News & Updates

Nova Scotia’s ComFIT-program – Actual Rates Have Been Set

July 07, 2011

On July 4, 2011 the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board set the long awaited fixed prices that the Nova Scotia Power Inc. must pay community-based independent renewable energy projects for their electricity. The so-called ComFIT (Community feed-in tariff)-Program that we already presented to you includes rates for wind power projects, biomass plants, small-scale in-stream tidal arrays and run-of-the-river hydroelectricity.

The precise tariffs are:

- for wind power projects greater than 50 kilowatts (kW) $ 139 per megawatt hour (MWh),

- for wind power projects of 50 kW or less $ 452 per MWh,

- for biomass plants that combine heat and power approximately $ 180 (this class is subject to reviewing),

- for small-scale in-stream tidal arrays $ 652 per MWh,

- for run-of-the-river hydroelectricity $ 140 per MWh.

 These tariffs will become effective on the date of the Board’s final order in this proceeding which is expected to be in early September. They will be reviewed in three years, but shall have a duration of 20 years.

 Yet there is still some work to do before the ComFIT-Program can be effective because the Minister has to provide a standard form of power purchase agreement (PPA), which also has to get approval by the Board. A PPA signed by both the applicant and the NSPI is a necessary requirement to get approval as a participant of the feed-in tariff.

Tags: Renewable Energy