Ratepayer Fairness Act

BILL NO. 44

(as introduced)

5th Session, 61st General Assembly
Nova Scotia
62 Elizabeth II, 2013



Private Member's Bill



Ratepayer Fairness Act



Chuck Porter
Hants West



First Reading: April 16, 2013

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

An Act to Amend Chapter 380
of the Revised Statutes, 1989,
the Public Utilities Act,
Respecting Ratepayer Fairness

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Ratepayer Fairness Act.

2 Chapter 380 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Public Utilities Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 45 the following Section:

45A (1) In establishing an allowable return on common equity to be included in the general rate set for an electric public utility, the Board shall use a method that

(a) results in a return on common equity that is fair to electricity ratepayers;

(b) includes comparisons to

(i) the returns on common equity allowed for utilities that are peer organizations, and

(ii) the risk-free rates of return yielded by Government of Canada long-term bonds;

(c) takes into account an equity-risk premium appropriate to the electricity industry and to the regulatory environment enjoyed by the utility; and

(d) takes into account a separate fuel-adjustment mechanism.

(2) The Board shall not consider the results of a settlement conference or an agreement reached by an electric public utility's stakeholders in establishing an allowable return on common equity for the utility.

 

This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2013 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created April 16, 2013. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.

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