Energy minister seeks answers from Nova Scotia Power amid cybersecurity breach
Nova Scotia’s energy minister, Trevor Boudreau, is demanding answers from Nova Scotia Power following a cybersecurity breach that compromised customer information. In a letter to Nova Scotia Power’s president and CEO, Peter Gregg, Boudreau expressed concern over the impact of the breach on essential services and the potential risks to health, safety, and economic stability.
Boudreau’s letter, dated May 7, outlined his expectations for immediate actions to support customers awaiting service, as well as a guarantee that customers will not face late penalties or disconnections until the issues are resolved. The breach has highlighted the need for improved protection of customer data and the reliability of electricity services and infrastructure.
The Nova Scotia Energy Board, formerly known as the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, has also launched an investigation into the cybersecurity incident. In a statement on its website, the board announced that it is working with cybersecurity experts to ensure regulatory oversight and accountability while allowing Nova Scotia Power to focus on restoring systems and supporting impacted customers.
The scope of the board’s investigation is still being defined but may include a review of the cause of the incident, Nova Scotia Power’s reporting to authorities, its response to the incident, and the impact on ratepayers and the utility’s data. Nova Scotia Power has already begun notifying customers whose data was compromised and is working with cybersecurity experts to determine the extent of the breach and safely restore compromised systems.
To address the situation, Nova Scotia Power has paused billing and shut down its online customer portal, MyAccount. Late fees have been paused, and no services have been disrupted as a result of the incident. The utility has also arranged for TransUnion to provide affected individuals with a free two-year subscription to a credit monitoring service.
The incident has underscored the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in protecting customer data and ensuring the reliability of essential services. As the investigation progresses, both Nova Scotia Power and the Nova Scotia Energy Board are committed to a thorough and transparent process to address the breach and mitigate its impact on customers and the utility.
