Nova Scotia’s Energy Future: Lessons for the Upcoming Integrated Resource Planning Process

The new Nova Scotia Independent Energy System Operator (IESO) is responsible for developing the province’s next Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). In late 2025, the IESO commissioned Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors to review the last IRP cycle in Nova Scotia, scan for good IRP practices in other jurisdictions, and engage with provincial stakeholders to gather their past IRP experiences and their forward-looking expectations. In this session, the IESO and Dunsky will provide an overview of the process undertaken for the review, as well as the findings and recommendations from this work, which will serve as a key input into the IESO's 2026 IRP process. Attendees will learn about the important steps Nova Scotia can take to ensure its long-term planning practices effectively deliver a reliable, affordable and clean electricity system.