authorize Cape Breton Municipality to levy a special tax for Electric Light on the Village of Florence





Town of Glace Bay

Municipal electric utility
Cape Breton County

NSL 1901 chapter   88 — Act to provide for supplying the Town of Glace Bay with Electric Light
NSL 1902 chapter   79 — Amendment
NSL 1904 chapter   69 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to borrow money for Electric Light, etc.
NSL 1905 chapter   65 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to borrow money for Electric Light
NSL 1905 chapter   66 — Amendment
NSL 1906 chapter   81 — Amendment
NSL 1906 chapter   83 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to borrow money for Electric Light
NSL 1908 chapter   92 — Amendment
NSL 1909 chapter   78 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to supply Electricity to the Town of Dominion
NSL 1910 chapter   69 — Amendment
NSL 1912 chapter 106 — Amendment
NSL 1917 chapter 100 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to borrow money to buy Electric Meters
NSL 1920 chapter 108 — Act relating to Lighting System
NSL 1920 chapter 113 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to borrow money for Electric Meters
NSL 1923 chapter   76 — Act to authorize the Town of Glace Bay to borrow money for Electric Light and other purposes





Granville Ferry

Annapolis County

NSL 1920 chapter 148 — Act to authorize the inhabitants of Granville Ferry to levy a special tax for electric light





City of Halifax

NSL 1845 chapter 30 — Act to provide for Lighting the City with Gas
NSL 1864 chapter 64 — Act relating to the Inspection of Gas
NSL 1917 chapter 88 — Act to authorize the City of Halifax to hold shares in the Halifax Power Co. Ltd. and to lend money thereto
NSL 1919 chapter 83 — Act to authorize and confirm agreement between City of Halifax and the Halifax Power Co. Ltd.
NSL 1919 chapter 84 — Amendment

Also see: Halifax Power Co. Ltd.




Municipality of Halifax County

NSL 1913 chapter 142 — Act to ratify resolution passed by Municipal Council respecting erection of poles on public highways





Town of Hantsport

Municipal electric utility
Kings and Hants Counties

NSL 1914 chapter 99 — Act to authorize the town of Hantsport to borrow money for electric lighting purposes
NSL 1923 chapter 78 — Act to authorize the town of Hantsport to borrow money for electric plant, power and lighting purposes





Hebron Street Lighting Committee

Yarmouth County

NSL 1917 chapter 161 — Act to authorize Hebron to levy tax for electric light
NSL 1918 chapter 113 — Act to authorize Hebron to levy tax for electric light





Town of Kentville

Municipal electric utility
Kings County

NSL 1907 chapter 121 — Act to authorize the town of Kentville to acquire, etc., electric light etc., system
NSL 1918 chapter 109 — Act to authorize the town of Kentville to borrow money for electric light purposes
NSL 1919 chapter   98 — Act to constitute the Kentville Electric Light and Power Commission

More about the Town of Kentville electric utility system
Also see: Kentville Electric Commission
Also see: Kentville Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.




Kentville Electric Commission

Kings County

NSL 1919 chapter 98 — Act to constitute the Kentville Electric Light and Power Commission
NSL 1998 chapter 20 — Town of Kentville and Kentville Electric Commission Sale of Assets Act

More about the Kentville Electric Commission
Also see: Kentville Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
Also see: Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd.

The Kentville Electric Commission was incorporated under chapter 98 of the Acts of 1919, to distribute and sell electric energy within the Town of Kentville.  In October 1998, the Kentville Electric Commission was sold to Nova Scotia Power Inc.





Kingston Electric Light Commission

Kings County

In 1931, the Kingston Electric Light Commission's electric power system was sold to the Avon River Power Company.





The Electric Light Commissioners for LaHave

Lunenburg County




The Electric Light Commissioners for the Town of Lawrencetown

Annapolis County, Lawrencetown and vicinity

The Lawrencetown Electric Light Commissioners operated a small hydroelectric generating plant on the Annapolis River, within the town limits; this plant was reported to have been in operation during 1927, and probably before and after that year.





Little Bras d'Or

Cape Breton County

NSL 1917 chapter 133 — Act to authorize Cape Breton Municipality to levy a special poll tax on Little Bras d'Or for Electric Lighting purposes





Town of Liverpool

Municipal electric utility
Queens County

NSL 1899 chapter 117 — Act to provide for supplying the Town of Liverpool with Electric Light





Town of Lockeport

Municipal electric utility
Shelburne County

NSL 1895 chapter 100 — Act to provide for supplying the Town of Lockeport with Electric Light





Town of Louisburg

Municipal electric utility
Cape Breton County

(It was officially spelled "burg" at the time when
the Town operated its own municipal electric utility,
but now the "bourg" spelling is officially used.





Town of Lunenburg

Municipal electric utility
Lunenburg County
Also see Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd

Town of Lunenburg Electricity Rates (approved in 1993)

Domestic service
Base Charge: $6.31 per month where service is through a two wire service. $6.87 per month where service is through a three wire service.
Energy Charge: 7.8 cents per kilowatt hour for the first 200 kilowatt hours per month. 6.98 cents per kilowatt hour for all additional consumption but in no case shall the average price per kilowatt hour on the whole bill, including the base charge, be less than 7.54 cents in any billing period.
Minimum Net Bill: $6.87 per month where service is through a two or three wire service.

General service light, heat, and power up to 3 kilowatts
Base Charge: $4.60 per month per kilowatt of connected load.
Energy Charge: 8.74 cents per kilowatt hour for the first 100 kilowatt hours per month per kilowatt of connected load. 5.79 cents per kilowatt hour for all additional consumption.
Minimum Net Bill: $8.59 per month or the Base Charge, whichever is the greater.

Light, heat and power over 3 kilowatts
Base Charge: $5.15 per month per kilowatt of maximum demand.
Energy Charge: 8.74 cents per kilowatt hour for the first 100 kilowatt hours per month per kilowatt of maximum demand. 5.79 cents per kilowatt hour for all additional consumption.
Minimum Net Bill: $15.15 per month or the Base Charge, whichever is the greater.

Installation of 250 kilowatts or over
Base Charge: $6.10 per month per kilowatt of maximum demand.
Energy Charge: 7.41 cents per kilowatt hour for the first 100 kilowatt hours per month per kilowatt of maximum demand. 5.25 cents per kilowatt hour for all additional consumption.
Minimum Net Bill: $6.10 per month per kilowatt of maximum demand.

Industrial – (4,000 KVA and over) off the 69 kilovolt line
Demand Charge: $7.05 per month per kilovolt ampere of maximum demand of the current month or the maximum actual demand of the previous November, December, January or February occurring in the previous eleven months. 30 cents per kilowatt (sic) ampere reduction in demand charge where substation is owned by the customer.
Energy Charge: 4.33 cents per kilowatt hour.
Minimum Monthly Charge: The minimum monthly charge shall be the maximum demand charge.





Town of Mahone Bay

Municipal electric utility
Lunenburg County
Also see Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd




Town of Middleton

Municipal electric utility
Annapolis County
In 1931, the Town of Middleton's electric power system was sold to the Avon River Power Company.




Morien No. 12

Cape Breton County

NSL 1919 chapter 122 — Act to authorize Cape Breton Municipality to levy a special tax on a portion of Morien No. 12 District for providing Electric Light
NSL 1922 chapter   97 — Amendment





Town of Mulgrave

Municipal electric utility
Guysborough County




Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd.

Incorporated on 14 October 1997.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3012874.

More about the Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative




Nova Scotia Water Power Commission






Nova Scotia Power Commission

In November 1944, the NSPC bought the electric power system operated by the Zwicker Electric Power Company in New Germany.

In 1965, the Nova Scotia Power Commission bought the electric utility system owned and operated by the Town of Pictou.

In 1967, the Nova Scotia Power Commission acquired the shares of Eastern Light & Power Company Limited.

In 1972, the Nova Scotia Power Commission acquired 99.65% of the common shares and approximately 98% of the preferred shares of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company Limited.  The balance of the shares was acquired a year or so later.
Source:   Canada v. Nova Scotia Power Inc., 2003 Federal Court of Appeal 33
Background information contained in the judgment delivered at Ottawa, Ontario, on 23 January 2003
  http://www.canlii.org/ca/cas/fca/2003/2003fca33.html


    NSPC Paycheck Stub, 31 July 1967
  http://alts.net/ns1625/electric19670731s.jpg





Nova Scotia Power Corporation

  (government-owned)
Also see: Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (a privately-owned company)

Nova Scotia Power Corporation was a crown corporation, owned by the Province of Nova Scotia.  NSPC owned and operated most of the electric utility system in the province.  On 12 August 1992, Nova Scotia Power Corporation sold all its electric utility assets to Nova Scotia Power Incorporated.





In Nova Scotia, in 1990, there were eight electric utilities, each selling electric power within its own government-defined monopoly territory, and each forbidden to sell electricity in any territory assigned to any other electric utility.  The largest of these – by far the largest – was the Nova Scotia Power Corporation (NSPC).  The other seven, often called the "independents" (independent of NSPC), were small municipal utilities, but they were genuine electric utilities, each with its own management, its own rate structure, and its own distribution system.  The ownership of each of these was wholly independent of all the others.  All of these seven independent utilities were decades older than NSPC.  Three of the seven were located within Lunenburg County.  Among the independents, only Berwick had its own generating plant.  The other six bought all their electricity from NSPC at wholesale rates.  Berwick also bought much of its electricity from NSPC, because its one small hydroelectric generating plant could supply only a small fraction of Berwick's requirement.  The table below reports the electric energy sold by NSPC to each of the independents, for the twelve months ending 31 March 1990.
Nova Scotia Power Corporation
Energy Sold to the
Independent Electric Utilities

12 Months Ending 31 March 1990


Independent
Utility
kW·h $
Town of Antigonish 73,833,786 4,144,939
Berwick Electric Commission 22,560,000 1,252,218
Town of Canso 8,185,600 455,015
Kentville Electric Commission 73,168,740 4,003,130
Town of Lunenburg 49,760,430 2,729,999
Town of Mahone Bay 8,464,937 482,658
Riverport Electric Commission 6,681,600 382,821
Totals 242,655,093 13,450,780
The average price was 5.54¢ per kW·h.
one kW·h   =   3,600,000 J
[Source: 1990 Annual Report, Nova Scotia Power Corporation]




Town of Parrsboro

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Cumberland County, the Town of Parrsboro and vicinity




Town of Pictou

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Pictou County, the Town of Pictou and vicinity

In the early 1920s, the Town of Pictou operated a steam generating plant.  In later years, the Town purchased all of its electric power from the Nova Scotia Power Commission.

In 1925, the PUB reported that the Town of Pictou had a special electric rate for the Canadian National Railway, for charging storage batteries; "these batteries are used in the operation of an electric railway car as a new and experimental service" (a daily commuter service operated by CNR) "between Pictou and New Glasgow".


In 1965, the Town of Pictou electric utility system – then serving 1360 customers – was sold to the Nova Scotia Power Commission.
— Nova Scotia Power Commission Annual Report 1965, page 3


On 1 July 1965, the "electric utility assets and undertaking" owned and operated by the Town of Pictou was sold to the Nova Scotia Power Commission for $300,000. "The Town of Pictou agrees to sell and the Nova Scotia Power Commission agrees to purchase all the undertaking, property and assets of the Town's electric utility including all its assets and undertaking, distribution system, plant, stores, buildings, lands, supplies and all the utility property but not including cash, accounts receivable and investments... The Town will be responsible for all accounts payable to the date of transfer..."

— Source: PUB Annual Report 1965, pages 246-250





Pictou County Power Board

Service area: in Pictou County
More about the Pictou County Power Board




Town of Port Hawkesbury

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Inverness County, the Town of Port Hawkesbury and vicinity




Riverport Electric Light Commission

Service area: in Lunenburg County, Riverport and Vicinity
Also see Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Co-operative Ltd.




