Nova Scotia Power Cyberattack: What 280,000 Affected Customers Should Do Now

What This Means for You

If you're a Nova Scotia Power customer, your personal and financial data may have been compromised in a cyberattack that began as early as March 2025. Eight months later, the utility is still dealing with the fallout—and customers are paying the price through estimated billing that has led to inflated charges and billing confusion.

Premier Tim Houston is now calling for an official investigation, accusing the utility of potential regulatory violations. But what does this mean for you, and what should you do right now? Here's your comprehensive guide.

If You're a Nova Scotia Power Customer

Immediate steps to protect your data:

The breach potentially exposed personal and financial information for up to 280,000 customers—and a September report indicated all customers may have been affected. Here's what you need to do:

Check if your data was compromised. Nova Scotia Power should have notified you if your data was accessed. If you haven't received notice but are concerned, contact them directly at their customer service line.
Monitor your credit reports. Request free credit reports from Equifax and TransUnion Canada:
- Equifax Canada — Free report by mail, or instant online for a fee
- TransUnion Canada — Free report by mail, or instant online for a fee
Set up fraud alerts. You can place a fraud alert on your credit file, which means lenders must verify your identity before opening new accounts.
Watch for phishing scams. Cybercriminals often use stolen data to craft convincing phishing emails. Be skeptical of any emails, texts, or calls claiming to be from Nova Scotia Power, especially those requesting personal information or payment.
Review your bank statements. If your payment information was exposed, monitor your accounts for unauthorized transactions.

What data may have been exposed:

Names and addresses
Account numbers
Social Insurance Numbers (for some customers)
Banking information (for those on pre-authorized payment)
Historical billing data

Free identity protection:

Nova Scotia Power has offered affected customers free credit monitoring services. If you received a notification letter, follow the instructions to enroll. If you haven't received one but believe you're affected, contact the utility.

Dealing with Billing Problems

Since the April cyberattack, Nova Scotia Power has been unable to rely on remote meter readings. As a result, many customers have received estimated bills rather than actual usage-based bills. According to Premier Houston, this has led to:

Inflated bills that don't reflect actual usage
Multiple charges within short timeframes
Lack of clear communication about adjustments

How to dispute an incorrect bill:

Compare your bills to previous years. Pull out your bills from the same months in 2024 and 2023. If your 2025 bills are significantly higher without explanation (no new appliances, same household size, similar weather), you may have grounds to dispute.
Read your own meter. Most Nova Scotia Power meters can be read manually. Find your meter, note the reading, and compare it to what's on your bill. Instructions for reading your meter type are available on the Nova Scotia Power website.
Document everything. Keep records of:
- All bills received since April 2025
- Your own meter readings with dates
- Any correspondence with Nova Scotia Power
- Time spent on hold or resolving issues
Contact Nova Scotia Power customer service. Call to dispute specific charges. Request:
- An explanation of how your bill was calculated
- An adjustment if the estimate was clearly wrong
- A payment plan if you can't afford an inflated bill
Escalate if necessary. If you're not satisfied with the response:
- File a complaint with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB)
- Contact your MLA's office
- Document that you've attempted resolution

Sample dispute letter template:

When contacting Nova Scotia Power in writing, include:

Your account number
Specific billing periods in dispute
Your own meter readings (if available)
Previous year's bills for comparison
Clear statement of what you're requesting (adjustment, payment plan, etc.)

Payment plan options:

If you've received a large bill you can't pay immediately, Nova Scotia Power offers payment arrangements. Don't ignore the bill—contact them to set up a plan before service is interrupted.

Understanding Your Rights as a Utility Customer

Nova Scotia Power is a regulated monopoly. As the province's primary electricity provider, they operate under oversight from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB). This means:

They cannot arbitrarily raise rates without approval
They must follow approved billing practices
Customers can file complaints with the NSUARB
The utility must respond to regulatory inquiries

What Premier Houston is alleging:

In his letter to the Nova Scotia Energy Board, Premier Houston made serious allegations:

That customers have faced "inflated bills, consecutive charges within short timeframes and a lack of clear communication"
That "knowingly overbilling would constitute regulatory fraud"
That misreporting revenue could be "a form of securities fraud"

Nova Scotia Power has denied these allegations, stating they are complying with all securities and regulatory laws.

What the investigation could mean:

The Energy Board has indicated it will investigate and has referred the matter to MNP (an accounting firm) to examine data handling practices. Separately, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has launched an investigation into the data breach.

If the investigation finds wrongdoing:

Customers could receive billing adjustments or refunds
The utility could face regulatory penalties
Changes to billing practices could be mandated

Timeline for resolution:

Nova Scotia Power expects to fully recover from the cyberattack by early 2026. However, billing issues may take longer to fully resolve. Monitor your bills closely through at least mid-2026.

