Nova Scotia Power president and CEO Rob Bennett appears before the legislature's economic development committee Tuesday.Nova Scotia Power president and CEO Rob Bennett appears before the legislature's economic development committee Tuesday. (CBC)

Nova Scotia Power plans to improve service, but it will likely cost ratepayers more, the company's president and CEO said Tuesday.

Rob Bennett said the company will be seeking permission to spend $20 million more a year over five years to improve reliability, which he said should result in fewer power outages.

"We recognize that over the last few years, on average, customers have experienced more frequent outages and lengthier outages compared to the previous dozen years," Bennett told the economic development committee of the legislature.

The plan calls for more tree trimming, sturdier transmission towers, and underground wires in some new subdivisions, he said.

Customers may have to pay one per cent more to offset that extra $100 million, Bennett also said.

Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil said he isn't impressed with that suggestion, given that Nova Scotia Power funnels millions in profits to its parent company, Emera.

"We've denied Nova Scotians the ability to have a reliable transmission system internally," said McNeil.

"At the same time, we're handing over consistently $100 million to Emera to invest in Bangor Hydro, in St. Lucia, wherever they determine possible to invest that money at the expense of Nova Scotians."

Nova Scotia Power should absorb those extra costs and live with slightly lower profits, McNeil said.

There have been four rate hikes in five years. The most recent increase was in January, after the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved a 9.3 per cent rate hike in the fall.

In a rare show of solidarity, New Democrat and Progressive Conservative committee members agreed with McNeil that Nova Scotia Power should invest in the province.

Bennett said it's best that customers pay for the upgrades.

More outages

"We regret the inconvenience," Bennett said, acknowledging the outages following storms around Christmas and New Year's Day.

Outage numbers for 2008 aren't available. But in 2007, on average, Nova Scotians weathered four power outages that lasted more than a minute, up from three the previous year.

The average time it took to restore electricity doubled, from one hour and 45 minutes in 2006 to 3.5 hours in 2007.

With files from the Canadian Press