Town of Shelburne

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Shelburne County, the Town of Shelburne and vicinity

NSL 1909 chapter 105 — Act to authorize the Town of Shelburne to acquire an Electric Lighting system
NSL 1909 chapter 106 — Amendment
NSL 1913 chapter 111 — Amendment





Shubenacadie

Service area: in Colchester County, Shubenacadie

NSL 1913 chapter 126 — Act to authorize the inhabitants to provide themselves with street lighting





Town of Sydney Mines

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Cape Breton County, the Town of Sydney Mines and vicinity

NSL 1919 chapter 112 — Act to authorize the Town of Sydney Mines to borrow money for generating Electric Current
NSL 1920 chapter 137 — Amendment





Town of Trenton

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Pictou County

NSL 1912 chapter 136 — Act to authorize the Town of Trenton to install ... Electric Light
NSL 1923 chapter 102 — Amendment





Town of Truro

Municipal electric utility
See: Truro Electric Commission




Truro Electric Commission

Service area: in Colchester County: Truro, Valley, and vicinity

NSL 1916 chapter   75 — Act to authorize the Town of Truro to install an Electric Light, Heat and Power system
NSL 1917 chapter 128 — Act to constitute an Electric Light Commission
NSL 1917 chapter 129 —
NSL 1919 chapter 114 —
NSL 1920 chapter 142 — To authorize the Town of Truro to borrow money for Electric Light Extension

The electric plant originally owned and operated by Chambers Electric Light & Power Company, was acquired by the Town of Truro on 1 August 1916.  The plant as operated by the Chambers Company "consisted of a number of small D.C. (direct-current) generators connected up with a five-wire distribution system".  A new A.C. (alternating current) generator was installed at the town pumping station, and was put into service in May 1919.  In 1920 an additional generating unit was installed, and in 1922 a boiler was added.  This gave a total station capacity, in March 1923, of 675 kVA (about 600 kW), with two water-tube boilers of 400 horsepower each.

The horsepower rating of steam boilers was/is an indirect matter — as compared to the horsepower rating of a steam engine, which was/is a simple matter of determining the torque available at the working speed, then multiplying the torque (foot-pounds) by the speed (rpm) to obtain the engine horsepower rating.

For a steam boiler, the concepts of torque and rotary speed do not apply.

However, for the convenience of sellers and purchasers of steam machinery, in the mid-1800s the practice grew up of stating boiler capacity in horsepower, to make it easier to decide which boiler was needed to supply steam for a chosen engine.  The idea was that if you wanted a boiler to produce enough steam for, say, a 200 horsepower engine, you could buy a 200 horsepower boiler (being sure to match the steam pressure of the boiler to that needed by the engine) and the boiler would be large enough to do the job.





Upper Church Street Electric Light Commission

Service area: in Kings County, Upper Church Street (about 1km north from Kentville)

NSL 1922 chapter 104 — Act to authorize the inhabitants of Upper Church Street to supply themselves with Electric Light

Upper Church Street sign

Photographed 16 July 2007





Town of Westville

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Pictou County, the Town of Westville and vicinity

NSL 1913 chapter 117 — Act to authorize the Town of Westville to install an Electric Light Plant
NSL 1914 chapter 139 —
NSL 1915 chapter   73 —





Village of Weymouth

See: Commissioners for the Village of Weymouth




Commissioners for the Village of Weymouth

Service area: in Digby County, Weymouth and vicinity

NSL 1922 chapter 112 — Act to authorize the inhabitants of the Village of Weymouth to supply themselves with a Street Lighting system
NSL 1922 chapter 113 — Amendment





Town of Wolfville

Municipal electric utility
Service area: in Kings County, Wolfville and vicinity

NSL 1907 chapter 122 — Act to authorize the Town of Wolfville to borrow money for an Electric Light and Power system
NSL 1920 chapter 145 — Act constituting the Wolfville Electric Commission
NSL 1920 chapter 146 — Amendment
NSL 1922 chapter   88 —

Also see: Wolfville Electric Commission




Wolfville Electric Commission

Service area: in Kings County: Wolfville and vicinity

NSL 1920 chapter 145 — Act constituting the Wolfville Electric Commission
NSL 1922 chapter   88 —

Also see: Town of Wolfville

The Wolfville Electric Commission was established on 27 April 1920.





Wood's Harbour

Service area: in Shelburne County, Wood's Harbour and vicinity

NSL 1921 chapter 133 — Act to authorize the inhabitants of Wood's Harbour to supply themselves with Electric Light and Power





Woodside

Service area: in Kings County, Woodside and vicinity

NSL 1920 chapter 150 — Act to authorize the inhabitants of Woodside to supply themselves with a system of Street Lighting

See:   Woodside Electric Light Company Limited




Town of Yarmouth

Municipal electric utility
Yarmouth County

NSL 1877 chapter   65 — Act to provide for lighting the streets of the Town of Yarmouth
NSL 1888 chapter   74 — Act to provide for lighting the streets of the Town of Yarmouth
NSL 1902 chapter 126 — Act to provide for supplying the Town of Yarmouth with Light
NSL 1923 chapter 106 — Act to authorize the Town of Yarmouth to borrow money for Pumping and Lighting Plant




Renewable-Energy Electric Companies

(Environmentally Green)

These companies are not electric utilities as defined by the Public Utilities Act, but recently – beginning in the mid-1980s with substantial activity since about 2000 – they have taken a place in the public consciousness as part of the overall system that supplies our electric power.  There is no doubt that more companies like these will be formed in the future, and that renewable-energy companies will be increasingly important in years to come.  Because they are not legally electric utilities, they are not required to report to the UARB in the way that is required of the traditional electric utilities, which means that reliable information about their ownership, management, financial circumstances and installed generating capacity is much more difficult to obtain than is the case for the traditional regulated electric utilities.

The traditional utility companies – those that do fit the legal definition of a "public utility" – are easy to identify.  Every year since 1912 an official list has been published, initially by the PUB and since 1992 by the UARB, identifying all public utility companies in Nova Scotia.  This annual list is the only reference one needs – if a company appears in this list it is legally a public utility, and if it doesn't then it isn't.  But these renewable-energy companies do not appear on this official annual list, thus it is more difficult to determine whether a company belongs here.  There are two main sources of information about these companies; the print media and Internet searches.  The following list has been produced with care but it is unlikely that it is complete, and there may be a few companies shown here that do not belong.  Such uncertainties are regrettable, but are unavoidable for electric power companies that are not legally classified as public utilities.

This list (below) of renewable-energy companies includes only one that was initiated before 1980, Minas Basin Pulp & Power Company.  Other companies, active before 1980, that now would be classified as renewable-energy projects (for example, the Cape Split Development Company of 1916, or the Gaspereaux River Light, Heat & Power Company of 1920) are listed above.




Wind farms and related renewable sources are proven technologies. They can provide clean, sustainable electrical supplies for generations to come. They can also carry substantial costs and financial risks to developers. The renewable portfolio standard and the introduction of competition for wholesale electricity will help reduce these risks. They will help provide certainty that there will be defined markets for independent power producers who want to develop new, renewable generation projects...
Hon. Cecil Clarke, Minister of Energy
speaking on the floor of the Legislature, 27 September 2004



Wind Turbine Directory by Nova Scotia Power





3G Energy Corporation

Suite 101, 70 Iona Street, Ottawa, Ontario

3G Energy Corporation Home page


Wall to wall windmills planned for Cumberland County Amherst Daily News, 27 July 2007


Proposed Higgins Mountain 100MW Wind Farm Expansion


Findlay confident about turbine bid Amherst Daily News, 27 July 2007


2007 January 08 ...Last week, Ontario-based 3G Energy Corp., representing Springhill Riverhurst Wind Power Ltd., announced that it was planning to erect 72 turbines in Cumberland County before 2010.  A price tag has yet to be put on Invenergy's marsh project, but it could be close to the $200 million 3G Energy is planning to spend in Higgins Mountain and Rodney.  The company is in the process of preparing a bid to Nova Scotia Power's request for proposals and if successful it hopes to begin erecting turbines in the area sometime next year.  The project is one of several projects planned for Cumberland County in the coming years.  Atlantic Wind Farms is proposing a project with 20 to 27 turbines for the Gulf Shore Road near Pugwash.  Wind Dynamics of Saint John and EHN, a subsidiary of Spanish conglomerate Acciona, are expected to move forward with a $60-million development on the Amherst side of the marsh...
Amherst Daily News, 8 January 2007





Acadia Wind Farm Energies Limited

2571 Windsor Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 25 August 2005.  Revoked 1 October 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3104632.





Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc.

Suite 304, 2450 Ridge Road West, Rochester, New York

Registered in Nova Scotia on 28 August 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3221927.

Also see: Acciona Amherst GP Inc.
Also see: Amherst Wind Power LP

Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc. is owned 100% by Acciona S.A., which is a group based in Spain dedicated to infrastructures and services aimed at sustainable development.  Acciona Energy is a leader in the development, construction, operation and ownership of renewable energy projects.  The company has installed 4,554 megawatts in renewables (as of January 2007) of which 3,228 MW belong to the group.  In the field of wind energy, it has built 166 wind farms in twelve countries, either for its own or for other companies (almost all of them managed and operated by the company), representing total installed wind capacity of 4,410 MW.  Through its subsidiary Acciona Windpower, it manufactures 1,500 kW wind turbines using in-house technology.  It has 19 small hydro power plants, three biomass plants (one of them a 25 MW facility based on straw combustion, 29 MW in photovoltaic power installed and the equivalent to 25 MW of solar thermal capacity).  It has also a biodiesel plant that uses first-use vegetable oils...


Amherst wind farm scheduled for 2008 start
A multi-million-dollar wind farm project put on hold just over a year ago is back on track. Acciona Energy and Wind Dynamics are proposing to construct and operate a 30-megawatt wind power facility on the marsh near Amherst, Nova Scotia, just west of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Nova Scotia Business Journal 31 October 2007


2008 May 1
Nova Scotia Power has selected Acciona Energy, a world leader in wind development, to build a 30 megawatt wind energy project at Amherst, in Cumberland County.  Acciona will construct, own, and operate the Amherst Wind Energy Project.  Nova Scotia Power and Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc. have reached a 25-year power purchase agreement for up to 30 MW of wind power from the site.  The Amherst wind park will have twenty 1500 kW ACCIONA wind power turbines.  They will be in service by the end of 2009... The Amherst Wind Energy project is the result of a Request for Proposals from Nova Scotia Power for more energy from renewable sources.  So far, the company has announced new power purchase agreements for 214 megawatts of wind generation.  In all, Nova Scotia Power will sign contracts for at least 240 megawatts of new, renewable energy...
Amherst Wind Energy Project Nova Scotia Power Co. media release


Amherst Wind Energy Project


Acciona Windpower currently (June 2007) has two wind turbine assembly plants in operation in Spain and one in China.  It is also building another in Iowa in the U.S.A., which means that it will have an overall production capacity of more than 2,000 MW a year.  Acciona Windpower is an Acciona group company that designs and manufactures wind turbines, and provides services in the assembly and construction of wind energy facilities...
— RenewableEnergyWorld.com, 4 June 2007





Amherst Wind Energy Project N.S. Environment Department report





On 1 May 2008, Amherst Wind Power LP registered a wind energy project for environmental assessment, in accordance with Part IV of the Nova Scotia Environment Act.  The purpose of the proposed undertaking is to construct and operate a 30 MW wind energy facility near the town of Amherst, in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. The scope of the proposed Project will involve twenty 1.5 MW wind turbine generators...
Amherst Wind Energy Project, Environment Assessment Approval 26 May 2008





Acciona Amherst GP Inc.

Suite 1300, 1969 Upper Water Street, Purdy's Wharf Tower II, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Registered on 27 March 2008.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3226982.

Also see: Amherst Wind Power LP
Also see: Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc.

Acciona a Spanish company created by merger in 1997





AESWapiti Energy Corporation

Suite 900, 1959 Upper Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 4 April 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3120588.





Amherst Wind Power LP

Suite 1300, 1969 Upper Water Street, Purdy's Wharf Tower II, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Registered on 11 April 2008.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3227520.

Also see: Acciona Amherst GP Inc.
Also see: Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc.




Atlantic Orient Canada Inc.

Suite 200, 300 Prince Albert Road, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Registered on 5 July 1996.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2502286.

Atlantic Orient Canada Inc.


2004 July
Atlantic Orient Canada Inc. installed first 50kW net metered wind turbine in Nova Scotia
On 1 July 2004, the first 50 kW wind turbine installed in Nova Scotia was up and running for the Eskasoni First Nations community in Cape Breton. Perched atop a hill, the 50 kW turbine is powering the band office.  Power from the wind turbine will be metered using Nova Scotia Power's new policy of 'net metering'.  This means that their electricity meter will run 'both ways' measuring both power drawn from the grid and power generated by the wind turbine.  In doing so, Eskasoni's wind power will be valued at full retail rates.  "Net metering makes a big difference to the economics of such projects and allows a wind turbine to pay for itself in a shorter period of time" says David Lombardi, President of Atlantic Orient Canada Inc...


