Nova Scotia Power Appoints Chris Smith as New President and CEO
Nova Scotia Power has announced the appointment of Chris Smith as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2, 2026. Smith currently serves as Executive Vice President of Finance and Commercial and has been with the utility since 2017. His appointment marks a leadership transition for the company as it continues to prioritize electricity reliability, operational performance, customer costs and the development of Nova Scotia’s energy system.
The announcement follows the decision by current CEO Vivek Sood not to renew his contract. Sood joined Nova Scotia Power earlier in 2026 and has led the utility through a challenging period marked by the need to stabilize operations, rebuild public trust and strengthen its focus on reliable electricity service.
During his tenure, Sood worked to advance key priorities, including efforts to improve operational stability and move forward with securitization. His departure will be managed through a transition period designed to maintain continuity across the company’s major initiatives.
Nova Scotia Power said Sood will work with Smith and the leadership team to ensure that important priorities remain in focus during and after the leadership change. This transition is intended to support ongoing work across the organization while the utility continues addressing the operational and financial challenges facing the electricity sector.
Smith brings extensive experience in the utility industry and a detailed understanding of Nova Scotia Power’s operations, commercial activities and strategic priorities. Since joining the company in 2017, he has held several senior executive positions, gaining experience across areas of the business that will be important to his responsibilities as President and CEO.
Before joining Nova Scotia Power, Smith served as President of Heritage Gas, which is now known as Eastward Energy. His previous leadership experience in the energy sector, combined with his years at Nova Scotia Power, provides him with familiarity with the regional energy market and the operational requirements of utility businesses.
His appointment comes at a significant time for Nova Scotia Power as the province continues working to strengthen electricity infrastructure, improve system reliability and manage the costs associated with the transition of its energy supply. The utility must balance the need for dependable service with investments in infrastructure, changing generation requirements and the financial pressures experienced by customers.
Scott Balfour, Chair of the Nova Scotia Power Board of Directors, thanked Sood for his leadership and welcomed Smith to the role. Balfour said the company had experienced a pivotal year and emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum on the priorities already underway.
According to Balfour, Smith is a proven leader who understands the business and recognizes the importance of continued attention to the utility’s immediate and longer-term responsibilities. The board’s support for the appointment reflects the importance of leadership continuity as Nova Scotia Power works through a period of change for the provincial electricity system.
One of the key areas ahead is supporting the new Nova Scotia Independent Energy System Operator through a complex transition involving electricity generation and system planning. The transition is expected to require coordination among energy-sector participants as the province continues to consider how electricity will be generated, managed and delivered in the years ahead.
The Independent Energy System Operator will play an important role in the province’s evolving electricity framework. Nova Scotia Power’s work alongside the new organization will be an important part of managing changes to generation and planning while maintaining reliable electricity service for customers.
At the same time, the utility will continue its efforts to improve reliability across its operations. Reliable electricity remains a central concern for residential, commercial and industrial customers, all of whom depend on consistent power to support daily activities and business operations. Maintaining and improving the performance of the electricity system will therefore remain an important responsibility for the incoming CEO.
Cost management is another major priority identified by the board. Electricity providers must address infrastructure requirements and operational needs while considering the effects of expenses on customer bills. Nova Scotia Power will continue working to manage these cost impacts as it pursues improvements to its system and responds to the changing requirements of the province’s energy sector.
Securitization also remains among the important initiatives referenced in the leadership announcement. The company has been advancing work in this area, and the transition plan is intended to ensure that such efforts continue to receive attention as Smith assumes leadership. The announcement did not provide additional details about the timing or specific financial arrangements associated with the initiative.
The change at the top of Nova Scotia Power’s leadership team comes as electricity utilities face increasing demands to deliver dependable service while adapting to changes in generation, infrastructure planning and customer expectations. For Nova Scotia Power, the combination of operational improvements, financial considerations and coordination with provincial energy organizations will remain central to its work.
Smith’s experience in finance and commercial leadership is relevant to these responsibilities, while his earlier executive roles provide broader knowledge of the utility’s operations. His familiarity with the company is also expected to support continuity as he moves into the President and CEO position.
Sood’s decision not to renew his contract brings his leadership period to a close, while the planned handover provides an opportunity for the incoming CEO to build on work already underway. The company has emphasized that key operational and strategic priorities will remain active throughout the transition.
Effective November 2, 2026, Smith will take responsibility for leading Nova Scotia Power and overseeing its continued focus on reliability, customer cost management, system planning and operational performance. The board has highlighted the importance of maintaining progress in these areas as the province’s electricity sector undergoes a complex transition.
With Smith’s appointment, Nova Scotia Power is preparing for its next phase of leadership while continuing to address the priorities that affect electricity customers and the wider energy system. The transition will place particular emphasis on maintaining organizational stability, supporting changes to provincial energy planning and ensuring that the company’s ongoing work remains focused on reliable and affordable electricity service.
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