The plan outlines a program to move Nova Scotia away from imported coal-based electricity towards greener local sources, supported by wind and tidal resources.
Mr Dexter added: “This strategy will create hundreds of good jobs for Nova Scotians and a billion-and-a-half dollars in new investment to help grow the economy. Consumers can look forward to more stable electricity prices and a more secure supply of energy.”
With this plan, government’s commitment to 25% renewable electricity by 2015 will become law.
The plan needs equal participation by Nova Scotia Power and independent producers for medium- to large-size projects to ensure value for customers; an enhanced net metering, which credits consumers for the energy they produce with wind, solar and other renewables; a cautious approach to biomass, with harvesting standards and caps on generation in new and existing plants; a feed-in tariffs for small-scale tidal projects and tidal arrays, if further development proves safe.
The plan is expected to support up to $1.5bn in investment. It will create jobs in construction, supply, manufacturing and maintenance, generating an estimated 5,000 to 7,500 person-years of employment in urban and rural areas.