2005 April
Atlantic Orient Canada Inc. wind turbine to power new Police Detachment at Amherst
Atlantic Orient Canada Inc. in partnership with Black and McDonald is installing an AOC 15/50 wind turbine at a new RCMP detachment in Amherst, Nova Scotia.  With above average wind speeds at the site, the new wind turbine is expected to provide more than half of the buildings electrical requirements.  A new monopole tower will replace the standard lattice type structure and the turbine will be equipped with a web-enabled remote status and monitoring system.  A kiosk will be installed at the nearby Nova Scotia Tourist Information center which will allow visitors to access the operating history and current operating parameters of the wind turbine...


2008 August 11
AMHERST — The wind turbine at the Cumberland RCMP detachment likely won't be spinning anytime soon.  Detachment head Staff Sgt. Frank Kingston said Thursday he is awaiting word from the company on what caused a fire in an electrical panel before he allows the turbine to be reactivated.  "We had a fire in one of our panels and subsequently it has been shut down," Kingston said. "I'm waiting for a report from the company as to the cause of the fire.  Until I get the engineer's report, I don't want it operating."  The multi-million-dollar turbine installed as part of construction of the new detachment in 2005 went offline earlier this summer.  It's the second time the 50-kilowatt, 24-metre tall turbine has gone on the fritz.  Last summer, the turbine's electrical components were damaged by what was believed to be a lightning strike during a fierce thunderstorm.  When it was repaired last fall, improvements were also made to the turbine's braking system.  Kingston is unsure when the engineering report will be received.  "I'm a police officer, not an engineer, but I want to make sure it's working properly before we turn it back on," Kingston said.  The turbine, developed by Atlantic Orient in conjunction with Black and MacDonald, is expected to save the RCMP approximately $13,000 annually in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 150 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
Amherst Daily News, 11 August 2008





Atlantic Wind Power Corporation (2005) Limited

Suite 420, 1600 Bedford Highway, Bedford, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 14 September 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093398.





Barrington Wind Energy Limited

Suite 810, 1801 Hollis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 3 October 2003.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3082197.

Also see: Canso Windfield One Inc.

Barrington Wind Energy Limited, founded in 2003, is a Halifax, Nova Scotia based developer of primarily wind-based electricity generating stations employing third-generation wind turbine converters.  The first project is with the Town of Canso, and plans are being developed for seven more sites in Nova Scotia...
References:
Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. 1801 Hollis Street, Halifax
Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. Management
Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. Corporate profile




Canso Wind Farm In November 2003, Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. and the Town of Canso signed an agreement to initiate the wind power project.  A 50m wind test tower was erected and equipped with multiple sensors and an electronic data logger with remote access capabilities to study the wind regime at Canso.  In June 2004, the environmental field survey program was initiated.  The field surveys were necessary to gather the information required to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement for the combined federal and provincial environmental assessment... There will be eight turbines with a capacity of 1.5 or 1.8 MW each, and a total capacity between 12.0 and 14.4 MW.

Canso Wind Farm Project
Canso Wind Farm
Canso Wind Farm




2006 April 25   Four Nova Scotia Towns Choose Wind Energy
Barrington Wind Energy Limited (BWEL) is pleased to announce that it has signed wind power agreements with four Nova Scotia towns.  BWEL will generate power, under Financial Bilateral Contracts, for the towns of Antigonish, Berwick, Canso, and Mahone Bay, from their wind farm project in Canso, anticipated to be a minimum of 12 MW installed capacity.  This is enough power to supply electricity to approximately 3,300 homes in an average year.  The Canso wind farm has been in the planning stage for over two years.  It will be built in and around the Town of Canso, on both public and privately-owned lands.  The wind turbine generators will be state-of-the-art towers.  BWEL anticipates that the project will be in service in 2008...
Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. press release 25 April 2006

ICS comment:—
Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. has entrusted the
writing of its media releases to someone who
obviously has no understanding of electric power.


"This is enough power to supply electricity to
approximately 3,300 homes in an average year."


          "in an average year"?
That could not have been written by anyone who
understands what a megawatt is.  By the way,
Barrington Wind Energy's press releases repeatedly
misspell the name of that important power unit.



2007 January   Halifax Gets Into Wind Energy
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, has agreed to enter into long-term agreements with two wind-generation power companies to purchase between 22 GWh and 25 GWh annually for the next 20 years.  HRM staff forecasts that these agreements will result in a saving of $8.3 million to $28 million in electricity costs through the life of the contracts with Nova Scotia-headquartered Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. and Ontario-based Ventus Energy Inc.  "The contracts, when finalized, will probably allow HRM to meet its goal – of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent – earlier than originally targeted," says Councillor Linda Mosher, co-chair of HRM's energy and underground services committee. "We are definitely one of the first municipalities in the country to be going wind power in a substantial way."  These two contracts are a result of HRM's request for proposals that was issued last summer to companies interested in providing wind-generated electricity to the municipality. The two successful companies scored 90% on three deciding factors: experience, timeliness and financial/contract terms.  HRM adds that final approval of the contracts is contingent on necessary amendments to the provincial Energy Act, as well as required Nova Scotia Utility and review board hearings and approvals.
— North American Windpower, Zackin Publications Inc., 11 January 2007




2006 October 18
Barrington Wind Energy Limited (BWEL) began the development of the Canso Project in the fall of 2004 on the understanding that the acceptance of the recommendations of the Electricity Marketplace Governance Committee (EMGC) by Government would lead to their implementation...

BWEL began the long process of attempting to negotiate contracts with customers for the output of the Canso facility, while simultaneously undertaking the other project critical requirements of wind assessment, environmental assessment, and transmission interconnection. During this process, which ultimately took almost two years, BWEL attempted to reach agreement with Nova Scotia Power Inc. for the "nullenergy" output of the facility, and continued to keep the Nova Scotia Department of Energy updated on the status of the project. In the spring of 2006, Barrington Wind Energy Limited was pleased to be able to announce that contracts were in place with four of the Municipal Electric Utilities in Nova Scotia, and with Michelin (Canada) North America Inc...

The Canso project represents a capital expenditure in the Town of Canso and the Municipality of the District of Guysborough in excess of $100,000,000 and there has not now, nor has there been a request for governmental financial support.

This project represents, in terms of Municipal Taxes only, in excess of $250,000 per year, and land lease revenues in excess of $150,000 per year.

This project would have been constructed in 2006 or 2007 had the decisions been made to facilitate the implementations of EMGC Recommendations 51 and 52.

Staff members of BWEL, and many other companies, have participated diligently and in good faith, and at great corporate cost, in many government-led, and UARB processes over the past five years...

There is no technology, environmentally friendly or otherwise, that can compete with an existing average cost basis derived from some 75% coal/petcoke.  Imports of electricity to Nova Scotia average over $100 per MWh. The marginal cost is approximately $65 per MWh...
Response to the Discussion Document: Frameworks for Renewable Energy Contracting and Cogeneration Contracting


Electricity Marketplace Governance Committee Report, Oct. 2003

Bill 87, An Act Respecting Electricity Ecology Action Centre, Dec. 2004

Renewable Energy Promotion in Atlantic Canada May 2005

Bill #87: As Introduced September 2004
Bill #87: As Proclaimed February 2007





The Bay Wind Field Inc.

38 Sunset Drive, Smith's Cove, Digby County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 12 January 2001.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3052435.

More about The Bay Wind Field Inc.





Black River Hydro Limited

249 MacLellan's Road, Black River, Inverness County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 27 September 1983.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1537416.

In 1984, Black River Hydro Limited built a 230 kW hydro-electric generating plant in Melford, Guysborough County.  The plant went into operation (first sale of electricity through the meter to Nova Scotia Power Inc.) on 4 July 1984.  Since that time it has operated the generating station, and sold electricity to Nova Scotia Power Inc., on a contract term that now (2006) entends to 2023.  Black River Hydro Ltd. was the first small-scale privately-owned company in Nova Scotia to successfully negotiate a contract to sell hydroelectric power to the provincial utility.  The company is a leader in proving that small companies can own and operate small electrical generating facilities and sell power to the local electric utility company.

Black River Hydro Ltd. is a one-man company.  According to the official records of the Joint Stock Registry (August 2006), Neal Livingston is the sole director, president, secretary, and treasurer of the company.
Reference: Profile

Water Power (film)





Black River Wind Limited

249 MacLellan's Road, Black River, Inverness County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 1 April 2005.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3099657.

On 17 October 2005, Black River Wind Ltd. registered the Wind Energy Project, Creignish Rear Site for environmental assessment, in accordance with Part IV of the Environment Act.  The purpose of the proposed undertaking is to erect six 1.2 MW wind turbines at Creignish Rear, Inverness County, Nova Scotia.  Three turbines will be installed beginning in spring 2006 and three will be installed in a later project phase.
Reference: Wind Energy Project, Creignish Rear Site


Hansard, 28 October 2005:
Hon. Angus MacIsaac: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
      Whereas the province recognizes the economic and environmental benefits of wind energy to generate electricity; and
      Whereas the Department of Natural Resources, together with the Department of Energy, developed a policy in order that Crown land might be made available for wind energy generation in accordance with certain policies and procedures; and
      Whereas the department's first lease agreement for wind energy generation on Crown land was signed with Black River Wind Limited of Inverness County on May 19, 2005;
      Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House congratulate Black River Wind Limited for obtaining the first lease for wind energy generation on Crown land at Cape Mabou Highlands, Inverness County and recognize the importance of the wind energy industry in the future production and use of energy in the province...
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature, Resolution No. 4954





Brooklyn Cogen Limited

Incorporated on 04 February 1994.  Struck off 07 February 2008.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2291457.





Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership

Registered on 17 November 1993.  Inactivated 01 September 2000.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2305412.

Brooklyn Energy Centre

In business since 11 March 1994.  Revoked 02 August 2001.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2375135.

Queens County: Brooklyn
Also see: Brooklyn Power Corporation
Also see: Polsky Energy Corporation of Brooklyn Inc.

Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership was registered as a Nova Scotia Limited Partnership on 17 November 1993 with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies.  Its registered office was at 5151 George Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Brooklyn Energy Centre was registered as a Business Name on 10 June 1994 with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies.  Its registered office was at 5151 George Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Source: Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/business/rjsc/




On 11 March 1994, Energy Initiatives Inc. (EI) entered into an agreement with Polsky Energy Corporation of Brooklyn Inc. to invest up to US$9,700,000 of equity in Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership.

The equity was to be used toward the construction and operation of a 24 MW wood and oil-fired cogeneration facility, which was/is located in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Canada.  Commercial operation of the facility was scheduled to commence in 1996.  EI Services Canada Limited was formed to provide operations and maintenance services to EWGs in Canada.

General Public Utilities Corporation (GPU) holds
        100% of the equity in EI Services Canada Ltd.;
        100% of the equity in EI Canada Holding Ltd.;
        100% of the equity in EI Brooklyn Investment Ltd.;
        100% of the equity in EI Brooklyn Power Ltd.; and
        75% of the equity in Brooklyn Energy LP.

EI Services Canada Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EI Canada Holding Limited, which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Initiatives Inc.  The remaining 75% of the equity in Brooklyn Energy LP is held by Polsky Energy Corporation of Brooklyn Incorporated and Brooklyn Cogen Limited, which are incorporated in Canada.

On 11 March 1994, a letter of credit in the face amount of US$9,700,000 was issued by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, in favor of The Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada to support EI's equity commitment to Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership.  The letter of credit carried a fee equal to 0.625 of 1 percent per annum of the face amount, and expired on 11 December 1996.  GPU entered into the related reimbursement agreement.

On 11 December 1996, a letter of credit in the face amount of $9,700,000 issued on 11 March 1994 and scheduled to expire on 11 December 1996, was extended to 11 June 1997.  The letter of credit was issued by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, in favor of The Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada to support GPU International's equity commitment to Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership.  The letter of credit carried a fee equal to 0.625 of 1 percent per annum of the face amount.  GPU entered into the related reimbursement agreement.

Date: 4 April 1997 — GPU International has agreed to contribute C$12,944,000, or approximately US$9,700,000, in equity and an additional C$1,000,000, or approximately US$700,000, in subordinated debt to Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership, which owns a 24 MW wood and oil-fired cogeneration facility located in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Canada.  Commercial operation of the facility commenced in April 1996.