Identity Protection Best Practices

Given that this breach exposed sensitive data, here are steps to protect yourself long-term:

Immediately:

Enroll in free credit monitoring if offered
Place fraud alerts with Equifax and TransUnion
Review recent bank and credit card statements

This month:

Consider a credit freeze if you're not planning to apply for new credit
Update passwords for any accounts that used similar information
Set up transaction alerts with your bank

Ongoing:

Check your credit report every 4 months (rotating between bureaus)
Be vigilant about phishing attempts mentioning Nova Scotia Power
Watch for mail or calls about accounts you didn't open

The News: What Happened

Nova Scotia Power first discovered a cybersecurity breach on April 25, 2025, and announced it publicly on April 28, according to CBC News. The utility, a subsidiary of Halifax-based Emera Inc., confirmed that personal and financial data belonging to approximately 280,000 ratepayers was accessed by an unauthorized party as early as March 19.

A September report revealed the breach may have affected all customers, not just the initially reported 277,000.

On December 3, 2025, Premier Tim Houston sent a letter to the chair of the Nova Scotia Energy Board calling for an investigation into how the utility has billed customers since the breach. According to Global News, the Premier stated: "Customers should not be paying for NSP's failures. The cyberattack was not the fault of Nova Scotians, yet they are bearing the financial consequences of NSP's operational shortcomings."

Houston noted in his letter that since the attack, Nova Scotia Power has "continually relied on estimated billing" and that "customers have faced inflated bills, consecutive charges within short timeframes and a lack of clear communication about adjustments."

The Premier went further, stating: "It's not lost on me or the Board that knowingly overbilling would constitute regulatory fraud and misreporting revenue to the markets is a form of securities fraud. Utilities must be held to the highest standards because of their monopolies serving vulnerable populations."

Nova Scotia Power responded by insisting it hasn't broken any laws and is complying with all securities and regulatory requirements, according to CBC News.

Analysis: Why This Matters

This situation highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks and the cascading effects on consumers when utilities can't operate normally.

The billing problem is structural:

Modern utilities rely on automated meter reading (AMR) or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to generate accurate bills. When these systems are compromised or taken offline for security reasons, utilities must fall back on estimates—and those estimates can be wrong.

The problem is compounded by:

Seasonal usage variations (heating costs vary month to month)
Customer-specific usage patterns that estimates can't capture
Lack of transparency about how estimates are calculated

Why this affects all Nova Scotians:

Even if your bill hasn't been noticeably wrong, there are broader implications:

Regulatory investigation costs will ultimately be borne by ratepayers
Utility credibility affects future rate applications
The cybersecurity weaknesses that allowed this attack may exist at other utilities

What to expect next:

Based on the investigation timeline and utility recovery plans:

Energy Board investigation results likely in Q1-Q2 2026
Privacy Commissioner findings may take longer
Full billing system recovery expected by early 2026
Potential class action lawsuits are possible if billing fraud is proven

Lessons for other provinces:

This breach demonstrates why cybersecurity investment in utilities is critical. Other provincial utilities should be reviewing their own systems and breach response plans.

Your Action Plan

Immediate (This Week):

Check your email and mail for breach notification letters from Nova Scotia Power
Review all utility bills received since April 2025
Compare current bills to the same months in previous years
Set up transaction alerts with your bank if your payment info was exposed

Short-term (This Month):

Enroll in free credit monitoring if you received an offer
Place fraud alerts with Equifax and TransUnion Canada
If your bills seem incorrect, document discrepancies and contact NSP customer service
Read your meter yourself and record the reading with date

Ongoing (Through 2026):

Monitor your credit report every 4 months
Keep all utility bills and correspondence organized
Watch for phishing attempts using information from the breach
Follow news about the investigation for potential refund or adjustment programs

Other Perspectives

Premier Tim Houston (Provincial Government):

The Premier has taken an aggressive stance, calling for investigation and suggesting potential fraud. According to Global News, Houston stated customers "should not be paying for NSP's failures" and emphasized that utilities "must be held to the highest standards because of their monopolies serving vulnerable populations."

Nova Scotia Power:

The utility denies any wrongdoing and states it is complying with all regulatory and securities laws. According to CBC News, NSP dismisses "any suggestion to the contrary" regarding fraud allegations. The company expects to fully recover from the breach by early 2026.

Privacy Commissioner of Canada:

The federal privacy watchdog has launched its own investigation into the data breach, focusing on how customer data was handled and protected.

Energy Board (NSUARB):

The regulator has indicated it will investigate the Premier's allegations and has engaged MNP to examine NSP's data handling practices and the causes of the breach.

Affected Customers:

Many ratepayers have expressed frustration with billing problems since the attack, including unexpected high bills, multiple charges in short periods, and difficulty getting clear answers from the utility.

Corrections Policy

We strive for accuracy. If you find an error in this analysis, please email us at [email protected]. We will promptly investigate and correct any factual inaccuracies.

Updates:

No corrections to date (as of December 5, 2025)

Equifax Canada: Request your free credit report
TransUnion Canada: Monitor your credit file
Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board: File complaints about utility billing
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: Report suspected fraud

Sources

CBC News: "Nova Scotia Power dismisses premier's claim that utility could be breaking regulatory laws"
Global News: "Premier calls for investigation into Nova Scotia Power over handling of cyberattack"
CP24: "Premier calls for official investigation into Nova Scotia Power's billing system"
CBC News: "Nova Scotia Power first discovered cybersecurity breach on April 25"
Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board public filings