HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government has introduced a bill to change how the province’s electrical grid is structured and regulated.

The Energy Reform Act would create a new regulator for public energy utilities, and a new independent operator for the electricity system.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton says the changes will make the electricity system more transparent and competitive.

The bill changes the name of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to the Regulatory and Appeals Board, which remains responsible for all regulatory matters aside from energy.

The new energy system operator will be a non-profit, arm’s-length entity and will manage who gets access to the electrical grid — formerly the responsibility of the province’s private utility, Nova Scotia Power.

The creation of the two new entities was recommended in a report released Friday by the two-member Clean Electricity Task Force.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2024.

The Canadian Press