Sources: Official reports dated 27 Jan 1994, 30 Aug 1995, 16 Nov 1995, 1 Apr 1996, 8 May 1996, 31 May 1996, 30 Aug 1996, 27 Feb 1997, 4 Apr 1997, 2 Jun 1997, 9 Aug 1997, 21 Aug 1997, 3 Dec 1997, and 4 May 1998,
by General Public Utilities Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey
to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.
    http://www.bandwidthmarket.com/resources/sec/
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-94-000004.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-95-000062.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-95-000089.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-96-000020.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-96-000036.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-96-000040.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-96-000070.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-97-000010.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-97-000018.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-97-000031.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-97-000058.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-97-000062.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-97-000088.txt
        General_Public_Utilites_Corp/0000040779-98-000028.txt




EI Brooklyn Power Limited [RJSC ID#2322117] was incorporated on 23 December 1993. Its registered office was at 791 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia. As of 5 January 2001, the company's sole director was
•   Bruce L. Levy, Pomona, New York; President
Source: Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/business/rjsc/


EI Brooklyn Investments Limited [RJSC ID#2285241] was incorporated on 3 March 1994. Its registered office was at 1791 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Source: Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/business/rjsc/





Wood-Fired Electric Generating Plant
Scheduled to Close

Power Station Losing Money

Fate of 28 Jobs Uncertain as Layoff Notices are Issued
29 December 1997

EI Services Canada is closing its operation of the Brooklyn Energy Centre and is looking to its investors to pick up the pieces. Due to continuing financial losses, the wood-fired electric power generating station will no longer be run by the company as of the end of February. Company spokesperson Pat Doll says contracts to supply electric power and steam to its customers are not enough to keep the operation afloat. He noted that start-up problems have been a thorn in the company's side since the plant began operation in 1996. The plant has a 20-year contract to supply steam to Bowater Mersey, and a 33-year contract to supply 22 megawatts of electric power to Nova Scotia Power Inc. Bowater relies on the plant for about 75% of the steam it needs for its pulp and newsprint manufacturing operations.

"EI Services Canada has announced it will cease providing operating and maintenance services to the Brooklyn Energy Centre on or before 1 March 1998. This decision has resulted from the inability of the owner, Brooklyn Energy Partnership, to pay certain amounts which are due to EI Services Canada," said a release sent out by fax on 7 January 1998.

Although EI Services, a subsidiary of Polsky Energy Corporation of Illinois, will no longer operate the plant, the door is open for the investors to restructure the plant's operations, Doll said. "The lending institutions will now decide its future," he said. "Our hope is that they would continue its operation under new management. It is a very good plant." 28 people work at the plant, which has a payroll of around $1,000,000 annually. Layoff notices were issued on Monday, 29 December 1997, and are effective in eight weeks.

The plant is located in Brooklyn, Queens County, across Highway 3 from the Bowater Mersey paper mill. It burns wood products such as bark and other wood scraps from Bowater Mersey and other producers of wood waste, and supplies steam to Bowater for use in the mill's operation. The plant's electrical output is purchased by Nova Scotia Power Inc., and is fed into the provincial electrical grid. A group of companies invested close to $80,000,000 to build the Brooklyn generating station. Federal, provincial, and municipal governments invested more than $12,000,000 in the project.

Excerpted from the Liverpool Advance, 7 January 1998, and
the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 8 January 1998





Brooklyn Power Corporation

65 Bowater Mersey hauling Road, Brooklyn, Queens Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 21 May 1998.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3023263.

Queens County: Brooklyn
Also see: Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership
Also see: Polsky Energy Corporation
Also see: South Shore Power Services Incorporated

The Brooklyn Power Corporation was incorporated on 21 May 1998.  As of 2 December 2001, its registered office was at 67 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, and the company's directors were:
•   William Sutherland, Waterloo, Ontario; President
•   Jerry Domanus, Montreal, Quebec
•   Luc Fournier, Levis, Quebec
•   Kelly Kwan, Toronto, Ontario; Secretary
Source: Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/business/rjsc/




The final sale of the Brooklyn Energy Centre is complete.  The plant has been sold to the original lenders of the project, a group of large insurance companies.  The plant will continue to be operated by South Shore Power Service.
[Bridgewater Bulletin, 24 February 1999]




The McCarthy Tetrault law firm acted on behalf of a syndicate of life insurance companies in connection with the acquisition and financing of the Brooklyn Energy Center.




The Brooklyn Energy Centre is a $75,000,000 waste wood co-generation facility supplying electrical energy to Nova Scotia Power Inc. and steam energy to Bowater Mersey Paper Company.  The plant's electrical capacity is 28 MW gross (electrical output of the turbine generator) or 22 MW net (after deducting the plant's internal use of power for electric motors for pumping boiler feedwater, driving conveyor belts, processing fuel, rotating field excitation, lighting, etc.)
Photograph of the Control Room at Brooklyn Energy
    http://access.nscc.ns.ca/Industry/students.htm




November 2001 — Brooklyn Power Corporation, which supplies steam to the Bowater Mersey paper mill, is suing Bowater for six million dollars.  In papers filed with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Brooklyn Power claims Bowater owes it $6,100,000 in payments dating to May 2000.  That's when the province forced the steam plant to use a higher grade of fuel to fire its boilers to supply Bowater.

The steam plant, located across Highway 1 from the Bowater mill at Brooklyn in Queens County, has been supplying Bowater with steam since 1993, first under the ownership of Brooklyn Energy and recently under the ownership of Brooklyn Power.  Brooklyn Power's fuel is mainly wood waste — tree bark and wood scraps — it gets from Bowater.  Bowater agreed to pay Brooklyn Power "at a price determined in part by the actual average weighted cost of fuel oil Brooklyn Power uses," the power company's statement of claim says.

The Environment Department originally allowed Brooklyn Power to burn number 6 fuel oil, commonly called Bunker C.  In 2000 the department amended its permit forcing Brooklyn Power to use higher grade number 2 oil, which costs more than bunker C.

Since the revised permit went into effect, Brooklyn Power has sent Bowater monthly invoices with the recalculated amount, but "Bowater has refused to pay the extra costs associated with the required change in fuel oil," Brooklyn Power said in its statement of claim. Bowater has until early December to file a defence.

In 1998, Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership, which designed and built the steam plant and operated it for the first few years, went bankrupt.  A year later, a group of insurance companies that had been among its secured creditors, bought it.

Last month, Finance Minister Neil LeBlanc wrote off $911,527 the defunct partnership owed the province.

[Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 21 November 2001]





Canso Wind Energy Centre ULC

Suite 4500, 855 Second Street SW, Calgary, Alberta

Incorporated on 19 December 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3224792.





Canso Windfield One Inc.

Suite 810, 1801 Hollis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 10 November 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3095413.

Also see: Barrington Wind Energy Limited

30 May 2006:— Barrington Wind Energy Limited (BWEL) affiliate Canso Windfield One Inc. has signed an agreement with Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. to provide wind power from BWEL's proposed Canso facility.  BWEL will generate power from its Canso-based wind farm project under a financial bilateral contract with Michelin.  Michelin will not receive direct delivery of energy produced by the Canso wind farm project.  The Canso wind farm project would sell energy to a transmission company. This contract is for 12 MW of installed capacity.  Michelin and BWEL have been in discussions for more than a year to enable this project in the Town of Canso, the companies say...
Source:— Canso Wind Farm Project





Cape Breton Explorations Limited

Suite 275, 500 George Place, Sydney, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 1 March 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3087092.

Also see: Cape Breton Hydro Inc.

Cape Breton Explorations Limited proposes to develop a hybrid wind/hydro pump storage power generating facility on the hills above Lake Uist.  The reservoir, the penstock, the hydro turbines and most of the wind resource are located in Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM); however, two or three turbines may be located in the Municipality of the County of Richmond...
References:
Official Public Notice of Proposed Pump Storage Facility 3 Dec 2007
Draft Terms of Reference, Environmental Assessment 8 Dec 2007




Cape Breton Explorations Limited has proposed a 200-megawatt hybrid wind hydro-power development at Lake Uist.  The project would feed wind-generated power from 44 wind turbines directly into the electrical power grid during the day when demand is high.  At night, during off hours, the wind turbines would supply power to pump water from Lake Uist through a buried penstock to a reservoir three kilometres away and more than 100 metres higher.  Pumped water would later flow back down the penstock to drive turbines to generate electricity before dispersing into the lower lake where it originated.
Source: Cape Breton Post, 22 June 2008

This is an example of a "pumped storage" system, a method of storing energy at a time when lower-cost electrical power is available (usually at night) and making it available during the day when electric power demand is high.  Pumped storage has been known for more than fifty years as as a feasible and practical technology for effectively storing large quantities of energy.  It is needed because energy in electrical form can be stored only in very tiny quantities.  There is no technology available now or in the foreseeable future that could store energy in electrical form in the quantities that pumped storage facilities routinely handle.  This Lake Uist system will use wind to generate electrical energy at night when it is not needed on the grid, and store it as elevated water for recovery to meet heavy demand the following day.





Cape Breton Hydro Inc.

500 George Place, Sydney, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 12 June 2007
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3218364.

Also see: Cape Breton Explorations Limited




Cape Breton Power Limited

Suite 900, 1959 Upper Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 29 April 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3089142.

Also see: Glace Bay Lingan Wind Power Limited

Cape Breton Power Ltd. now (July 2008) has 17.4 MW of wind energy in production.
Cape Breton Power Limited Website home page

On 21 October 2005, Cape Breton Power Ltd. registered the 4 MW Lingan Wind Power Project for environmental assessment.  The plan is to erect two 2 MW wind turbines on the coastal barrens northwest of the Lingan power station in Cape Breton Municipality.  Cape Breton Power Ltd. plans to begin construction in the fall of 2005 and operation to begin in early 2007.





The Cape Breton West Wind Field Inc.

249 MacLellan's Road, Black River, Inverness County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 4 December 2001.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3062147.





The Chebucto Wind Field Inc.

5 Bligh Street, Dartmouth, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 4 December 2001.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3062148.

More about The Chebucto Wind Field Inc.





Clydesdale Hydro Electric Company Inc.

2902 Browns Mountain Road, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 6 October 2005.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3107115.





Cobequid Area Wind Farms Inc.

Incorporated on 14 September 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093515.





Cobequid Wind Power Inc.

32 Parker Street, Truro, Colchester County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 8 April 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3088533.





The Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Inc.

1594 Highway 246, Tatamagouche, Colchester County, Nova Scotia
formerly The Cumberland Wind Field Inc. (name changed 24 August 2006)

Incorporated on 23 September 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093888.

More about The Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Inc.





Confederation Power Inc.

Suite 1400, 95 Wellington Street West, Toronto, Ontario formerly Springhill Riverhurst Wind Power Limited (name changed 25 July 2007)

Incorporated 21 December 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3097629.

On 23 October 2006, the Nova Scotia Environment Minister formally approved the 3.5 MW Higgins Mountain Road wind power project initiated by Springhill Riverhurst Wind Power Limited.
Ref: Environmental Assessment with Conditions: 3.5MW Wind Power Project, Higgins Mountain Road
Ref: Official Approval: 3.5MW Wind Power Project, Higgins Mountain Road
In November 2006, this company (under its former name Springhill Riverhurst Wind Power Limited) installed three 1200 kW wind turbines, for a total installed capacity of 3.6 MW, at Higgins Mountain Road, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.  These turbines were put into operation in December 2006, with the generated energy being bought by Nova Scotia Power.

GPS location:   45°34'18"N   63°37'04"W
Google map: Higgins Mountain Wind Turbine Site




Confederation Power Inc. core projects
  • 24 MW of operating wind capacity in Nova Scotia. All power is sold to Nova Scotia Power Inc. under long-term power purchase agreements;
  • 18 hydroelectric sites in development located in British Columbia representing over 150 MW of capacity;
  • Expansion potential of over 250 MW at the Nova Scotia wind farms; and
  • Two wind power development sites in Saskatchewan representing 40 MW of capacity.

Confederation Power Inc. Higgins Mountain Wind Farm
Confederation Power Inc. Springhill projects
Confederation Power Inc. Glace Bay projects




Higgins Mountain Wind Turbines being installed 21 Nov 2006




Wall to wall windmills planned for Cumberland County Amherst Daily News, 27 July 2007




Shadow Flicker Report, proposed expansion of Higgins Mountain Wind Farm




Higgins Mountain Off Wind Farm List Amherst Daily News, 4 Feb 2008





The Cumberland Wind Field Inc.

Incorporated on 23 September 2004.
Name changed 24 August 2006 to The Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Inc.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093888.

See: The Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Inc.




EarthFirst Canada Inc.

2960 B Jutland Road, Victoria, British Columbia

Incorporated on 1 January 2008.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3228505.

Also see: EarthFirst Nuttby Inc.




EarthFirst Nuttby Inc.

Suite 3700, 400 Third Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta
formerly 3217284 Nova Scotia Limited (name changed 17 June 2008)

Incorporated on 14 May 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3217284.

Also see: EarthFirst Canada Inc.

