Nova Scotia Power notifying customers whose data was affected by cyber breach
Data taken may include social insurance numbers, bank account information
Nova Scotia Power says it has begun to notify customers whose data was compromised in a cyber breach that was first discovered last month.
In an update posted to the utility's website on Wednesday, Nova Scotia Power said customer information, which may include addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, driver's license and social insurance numbers, and banking information, was taken by an "unauthorized third party" that accessed its systems.
Information taken will vary depending on what information had been provided to the utility by each customer, it said.
Nova Scotia Power said while it has no evidence the data has been misused, it has arranged to have TransUnion provide affected individuals with a free, two-year subscription to a credit monitoring service.
The utility said it's working with cybersecurity experts to determine the extent of the breach, and to safely restore and rebuild the systems that were compromised.
While the breach was first discovered on April 25, Nova Scotia Power said it has since determined that customer information was accessed and taken "on or around March 19, 2025."
Nova Scotia Power has been working to get the situation under control by pausing billing and shutting down its online customer portal MyAccount.
No services have been disrupted as a result of the incident, the company said, and late fees have been paused.
Nova Scotia Power said it may take several business days for those affected to be notified by mail. The notice will include a phone number customers can call to ask further questions and to register for the credit monitoring service.
The utility says customers should be vigilant about any unsolicited communications they receive claiming to be from Nova Scotia Power that ask for personal information.
If you don't receive a notice in the mail, it means Nova Scotia Power has determined that, at this time, your personal data has not been impacted by the breach.
While some experts have previously speculated that Nova Scotia Power may have been the victim of a ransomware attack, the company has said it won't speculate as an investigation is ongoing.
