HALIFAX: IESO Nova Scotia has received decisions from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada May 15 that determined that the two 300 megawatt fast-acting generation facilities proposed for Marshdale and Salt Springs do not require additional federal assessment.
With these decisions, the Impact Assessment Agency indicates that it finds existing federal and provincial legislative and regulatory frameworks to be sufficiently robust to address any potential effects of the facilities that fall within federal jurisdiction.
“With growing electricity demand, our ongoing transition to renewable energy, and peak events including extreme weather putting severe stress on the system, Nova Scotia urgently needs new firm generation capacity to maintain energy supply reliability,” said Chris Milligan, Vice President of Planning and Procurement for IESO Nova Scotia.
“This decision reinforces the importance of the many conditions and requirements IESO Nova Scotia is already working to meet through the provincial assessment process — including stringent environmental regulations, extensive permitting processes, and continued engagement with Pictou County residents, Mi’kmaw communities and organizations, municipal officials, and other interested stakeholders — as we work to develop this urgently needed generation capacity for the province.”
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As Nova Scotia phases out coal and significantly ramps up renewable generation, a significant portion of the province’s electricity will come from variable sources like wind, which isn’t constant.
To ensure there is a secure supply of electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses when renewables aren’t enough to meet demand, such as during a cold snap when the wind isn’t blowing, Nova Scotia needs fast-acting generation to provide backup power to the system.
These facilities are designed to ramp up quickly when they are needed and power down when they’re not, and to have a pathway to future operation without the use of fossil fuels.
This is part of a comprehensive energy resource portfolio that includes significantly expanded energy storage, imported energy, energy efficiency and demand response programs, and continued additions of renewable generation.
IESO Nova Scotia is responsible for competitively procuring these critical resources to meet the province’s needs at the best possible cost for electricity customers.
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Quick Facts
- The need for between 300 and 600 megawatts of fast-acting natural gas-fired generation has been identified in the Government of Nova Scotia’s Clean Power Plan and the province’s most recent Integrated Resource Plan.
- The proposed fast-acting generation facilities are subject to numerous provincial and federal legislative and regulatory frameworks, including but not limited to the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, the Nova Scotia Environment Act, the Air Quality Regulations, Contaminated Sites Regulations, the Nova Scotia Water Resources Protection Act, the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act, and the Nova Scotia Special Places Protection Act.
- IESO Nova Scotia is also required to obtain numerous permits through Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, such as Industrial Plant / Facilities Approvals, Dangerous Goods Approvals, and Filings of Approved Contingency Plans, and to comply with the many conditions associated with its Environmental Assessment approvals (25 conditions for Salt Springs and 26 conditions for Marshdale).
- In October 2025, IESO Nova Scotia issued a Request for Expressions of Interest for the construction and operation of one or two 300 megawatt fast-acting natural gas-fired facilities in Pictou County, with numerous parties indicating interest in participating in the competitive procurement process.
- IESO Nova Scotia is conducting a comprehensive evaluation to determine if one, or both, of the proposed sites are suitable to support the project, considering environmental, technical, financial, cultural, and community impacts. The results of this analysis and the competitive procurement process will inform whether one, two, or no contracts are awarded.