On 17 June 2008, 3217284 Nova Scotia Limited (a subsidiary of EarthFirst Canada Inc.), registered a wind energy project for environmental assessment.  The proposal is to construct and operate a wind energy facility on Nuttby Mountain, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, involving 18 wind turbine generators for a combined capacity of 45 megawatts.
Nuttby Mountain Wind Farm Public Notice
Nuttby Mountain Wind Farm
Nuttby Mountain Wind Farm Environmental Assessment
Nuttby Mountain Wind Farm Appendix A with Map

Nuttby wind farm project approved
Premier Rodney MacDonald is coming to Truro today (18 March 2008) to announce approval of a 45 megawatt wind farm on Nuttby Mountain. The project will see approximately twenty 120-metre-tall windmills constructed near the top of the highest point on mainland Nova Scotia.  While officials were keeping mum about precise details surrounding the announcement, the Truro Daily News has learned the premier will confirm approval of a proposal put forth last fall by Cobequid Area Wind Farms Inc.  Nova Scotia Power has called for proposals for alternative energy sources to meet a provincial objective to have nearly 20 per cent of the province's electricity come from green sources such as wind by 2013...
Truro Daily News 18 March 2008


EarthFirst buys out Nuttby wind farm
EarthFirst Canada Inc., a newly created wind company, announced it has bought the proposed 45-megawatt Nuttby Mountain wind energy project in Colchester County from Atlantic Wind Power Corp. and its partner, Cobequid Area Windfarms.  EarthFirst paid $75,000 cash, along with $374,400 in shares (based on 192,000 EarthFirst shares at $1.95 each) and a small share of gross revenue over the life of the project, Derren Newell, vice-president finance, said in a telephone interview from Calgary.  Nova Scotia Power will purchase the wind-generated power but details of that agreement, including the price paid per kilowatt-hour, were not disclosed.  The wind farm, with up to 22 turbines, will cost $90 million to $100 million and will be located about four kilometres north of the village of Nuttby and six kilometres east of Earltown...
— Halifax Chronicle-Herald 19 March 2008


Windmill won't be constructed at top of Nuttby Mountain
Fears that a scenic lookout point on the top of Nuttby Mountain would be ruined by the installation of a huge wind turbine have been laid to rest.  Clair Peers, president of Cobequid Wind Power, a development partner in the Nuttby Mountain project, confirmed Thursday afternoon (15 May 2008) that a turbine would not be constructed on the mountain's highest point.  "The thing is with this particular high spot is it's just not a stable enough location," said Peers.  He did say, however, there would most likely be a windmill constructed near the peak, but was unsure exactly how close it would be...
Truro Daily News 16 May 2008





The Evangeline Wind Field Inc.

Incorporated on 1 February 2001.  Revoked 3 April 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3053098.

More about The Evangeline Wind Field Inc.





Fitzpatrick Mountain Wind Energy Inc.

15 Dartmouth Road, Bedford, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 28 September 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3222750.





Four Lakes Hydro

116 Henry Avenue, Fall River, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Registered on 2 August 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3221133.





FPL Energy Power Marketing Inc.

700 Universe Boulevard, Juno Beach, Florida

Incorporated 25 June 1998.
Registered in Nova Scotia 26 September 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3222632.

Also see: Pubnico Point Wind Farm Inc.

Florida Power & Light Company Home page
Florida Power & Light Company History
Florida Power & Light Company Wikipedia

FPL Energy Home page
FPL Energy About FPL Energy
FPL Energy Generating plant portfolio
FPL Energy Wind facilities





2008 June 27
On this day FPL Energy Inc., a unit of FPL Group Inc, acquired all of the outstanding stock of Pubnico Point Wind Farm Inc. (an electric power company operating 17 wind turbines located in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, the largest wind farm in Atlantic Canada) from Creststreet Power & Income Fund LP (based in Calgary, Alberta).  At the same time, FPL Energy Inc. acquired all of the outstanding stock of Mount Copper Wind Power Energy Inc. (an electric power company located located near Murdochville in the Province of Quebec) from Creststreet Power & Income Fund.  The two transactions had a combined value of C$121.6 million.  FPL Energy is the power generation arm of FPL Group, a publicly traded energy company with US$16 billion in assets.  It has 55 wind farms in 16 states and is the largest generator of wind power in North America and the second largest in the world, behind Acciona Energy of Spain.





Ft. Lawrence Wind Energy Centre ULC

Suite 4500, 855 Second Street SW, Calgary, Alberta

Incorporated on 19 December 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3224812.





GE Hydro

2300 Meadowvale Boulevard, Mississauga, Ontario

Registered on 9 March 1993.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2245098.





GBL Wind Power (Phase II) Limited

11 Eleventh Street, Glace bay, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 19 May 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3149371.





Glace Bay Lingan Wind Power Limited

11 Eleventh Street, Glace bay, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 10 December 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3096309.

Also see: Cape Breton Power Limited

4MW Lingan Wind Power Project N.S. Environment Department report





Glace Bay Wind Energy Society

696 Main Street, Glace bay, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 13 March 2003.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3076593.





The Glooscap Wind Field Inc.

49 Water Street, Windsor, Hants County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 6 September 2005.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3104972.

More about The Glooscap Wind Field Inc.





The Gold Coast Wind Field Inc.

49 Water Street, Windsor, Hants County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 14 September 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093531.

More about The Gold Coast Wind Field Inc.





The Isle Wind Field Inc.

255 Jury Street, New Glasgow, Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 23 November 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3095649.

More about The Isle Wind Field Inc.





Minas Basin Pulp and Power Company Ltd.

53 Prince Street, Hantsport, Nova Scotia

Incorporated 9 March 1927.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 1001762.


Location near Parrsboro in Bay of Fundy eyed for electricity project:
...Last year, the Nova Scotia government announced successful bidders who will put pilot demonstration turbines in the Bay of Fundy in the spring.  Simon Melrose, an expert in ocean applied science with Oceans Limited, is carrying out oceanography for the tidal project for Minas Basin Pulp and Power.  The Hantsport firm won the contract to build a tidal energy test facility, a large part of the project that includes designing and operating a structure to receive electricity from the turbines and process data.  Scientists have been busy searching for a level spot for the turbines about 40 to 50 metres underwater, where the tide flows in a linear direction instead of swirling in numerous directions, Mr. Melrose told the Canadian Underwater Conference and Exhibition in Halifax on Tuesday... Scientists with the project have found the tidal currents are moving much faster in the Bay of Fundy than previously thought, which could mean more electricity if the energy can be harnessed...
—   Tidal turbine spot found Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 10 Sep 2008





Morgan Falls Power Company

Suite 200, 300 Prince Albert Road, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

In business since 5 May 1994.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2366771.

The Morgan Falls hydroelectric generating plant began regular operation in January 1996.
Government press release 17 October 1996





NewPage Port Hawkesbury Limited

120 Pulp Mill Road, Port Hawkesbury, Inverness County, Nova Scotia

Amalgamated on 1 January 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3085119.

NewPage Port Hawkesbury Limited
NewPage Port Hawkesbury Ltd. Port Hawkesbury Mill

The Newpage paper mill (formerly Stora Enso) at Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, is planning a 60 MW biomass project, expected to be in operation late in 2010.

2008 May
Newpage Corporation is the largest North American manufacturer of coated paper products, currently with a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.3 million short tons of coated paper, which represents approximately 32% of 2007 North American production capacity and net North American imports of coated paper, according to RISI Inc.
Source:— Newpage Corporation official prospectus dated 6 May 2008
SEC EDGAR Filing Information
http://edgar.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1329069/000119312508104050/d424b3.htm

Newpage Corporation 8540 Gander Creek Drive, Miamisburg, Ohio





The Northumberland Wind Field Inc.

49 Water Street, Windsor, Hants County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 27 September 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093968.

More about The Northumberland Wind Field Inc.





NSWEP Wind Energy Research

1360 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Registered on 31 October 2002.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3071971.





OASIS: Open Access Same-time Information System

Wholesale Electric Transmission
OASIS is not an incorporated company, but its significance to the renewable energy industry in Nova Scotia is such that IMO it must be included here.

The Electricity Act, which opened the Nova Scotia electricity market to wholesale competition, went into effect on 1 February 2007.
Wholesale Electricity Market: Rules and Procedures
Open Access Same-time Information System (OASIS)
Standards of Conduct...Wholesale Electric Transmission...


The Nova Scotia Power Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) came into effect on November 1st, 2005.
Open Access Same-time Information System (OASIS)





OpenHydro (Ireland) Limited

OpenHydro Group Limited

66 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, Ireland

Registration number 404462 (Ireland)

2008 February 20
Emera Inc. has invested €10.2 million (C$15 million) to acquire a 7.4% interest in OpenHydro Group Limited, an Irish renewable tidal energy company.  OpenHydro designs and manufactures marine turbines for harnessing energy from tidal currents in the world's oceans.  Nova Scotia Power, a subsidiary of Emera Inc., selected OpenHydro's Open-Centre Turbine technology in 2007 for deployment in a tidal energy demonstration project in the Bay of Fundy.  The Province of Nova Scotia recently announced that the technology proposed by Nova Scotia Power and OpenHydro is among those that will be tested in the Bay of Fundy starting in 2009.  The Nova Scotia Power - OpenHydro demonstration project has been approved for funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a not-for-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada that provides funding to emerging clean technologies.  Emera will hold one seat on OpenHydro's seven member Board of Directors.
The Open-Centre Turbine is designed to be deployed directly on the seabed.  Installations will be silent and invisible from the surface.  They will be located at depth and present no navigational hazard.


Twice a day, in accordance with nature's clock, the Atlantic Ocean pours through the Bay of Fundy with a controlled fury that is unmatched anywhere in the world... Two weeks ago (in February 2007), Nova Scotia Power selected an Irish company called OpenHydro to be its partner in this endeavour over 20 other potential suppliers, including a couple of local consortiums.  The plan is to have what would be one of the world's largest single underwater turbines in the six-kilometre-wide Minas passage by late 2009...
The Resurgence of Tidal Power CBC News, 26 Feb 2007


The Open-Centre Turbine, with just one moving part and no seals, consists of a rotor with a solid-state permanent magnet generator encapsulated within the outer rim, minimizing maintenance requirements.


OpenHydro was formed in 2005 following the acquisition of the technology rights to the Open-Centre Turbine.  As of May 2008, the company, which has 26 employees, has raised over €50 million in funding since 2005 for the development of its turbines.


2007 March
OpenHydro Group Limited has been awarded a major contract with Alderney Renewable Energy for the development of tidal farms in the Channel Islands.  The exact size of the investment in the deployment of the turbines has not been disclosed but it is exected to run to several million euros with the turbines expected to be deployed in 2008/2009.  As part of the contract, OpenHydro will install an array of its Open-Centre Turbines mounted on the sea bed near Alderney, generating electricity.


2008 May
OpenHydro has become the first tidal energy company to complete the connection of a tidal turbine to the UK national grid and commence electricity generation.  This is a first for both the UK and Ireland and in doing so OpenHydro has now become one of the first companies in the world to reach this stage of technical maturity.  OpenHydro's 250kW Open-Centre Turbine, which is installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) off Orkney, Scotland, commenced generation onto the grid on 26 May 2008 and this was independently witnessed by representatives of EMEC.  EMEC is the only independent and publicly financed facility in the world for testing tidal and wave technologies.  The company has been testing the power generation of its Open-Centre Turbine over the past 18 months at EMEC.  The most recent tests were performed with the turbine connected to the UK's electricity grid onto which power was generated for the first time.





Polsky Energy Corporation of Brooklyn Inc.

Incorporated on 22 June 1992.  Struck off 30 June 2008.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 2158296.

Generating plant location: Brooklyn, Queens County
Also see: Brooklyn Energy Limited Partnership

The Polsky Energy Corporation of Brooklyn Inc. was incorporated on 22 June 1992.  Its registered office was at 5151 George Street, Halifax , Nova Scotia, and the company's sole director was:
•   Michael P. Polsky, Northbrook, Illinois; President
Source: Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/business/rjsc/





Pubnico Point Wind Farm Inc.

1805 Lake George Road, Yarmouth, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 28 August 2003.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3082427.

See: FPL Energy Power Marketing Inc.




Renewable Energy Services Limited

Suite 2100, 1801 Hollis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 20 December 2000.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3051882.

