In our continuing efforts to provide support to our contributing writers, the editors of HalifaxLive.com, after reading with interest and subsequently publishing on Wednesday an article written by HL columnist, D.L. McCracken, we have decided to take up the cause brought forward in the article. Titled 'Nova Scotia Power: A Cautionary Tale for Consumers ', McCracken describes to our readers the pitfalls of partnering with this province's power provider by purchasing one of their alternative heating units and the subsequent perils of suddenly being confronted with a finally paid-in-full unit that summarily breaks down months after making that last payment.

McCracken decided that the $818.56 spent on a part no bigger than a 5 by 7 picture frame is an overly inflated price and Nova Scotia Power should be responsible for at least part of the cost. Our columnist is requesting that Nova Scotia Power initiates a program whereby all owners of paid-in-full similar NSP-sponsored alternative heating units will be compensated for the extremely high costs of replacement parts until such time as the power corporation takes it upon themselves to stock up on the necessary replacement parts here in Nova Scotia, thus lowering the costs considerably to their customers.

McCracken also touches on the fact that the people of this province do not hold NSP in high esteem because of a less than stellar track record when it comes to unexplainable and frequent power outages. We say "unexplainable" after being told time after time that outages have been caused by crows, bugs and icy fog to name a few. And yet every year and sometimes twice a year, NSP informs us that they need more money in order to continue to provide the level of service that we have come to expect. 2007 is no different and we hear on today's news that the power corp is asking for another rate increase of 9 percent.

HalifaxLive.com will be reporting daily right here on the status of our columnist's challenge to NSP: prove to their customers that they really care about them by contacting McCracken and stating their interest in reaching a viable solution to exorbitantly high ETS and other alternative heating unit replacement parts or ignore McCracken and confirm the general consensus of Nova Scotians that NSP cares only for their bottom line and their shareholders.

Will Nova Scotia Power respond or will they ignore their customers?  Visit us daily to see what happens.

McCracken can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .