Protest planned over pending power rate hikes
Posted Jun 7, 2012 05:47:32 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A protest against Nova Scotia Power’s latest proposed rate hike will take place on the waterfront today, timed to coincide with the annual shareholder meeting of parent company Emera.
A group calling itself “Power to the People” plans to gather to raise awarness about the power corporation’s request to raise power rates by three per cent in 2013 and in 2014.
Protest organizer Kyle Buott tells News 95.7 they’re calling for public ownership of the power utility.
“If we had never privatized the utility, I certainly think rates would be lower today,” he said. “If we had never privatized the utility, we would have started making faster investments in green energy and not leaving it up to shareholders to decide what sort of investments are made in Nova Scotia.”
Days after Nova Scotia Power announced the pending rate hikes, it was revealed that top executives at both the power corp and parent company Emera received hefty raises and bonuses last year.
NSP president and CEO Rob Bennett received a 23 per cent raise, for a total compensation package of 1.5 million dollars.
Buott says while the demonstration takes place outside Emera’s shareholder meeting, he expects there will be some anger inside, as well.
“I’ve heard from several shareholders who plan to attend and ask about the outrageous executive compensation packages that Nova Scotia Power execs and Emera execs are getting,” he said.
The protest is scheduled for 2 p.m. on the pier next to the Halifax ferry terminal.