Renewable Energy Services Limited Website home page
Renewable Energy Services Limited Completed installations


2006 July 31
Nova Scotia Power and Renewable Energy Services Limited announced today a further addition to wind power generation in Nova Scotia... Renewable Energy Services Ltd. now (July 2006) operates four wind turbines in Nova Scotia: at Goodwood and Brookfield in Halifax Regional Municipality, on Fitzpatrick Mountain in Pictou County, at Point Tupper near the Strait of Canso.  Construction is underway at a site in Digby.  Nova Scotia Power has agreed to buy power from an additional three turbines that RESL will install this fall... Renewable Energy Services Ltd., founded in 2000, is a vertically integrated renewable energy company.
Goodwood Announcement N.S. Power media release, 31 July 2006




Listed in order, west to east:

GPS location:   44°38'58"N   65°47'59"W
Google map: Digby Wind Turbine Site

GPS location:   44°36'28"N   63°40'42"W
Google map: Goodwood Wind Turbine Site

GPS location:   45°16'02"N   63°15'07"W
Google map: Brookfield Wind Turbine Site

GPS location:   45°45'28"N   63°06'08"W
Google map: River John Wind Turbine Site

GPS location:   45°37'32"N   62°54'16"W
Google map: Fitzpatrick Mtn. No. 1 Wind Turbine Site

GPS location:   45°38'14"N   62°53'11"W
Google map: Fitzpatrick Mtn. No. 2 Wind Turbine Site

GPS location:   45°34'32"N   61°20'13"W
Google map: Point Tupper Wind Turbine Site





RMSEnergy Inc.

796 Dan Fraser Road, Green Hill, Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 18 December 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3198354.

2008 March   RMSenergy wind farms in Pictou and Antigonish Counties
Nova Scotia Power has signed a long-term agreement with RMSenergy for wind farms in Pictou and Antigonish counties. The wind farm in Pictou County will be located on Dalhousie Mountain. 25 kilometres west of New Glasgow. The project will consist of 34 turbines with a total nameplate capacity of 51 megawatts. The other project will be located near Maryvale, 15 kilometres north of Antigonish, with up to four turbines with a nameplate capacity of six megawatts.
Nova Scotia Power press release 20 March 2008





Schneider Power Incorporated

Suite 101, 49 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario

Incorporated on 14 April 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3130721.

Schneider Power Inc. is an Ontario-based energy company that is interested in developing a wind power project on Goodwin's Island in Shelburne County.  President Thomas Schneider says the firm currently has two projects in operation and eight others in development in Canada, the U.S. and Germany.  Schneider Power Inc. is a private, Canadian owned and operated company with a focus on developing renewable energy electricity generation by investing directly in clean energy projects.  Started in 1892 in Germany, by Schneider's great-great grandfather, the company has a long history of providing electrical power.  Schneider wants to develop a small-scale – fewer-than-five-turbine – wind power project on Goodwin's Island.  The company, which has owned the island since the 1990s wants to feed electricity from the turbines directly into the Nova Scotia Power grid.  Goodwin's Island is located in the Municipality of Barrington, about a kilometre offshore from Lower Woods Harbour.
— Shelburne Coast Guard, 18 September 2007





Scotian WindFields Inc.

258 King Street, Windsor, Hants County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 25 October 2002.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3071812.

More about Scotian WindFields Inc.





Scotian WindField Partners Corporation

Suite 1602, 250 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario

Incorporated on 21 March 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3222988.





Shear Wind Inc.

Amalgamated on 9 June 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3161252.

Shear Wind Inc. website home page
Shear Wind Inc. Board of Directors


2008 April 2
Mike Magnus, President and CEO of Shear Wind Inc. is pleased to announce that Shear Wind has entered into a 60 megawatt Power Purchase Agreement with Nova Scotia Power in connection with a 20-year power supply commitment to Nova Scotians.  The 60 MW of clean electricity will be produced at the Glen Dhu Wind Park in Pictou County, near Merigomish, Nova Scotia.  Shear Wind is planning to erect thirty Enercon E-82, 2 MW turbines that will meet the energy demands of 17,500 homes per year.  The Glen Dhu Wind Park represents a $150 million investment for Shear Wind in Nova Scotia...
Shear Wind Signs 60 MW Contract Shear Wind media release, 2 April 2008

ICS comment:—
Shear Wind Inc. has entrusted the writing of
its media releases to someone who obviously
has no understanding of electric power.


"Shear Wind is planning to erect thirty Enercon
E-82, 2 MW turbines that will meet the energy
demands of 17,500 homes per year."


          "per year"?
That could not have been written by anyone who
understands what a megawatt is.  In fact, the
original release even manages to misspell that
unit (but this mistake has been corrected here).



2007 October: Shear Wind Buys Merland Wind Project
Shear Wind, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-headquartered renewable energy developer, submitted a bid to Nova Scotia Power's Request For Proposals at the end of August 2007 for a 50 MW to 150 MW wind farm at the company's north central Nova Scotia project site, called Glen Dhu.  The company has since purchased the Merland Wind Project from Barrington Wind Energy Ltd.  The Merland, Nova Scotia-based project, which has 50 MW of generation potential, complements Shear Wind's Glen Dhu site and provides strategic options for future expansion of Glen Dhu or for developing a stand-alone project, according to Shear Wind's President and CEO Michael Magnus.
Smart Dolphin GmbH




2007 September 17: Shear Wind Acquires Wind Project
Mike Magnus, President & CEO of Shear Wind Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition of a wind project site in Nova Scotia. Shear Wind has been successful in purchasing the Merland Wind Project site previously owned by Barrington Wind Energy Limited. The project is wind tested and has the potential for developing 50 megawatts of electrical generation. The location of Merland, Nova Scotia is complimentary to Shear Wind's Glen Dhu site, and will provide Shear Wind with strategic options for future expansion of Glen Dhu or for developing a stand alone project. Mr. Magnus states, "Shear Wind has a mandate to increase its "pipeline" of economically viable wind resource properties across Canada, and this acquisition represents a key strategic asset in our quest to provide a long term supply of renewable energy to the Province of Nova Scotia". Mr. Magnus also announces that Shear Wind has successfully submitted its proposal for the Glen Dhu, Nova Scotia project to Nova Scotia Power in response to their Request For Proposal (RFP) which solicited 130 MW of renewable energy that is required to be operational by the end of 2009.
Shear Wind press release 17 Sep 2007




Another windfarm blowing into Pictou County
On a morning where wind gusts reached 34 km/h, Halifax-based company Shear Wind Inc. announced plans to build the largest Nova Scotia wind turbine park to date near Merigomish.  Glen Dhu wind park will be located on 2,420 hectares of privately owned land on Browns Mountain, off Baileys Brook Road.  The 30-turbine project will generate 60 megawatts of electricity.  Construction is expected to begin in 2008, to be complete in 2009.
Plan to build 30-turbine park in Merigomish area
— New Glasgow Evening News, 2 April 2008




Shear Wind announces Alberta projext
Nova Scotia-based Shear Wind has secured a 100 MW build-out position on the existing Alberta electrical grid for the Glenridge Project located in southeastern Alberta.  The Alberta Electric Supply Operator confirmed positive conclusions for interconnection to the Alberta Interconnected Electric System.  With the recently awarded 60 MW power purchase agreement for Shear Wind's Glen Dhu Project in Nova Scotia, the company now has two projects totaling 160 MW in build-out positions and equating to a capital investment of over $350 million upon completion.
— North American Windpower, Zackin Publications Inc., 6 June 2008





Skypower Corporation

SkyPower is a leading developer of renewable energy projects. The company has interests in over 200 projects at various stages of development, representing over 11,000 MW of potential nameplate capacity. SkyPower is developing significant renewable energy projects in Canada, the United States, India and Panama...
Skypower Corporation 250 Yonge Street, Toronto
Skypower Corporation Board of Directors
Skypower Corporation Senior Management Team
Skypower Corporation Renewable Energy Projects


2007 June 4:— Skypower sells equity stake to Lehman Brothers
SkyPower Corporation, one of Canada's leading renewable energy companies with a substantial portfolio of wind and solar projects across Canada, has announced today that Lehman Brothers and its Private Equity business have acquired a significant equity stake in the company.  The investment includes an up-front acquisition payment, commitments to future project financing as well as other investment opportunities in the renewable energy sector...

A portion of the up-front payment will be used by the Adler Renewable Energy Foundation (AREF) a foundation which is being formed to help provide select schools and needy communities in Canada the ability to benefit from clean renewable power by having solar or wind power to augment or replace where possible their current power needs.  The current SkyPower management team, led by its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kerry Adler, will continue to be responsible for and oversee all ongoing day-to-day operations as well as the strategic direction of the company.

Kerry Adler, President and CEO of SkyPower commented: "This is an important milestone for SkyPower, our stakeholders and our partners.  This transaction with Lehman Brothers provides us a unique solid platform whereby we can accelerate the growth of our business. We believe that we will be better positioned to capture increased opportunities as part of our mandate and commitment to help Canada become a global environmental leader by developing our vast natural renewable power resources and generating clean, green renewable power.  Lehman Brothers has clearly demonstrated its leadership and environmental responsibility, and speaking on behalf of the entire SkyPower team we are proud to be affiliated with an organization that is as committed to addressing the issues of climate change."

"We are excited to partner with the SkyPower management team in embracing the dynamic growth opportunities available in wind and solar energy," said Michael Odrich, global head of Private Equity for Lehman Brothers. "This investment is consistent with our Private Equity strategy of backing premier management teams and underscores the Firm's commitment to renewable energy."

Stated Theodore Roosevelt IV, chairman of Lehman Brothers' Council on Climate Change, "Our investment in SkyPower demonstrates the necessary linkage between sound financial decisions and a better environment."

Since its inception in 2003, SkyPower has focused on developing wind and solar power projects and has focused on a community-based development strategy which aims to include the First Nations of Canada and local municipalities in their renewable energy efforts.  The extensive background of the SkyPower team and advisors of over 40 strong and growing, is the cornerstone and most critical component of SkyPower's strategic plan...
Scoop, New Zealand   http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0706/S00027.htm


Lehman Brothers 745 Seventh Avenue, New York City
Lehman Brothers Board of Directors
Lehman Brothers Senior Management
Lehman Brothers History from 1850


2008 September 15:— Lehman Brothers Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy




2008 May 15:—
Joint venture partners SkyPower Corp. and Scotian WindFields Inc. announced that they have been awarded a long term Power Purchase Agreement by Nova Scotia Power for power produced by a wind project located near Digby, Nova Scotia.  Skypower and Scotian WindFields have been awarded a 20-year contract to develop a 30-megawatt wind park in the Municipality of Digby.  The 2700-acre wind park is expected to become operational in 2009.
Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement Awarded by Nova Scotia Power14 May 2008





South Shore Power Services Incorporated

Incorporated on 10 February 1998.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3016025.

Also see: Brooklyn Power Corporation

South Shore Power Services Incorporated was incorporated on 10 February 1998.  As of 2 December 2001, its registered office was at 1601 Lower Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the company's directors were:
•   A. Stephen Probyn, Toronto; Chairman
•   Peter Keskinen, Willowdale, Ontario; President
Source: Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies [RJSC]
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/business/rjsc/





The Sou'wester Wind Field Inc.

21 Old Ferry Wharf Road, Port Latour, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 14 September 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3093529.

More about The Sou'wester Wind Field Inc.





Springhill Riverhurst Wind Power Limited

(name changed 25 July 2007 to Confederation Power Inc.)

Incorporated 21 December 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3097629.

See: Confederation Power Inc.




SWEF GP Inc.

Incorporated on 30 December 2004.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3122439.

Also see: Skypower Corporation




SWEF LP

Registered on 19 December 2005.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3122474.

          (Pure speculation: Could the SWE refer to Skypower Wind Energy?)
Also see: Skypower Corporation




Tynesis Canada Hydro Inc.

Registered on 23 January 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3205232.





Ventus Energy Corporation

Amalgamated on 15 October 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3223056.





Vindt Resources Inc.

730 - 1015 Fourth Street SW, Calgary, Alberta

Registered on 11 April 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3219040.





Wind Power Producers Alliance of Nova Scotia

Suite 420, 1600 Bedford Highway, Bedford, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Registered on 02 March 2007.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3213905.





Wind Prospect Inc.

Suite 521, 1657 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incorporated on 17 February 2006.
Nova Scotia Joint Stock Registry number 3137373.

Wind Prospect Inc.
Wind Prospect Inc. Canadian projects


Wind Prospect is an independent and privately owned wind energy specialist. Expertise offered includes operations, construction management, risk assessment and mitigation, wind resource and energy yield, engineering, contracts, health and safety, leases and rights-of-way, performance analysis and operations. Wind Prospect has played a leading role in the evolution of wind energy in the UK, Ireland and Australia. The company's civil, electrical and mechanical engineers have overseen the commissioning of over forty wind farms and have been involved in operating fifteen projects. Wind Prospect's core business areas are wind farm development, construction and operations – with interests in advisory services and marine renewables. Wind Prospect has formed financial and risk-sharing partnerships with other companies to make significant investments in development in Australia, the UK and China. The Wind Prospect Group has offices in China, Hong Kong, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. By capacity installed, Wind Prospect is the most successful developer in the southern hemisphere.
Wind Prospect Limited 7 Berkeley Square, Clifton, Bristol, England
Wind Prospect Inc. Wikipedia





Nova Scotia Supports Industry with
Wind Maps and Approval Guidelines

The Nova Scotia Department of Energy (NSDOE), in conjunction with researchers from Universite de Moncton and the Applied Geomatics Research Group at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), has released maps illustrating provincial wind resources that, if developed for wind power generation, could help the province meet a 20% renewables mandate.  As the province gears up for new generation development, the government is working quickly to provide the municipal entities in charge of approving new wind farm proposals with recommended siting and approvals best practices.

The new wind resource maps, which are available online to the general public for download in portable document format (.pdf) at no charge, show wind speeds at three elevations, 30 metres above the ground surface, 50 m and 80 m and include data for up to ten kilometres offshore.  The NSCC group soon will update the wind map website to include interactive geographic information system options.

"The interactive portion of the website will allow users to gain access to the wind resource modeling that was done and view that information with a number of other layers, such as roads, lakes, rivers, transmission lines and provincial national parks," says David Colville, NSCC lead researcher on the project.  "Users can browse any portion of the province to locate areas by way of the various features and get a sense of the wind potential with respect to other features that one needs to take into account when looking at developing a project."

The wind maps will allow developers to identify potential project sites for development to help the province meet a target of obtaining 20% of Nova Scotia's electricity from renewable resources by 2013 that was set by the government in January 2007.

To move the province closer to reaching that target, in March 2007 Halifax-based Nova Scotia Power issued a request for proposals (RFP) for 130 MW of renewable energy.  The deadline for proposals to reach NS Power was August 31, and the utility plans to announce the winning bidders by the end of the year or as soon as power purchase agreements have been secured for the proposed projects, according to a spokesperson for NS Power.

Projects under the RFP must be in service by November 2009 – a fast approaching deadline that is putting pressure on the municipal authorities charged with reviewing new generation development applications from the RFP's winning bidders.  The Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities (UNSM), in cooperation with the NSDOE and Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, released an RFP for consulting services to develop model wind turbine zoning by-laws and best practices for Nova Scotia's municipalities.

According to the UNSM RFP document, the task of defining how new wind power projects will fit into Nova Scotia's communities falls to municipalities.  The RFP document also notes that "very few municipalities in the province are prepared if wind turbine sites are identified for location in their areas."

A draft model and guidelines are due under the RFP by 23 November 2007, with a final report due before the end of the year.  There is "some urgency" to this initiative, says Peggy Crawford, municipal sustainability coordinator for UNSM.  "We want to coordinate the guidelines for the municipalities to have as the NS Power proposals are being considered," she adds...

— North American Windpower, Oct 2007, Zackin Publications Inc.
Smart Dolphin GmbH




2007 September 18   Nova Scotia Wind Atlas Now Available
Nova Scotia's world-class wind resource now comes with its own map. "By 2013, nearly 20 per cent of all Nova Scotia's electricity will come from green sources like wind," said Energy Minister Bill Dooks to government, business and environmental representatives at the Power of Green conference in Halifax, today, Sept. 18th. "Our wind resource is a tremendous opportunity for clean power, and now we have a map to show us that opportunity in detail."  Supported by a $78,000 grant from the province, researchers from Universite de Moncton and the Applied Geomatics Research Group at the Nova Scotia Community College have created a wind atlas that illustrates how much wind is available, and where to find it.  The atlas will serve as a valuable tool for future wind policy and planning. It will also assist smaller-scale wind developers without resources for mapping to assess the viability of potential projects...
Province Offers Wind Atlas, Encourages Local Growth Government press release 18 Sep 2007





For the tax year 2006-07, the wind turbine facility tax rate is $5,500.00 per megawatt.  For subsequent years, the wind turbine facility tax rate is $5,500.00 per megawatt plus an inflation adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index for Canada.
Wind Turbine Facilities Municipal Taxation Act
Proclaimed: 12 January 2007   #160; #160; In force: 12 January 2007


Tax Legislation Will Promote Wind Energy press release 6 Nov. 2006





Energy Resources Conservation Act


2010 estimates:
— 311 megawatts of wind supply
— 550 kilotonnes annual emission reduction
2013 estimates:
— 22 per cent total electricity supply from renewables
— 581 megawatts of wind supply
— 1,300 kilotonnes annual emission reduction
Province Can Meet Wind Targets...Study Says press release 16 May 2008







Unless otherwise stated, "Act" means an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature.
Where it appears above, "NSL" refers to the Nova Scotia Legislature.

In the old days, Acts were often dated not by the calendar year but by the year of reign of the current sovreign. Example: The Act to incorporate the Kerosene Gas Light Company is often listed as "13 Vic. c. 25", meaning chapter (Act) number 25 passed in March 1850, the 13th year of the reign of Queen Victoria.  The legislative references above have all been converted to the calendar year, but the reignal year may be needed if you want to look up the original Act.  Example: to find the 1840 Act to incorporate the Halifax Gas Light & Water Company you will need to ask for 3 Vic. c. 16.  The conversion between a reignal year and a calendar year is not just a simple addition or subtraction, because the beginning of a reign rarely coincides with the beginning of a calendar year.

"3 Wm. IV" means 26 June 1832 to 25 June 1833 "6 Wm. IV" means 26 June 1835 to 25 June 1836
"5 Vic." means 20 June 1841 to 19 June 1842 "10 Vic." means 20 June 1846 to 19 June 1847
"15 Vic." means 20 June 1851 to 19 June 1852 "20 Vic." means 20 June 1856 to 19 June 1857
"25 Vic." means 20 June 1861 to 19 June 1862 "30 Vic." means 20 June 1866 to 19 June 1867
"35 Vic." means 20 June 1871 to 19 June 1872 "40 Vic." means 20 June 1876 to 19 June 1877
"45 Vic." means 20 June 1881 to 19 June 1882 "50 Vic." means 20 June 1886 to 19 June 1887
"55 Vic." means 20 June 1891 to 19 June 1892 "60 Vic." means 20 June 1896 to 19 June 1897
"4 Edw. VII" means 22 Jan. 1904 to 21 Jan. 1905 "8 Edw. VII" means 22 Jan. 1908 to 21 Jan. 1909
"5 Geo. V" means 6 May 1914 to 5 May 1915 "10 Geo. V" means 6 May 1919 to 5 May 1920





Notes



Note 1:

PUB

PUB refers to the Public Utilities Board, the common name for the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities, its legal name from 1909 to 1992, or after 1992 the Utilities and Review Board.


Note 2:

Information Sources

The above list of Nova Scotia electric companies was compiled mainly from the records of the Public Utilities Board.  Beginning in 1911, and continuing for more than fifty years, the PUB published, in each of its Annual Reports, a list of the electric utilities active in Nova Scotia during the year of the Report.  These annual lists are a highly reliable source of information on this subject, for the years after 1911.  That was the first stage of this project, completed in 1999.
          The second stage of assembling this list of Nova Scotia electric companies consisted of a review of the complete list of Private and Local Acts of Nova Scotia for the years 1758 to 1989, inclusive, and selecting each company which had "Electric" or "Power" or "Light" in its corporate name.  This was the main source for the years before 1911 (before the PUB started work).  This second stage was completed in 2001.
          Those two stages produced most of the above list, but certain other companies have been included:
          In this list I've included all the Nova Scotia gas lighting companies (Yarmouth, Lunenburg, Windsor, Dartmouth, Truro, Pictou, Sydney, ...) I've found, because these tended to be forerunners of electric companies or became electric companies after a few years of operation.
          Also, all known electric streetcar operations (public transit railways) are included, because often there was a close association between streetcar or interurban companies and early electric utilities.  It is a common historical pattern, in Canada and the USA, that companies running streetcar lines — which, beginning in the late 1880s and early 1890s, required large quantities of electric power throughout the day and much of the night — became the source of electric power for early non-streetcar applications, such as street lighting, water pumping, elevators and hoists and conveyor belts, printing presses, and similar purposes.  For many of these purposes, the direct current, easily obtainable from the overhead trolley wire, was ideal, not to mention that the streetcar system had a ready-made distribution system throughout much of the central core of many urban areas.  In the following decades, as streetcar operations slowly declined and other uses of electric power grew, companies which had begun as transit operations slowly metamorphosed into electric utility operations in the modern sense.  For example, throughout the first half of the century, and well into the 1950s, the largest single customer of the Nova Scotia Light & Power Co.'s electric utility division was the NSL&P's transit division, which operated electric-powered streetcars in Halifax until 1948, and then electric-powered trolley coaches on several routes in Halifax and one route to Dartmouth through the 1950s and 1960s.
          Finally, I've included companies known to have had legal authority to generate and/or distribute electric power for users other than the company's own manufacturing or mining work; examples are Acadia Coal Co., Dominion Iron & Steel Co., and Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co.


Note 3:

Five Small Electric Power Companies Sold
21 August 1941

On 21 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of five small electric power companies in Kings County, to the Avon River Power Company of Windsor, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Scotia Light & Power Company of Halifax. The companies, and the sale price of each, were:

•   Habitant Electric Light Company, $800 (incorporated 1921)
•   Hillaton Electric Light & Power Company, $350 (31 customers)
•   Kingsport Electric Light Company, $2,600
•   Pereaux Electric Light & Power Company, $3,250 (incorporated 1934)
•   Woodside Electric Light Company, $800

An individual ruling was given for each company; all five decisions were dated 21 August 1941.  In each case, approval was given for the sale of "all of its property and assets of whatsoever nature and wheresoever situate, including the whole of its undertaking".  None of these companies generated electric power; all five bought their electricity wholesale from the electric utility system operated by the Canning Water Commissioners, which got it from the Avon River Power Company.
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1941, pages 82-88


Canning Electric Utility Sold
28 August 1941

On 28 August 1941, the Public Utilities Board gave official approval for the sale of the electric power system, owned and operated by the Canning Water Commission, to the Avon River Power Company. The Canning system was the wholesale supplier of electric power to the five companies sold one week earlier, Habitant, Hillaton, Kingsport, Pereaux, and Woodside. The Canning electric system did not generate electric power, it got its electricity wholesale from the Avon River Power Company at a point north of Port Williams.



Alphabetization

Alphabetization of privately-owned utilities:
The above list of privately-owned electric companies was put in alphabetical order by reading each company name as if all spaces, ampersands, hyphens and commas had been deleted. Where the legal corporate name began/begins with "The", it has been omitted here. "St." is placed according to its full spelling.

Alphabetization of government-owned utilities:
The above list of government-owned electric utilities was ordered according to the geographical part of the name. Examples:
      Public Service Commission of Bridgewater is placed under B
      Water Commissioners of the Village of Canning is placed under C
      Municipality of Digby is placed under D
      City of Halifax is placed under H
      Electric Light Commissioners for LaHave is placed under L
      Town of Port Hawkesbury is placed under P
      Commissioners for the Village of Weymouth is placed under W



Recent Additions to This List

Added 2002 Jun 30: Chipman's Corner Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd.
Added 2002 Jul 02: Hantsport Fruit Basket Co. Ltd.
Added 2002 Jul 26: NS Power Holdings Inc.
Added 2002 Jul 26: Associated Gas & Electric Co.
Added 2002 Jul 26: Stone & Webster
Added 2002 Jul 27: Emera Inc.
Added 2003 Mar 10: Joggins Coal & Railway Co. Ltd.
Added 2004 Feb 17: Berwick Electric Commission
Added 2006 Jun 17: Cape Split Development Company
Added 2006 Aug 27: Black River Hydro Limited
Added 2008 Jul 06: Atlantic Wind Power Corporation Limited
Added 2008 Jul 06: Barrington Wind Energy Limited
Added 2008 Jul 06: Canso Wind Energy Centre ULC
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Cape Breton West Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Chebucto Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Cobequid Area Wind Farms Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Cobequid Wind Power Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Cumberland Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Glace Bay Lingan Wind Power Limited
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Glooscap Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Gold Coast Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Isle Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Northumberland Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Pubnico Point Wind Farm Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Renewable Energy Services Limited
Added 2008 Jul 06: Scotian WindFields Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Sou'wester Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: The Bay Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 06: Ventus Energy Corporation
Added 2008 Jul 07: Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 07: Canso Windfield One Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 07: Cape Breton Explorations Limited
Added 2008 Jul 07: Cape Breton Power Limited
Added 2008 Jul 07: Schneider Power Limited
Added 2008 Jul 08: Acciona Amherst GP Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 08: Amherst Wind Power LP
Added 2008 Jul 08: Confederation Power Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 08: FPL Energy Power Marketing Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 08: Springhill Riverhurst Wind Power Limited
Added 2008 Jul 08: Wind Power Producers Alliance of Nova Scotia
Added 2008 Jul 09: Annapolis Basin Pulp and Power Company Limited
Added 2008 Jul 09: RMSEnergy Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 09: Shear Wind Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 10: Acadia Wind Farm Energies Limited
Added 2008 Jul 10: Fitzpatrick Mountain Wind Energy Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 10: Ft. Lawrence Wind Energy Centre ULC
Added 2008 Jul 10: GBL Wind Power (Phase II) Limited
Added 2008 Jul 10: Glace Bay Wind Energy Society
Added 2008 Jul 10: NSWEP Wind Energy Research
Added 2008 Jul 11: The Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 12: EarthFirst Canada Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 12: EarthFirst Nuttby Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 13: Skypower Corporation
Added 2008 Jul 13: SWEF GP Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 13: SWEF LP
Added 2008 Jul 14: Cape Breton Hydro Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 14: Clydesdale Hydro Electric Company Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 14: Four Lakes Hydro
Added 2008 Jul 14: GE Hydro
Added 2008 Jul 14: Tynesis Canada Hydro Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 14: Wind Prospect Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 15: Vindt Resources Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 16: NewPage Port Hawkesbury Limited
Added 2008 Jul 16: Scotian WindField Partners Corporation
Added 2008 Jul 17: Atlantic Orient Canada Inc.
Added 2008 Jul 21: OpenHydro Group Limited
Added 2008 Aug 04: 3G Energy Corporation
Added 2008 Sep 10: Minas Basin Pulp and Power Co.



Charging the Customer for Electric Service Lines

Note: The following is the text of a letter to the editor (which was not printed in the newspaper), written in response to a letter published in the Halifax Daily News, May 20th, 1999:

Dear Editor:   In their letter (the Daily News, May 20th, 1999) J--- and C---- Fraser complain about the cost of having the local electric power line extended to serve their new home. They chose to build at a location where electric power was not available, and now expect Nova Scotia Power to extend the line more than half a kilometre without cost to them.

They wrote: "We understand that what they're doing is perfectly legal, since the company privatized several years ago and the Public Utilities Act was revamped..."

Apparently they think this charge is a recent innovation which came into effect in 1992, when NSP was privatized and the Public Utilities Act was rewritten.

In fact, this policy is far older.  For many decades, the practice in Nova Scotia, and throughout North America, has been to charge the homeowner for residential line extensions beyond a certain fixed distance.

The following is quoted directly from the 1958 Annual Report of the Nova Scotia Public Utilities Board, which reported the Board's approval, effective April 14th, 1958, of the Nova Scotia Light & Power Company's rates and regulations.  On page 139 we find: "Service extensions shall be erected, owned and maintained by the Company over a cleared right-of-way provided by the customer.  The length of a service extension shall be the distance from the center of the highway opposite the Company's nearest line pole to the customer's service entrance.  When the use is domestic and the length of the service extension is greater than 300 feet, the customer shall contribute to the cost of the service extension fifteen dollars for each fifty feet, or part thereof, by which the length of the service extension is greater than 300 feet..."

This 1958 rule provided the first 300 feet free of charge.  300 feet converts to 91.4 metres.  In 1999, according to the Frasers' letter, the first 92 metres is free.  The length of the free extension has been unchanged for more than forty years.

This 1958 decision applied to the Nova Scotia Light & Power Company, but the other 27 electric utilities then operating in Nova Scotia all had similar rules for residential line extensions. Space does not allow me to quote them all.

In 1999, Nova Scotia Power Incorporated's rule for residential line extensions, which the Frasers complain of, is identical to the rule in effect for the other six electric utility companies now operating in Nova Scotia.

The Frasers wrote: "We think the public has a right to know..."  The public does know.  For many decades, for all electric utilities in Nova Scotia and throughout North America, these rules have been in effect and on the public record.  They are neither new nor secret nor unfair.

Ivan Smith, Canning, Nova Scotia




The above letter refers to "the other 27 electric utilities" (in addition to NSL&P).
The complete list of 28 electric utilities operating in Nova Scotia in 1958 is as follows:
[G means government-owned;   P means privately owned (non-government)]

  1.   G     Town of Antigonish
  2.   G     Town of Berwick
  3.   G     Public Service Commission of Bridgewater
  4.   G     Caledonia Power and Water Board, Glace Bay
  5.   P     Canada Electric Company Limited
  6.   G     Town of Canso
  7.   G     Municipality of the District of Clare
  8.   G     Digby County Power Board
  9.   G     Town of Digby
10.   G     Town of Dominion
11.   P     Dominion Utilities Company Limited
12.   P     Eastern Light & Power Company Limited
13.   P     Edison Electric Light & Power Company Limited of Springhill
14.   G     Kentville Electric Commission
15.   G     Town of Liverpool
16.   G     Town of Lunenburg
17.   G     Town of Mahone Bay
18.   P     Milton Hydro Electric Company Limited
19.   P     Nova Scotia Light & Power Company Limited
20.   G     Nova Scotia Power Commission
21.   G     Pictou County Power Board
22.   G     Town of Pictou
23.   G     Riverport Electric Light Commission
24.   P     Seaboard Power Corporation Limited
25.   G     Town of Shelburne
26.   G     Truro Electric Commission
27.   P     Western Nova Scotia Electric Company Limited
28.   G     Commissioners for the Village of Weymouth
Source: Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 1958, pages 449-450
(The PUB list omits the Nova Scotia Power Commission, which was exempt from PUB supervision.)





Two new electrical public utilities were organized during the year 1934, namely Cyril L. Parks serving the district of Noel in Hants County, and the Pereaux Electric Light & Power Co. Ltd. serving the district of Pereaux in Kings County... Two electrical public utilities which have operated for a long time in Nova Scotia disappeared during the year 1935, namely Dartmouth Gas, Electric Light, Heating & Power Company Ltd, and Sackville River Electric Company Ltd.
Source: PUB Annual Reports, 1934 and 1935




The Wayback Machine has archived copies of this document:
History of Electricity

Archived: 1997 January 25
http://web.archive.org/web/19970125012318/http://www.electricpower.com/consumer/history.html

Archived: 1998 January 27
http://web.archive.org/web/19980127031955/http://electricpower.com/consumer/history.html

Archived: 1999 February 21
http://web.archive.org/web/19990221173455/http://www.electricpower.com/consumer/history.html

Archived: 2000 April 11
http://web.archive.org/web/20000411141652/http://www.electricpower.com/consumer/history.html

Archived: 2001 April 15
http://web.archive.org/web/20010415081941/http://www.electricpower.com/consumer/history.html


These links were accessed and
found to be valid on 8 July 2008.






History of the Arc Lamp — By about 1910 over 20,000 arcs had been installed in British cities. After this peak there was little further growth, as more efficient types of filament lamp were developed. After 1910 there were few new arc lamp installations, although some remained in service on London streets until the 1950s.

The Wayback Machine has archived copies of this document:
History of the Arc Lamp

Archived: 2000 June 16
http://web.archive.org/web/20000616100816/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/arclamps.htm

Archived: 2000 August 18
http://web.archive.org/web/20000818162906/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/arclamps.htm

Archived: 2000 November 14
http://web.archive.org/web/20001114225600/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/arclamps.htm

Archived: 2001 February 9
http://web.archive.org/web/20010209162546/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/arclamps.htm


These links were accessed and
found to be valid on 8 July 2008.






William Edwards Staite — William Staite made a major contribution to the development of the arc lamp in Britain. He began experimenting with arc lamps in 1834. In 1848 Staite, working with the help of William Petrie, floodlit the portico of the National Gallery in London, and by then the public were getting used to demonstrations of electric light.

The Wayback Machine has archived copies of this document:
William Edwards Staite

Archived: 1996 November 6
http://web.archive.org/web/19961106114650/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm

Archived: 1997 June 20
http://web.archive.org/web/19970620094535/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm

Archived: 1998 February 13
http://web.archive.org/web/19980213184552/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm

Archived: 1999 February 3
http://web.archive.org/web/19990203223131/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm

Archived: 2000 July 11
http://web.archive.org/web/20000711152742/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm

Archived: 2000 November 15
http://web.archive.org/web/20001115053400/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm

Archived: 2001 February 10
http://web.archive.org/web/20010210222944/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/staite.htm


These links were accessed and
found to be valid on 8 July 2008.




The Wayback Machine has archived copies of this document:
Arc Lamps of the 1880s and 1890s

Archived: 1996 November 6
http://web.archive.org/web/19961106114545/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/lamps2.htm

Archived: 1997 February 21
http://web.archive.org/web/19970221135644/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/lamps2.htm

Archived: 1998 February 13
http://web.archive.org/web/19980213184627/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/lamps2.htm

Archived: 1999 May 6
http://web.archive.org/web/19990506124715/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/lamps2.htm

Archived: 2000 August 17
http://web.archive.org/web/20000817012153/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/lamps2.htm

Archived: 2001 February 10
http://web.archive.org/web/20010210221945/http://www.iee.org.uk/Archives/Arclamps/lamps2.htm


These links were accessed and
found to be valid on 8 July 2008.






Note 3: Terminology:
AC   alternating current
DC   direct current
kV   kilovolt, a measure of electromotive force, or EMF.  (EMF is usually called "voltage".)
kVA   kilovolt ampere, a measure of capacity of various kinds of AC equipment, such as transformers and generators.  Capacity in kVA is related to power by the "power factor".  In typical electric utility systems, the power factor is about 80% to 85%, meaning that the number of kilowatts is 80% to 85% of kVA.
kW   kilowatt, a measure of power
kW·h   kilowatt hour, a measure of energy.  There is a problem with the symbol kW·h. The raised dot is included in the official standard symbol for kilowatt hour, but it is often not available in today's typesetting systems. Newspapers, for example, simply do not have this character available and, when reporting on electric power events — rate hearings for example — they must make do without.  The raised dot is available in HTML (the entity "·"), but many word-processor software packages do not have it.  Probably the best way to work around this lack is to use kWh (as Nova Scotia Power Inc. does on its electric bills).
One kW·h (kilowatt hour)   =   3,600,000 J (joules)




Copyright 1999-2010 by Ivan C. Smith

Permission to copy:
Permission to copy this document, including the associated appendices or "historical notes", without fee is hereby granted provided that
(1) the copies are not made, used, displayed, or distributed for commercial advantage;
(2) this copyright notice and the title of the publication and date appear on the copies, and
(3) it is 100% intact with author credit, citations, and text, including this notice.
This publication is a work in progress, and the original source should be checked occasionally for updates.






The Wayback Machine has archived copies of this document:
History of Electric Power Companies
in Nova Scotia

Archived: 1999 January 28
http://web.archive.org/web/19990128002849/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 1999 February 3
http://web.archive.org/web/19990203073656/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 1999 April 17
http://web.archive.org/web/19990417194940/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2000 August 15
http://web.archive.org/web/20000815195140/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2000 December 14
http://web.archive.org/web/20001214052500/http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2001 April 10
http://web.archive.org/web/20010410023529/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2001 August 02
http://web.archive.org/web/20010802103706/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2002 July 22
http://web.archive.org/web/20020722094746/http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2002 October 01
http://web.archive.org/web/20021001195616/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2003 April 23
http://web.archive.org/web/20030423230954/http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2003 July 06
http://web.archive.org/web/20030706140403/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2004 February 04
http://web.archive.org/web/20040204221456/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2004 September 09
http://web.archive.org/web/20040909074135/http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2005 March 28
http://web.archive.org/web/20050328090003/http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2005 October 31
http://web.archive.org/web/20051031045304/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2006 February 19
http://web.archive.org/web/20060219165111/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2006 December 05
http://web.archive.org/web/20061205043813/http://littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html

Archived: 2007 February 05
http://web.archive.org/web/20070205095308/http://alts.net/ns1625/electric.html


These links were accessed and
found to be valid on 8 July 2008.




Library and Archives Canada has an archived copy of this webpage:
History of Electric Power Companies in Nova Scotia

Archived: 2007 April 09
http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/electric.html






Go To:   History of Telephone Companies in Nova Scotia
    http://alts.net/ns1625/telephone.html

Go To:   History of Railway Companies in Nova Scotia
    http://alts.net/ns1625/railways.html

Go To:   History of Automobiles in Nova Scotia
    http://alts.net/ns1625/automobiles.html

Go To:   Nova Scotia History Index
    http://alts.net/ns1625/histindx.html

Go To:   Home Page
    http://alts.net/ns1625/index.html


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