The Government Corporation is getting set to collect more of our money as our rates go up February 1st.

 

The Government has approved a system-wide average rate increase of 4.3 per cent for SaskPower customers effective this February 1st, as recommended by the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel.

According to Crown Investments Corporation Minister Maynard Sonntag, two factors resulted in the need for an increase. "The cost of production has gone up as it relates mostly to volatile natural gas prices and secondly SaskPower has an aging infrastructure and needs to make significant investments in upgrading its generation and transmission capabilities."

The average urban residential customer will pay approximately three-dollars more per month while farm customers will pay an additional six dollars.

Two other recommendations made by the Panel were also approved; an independent consultant will lead an external review of SaskPower's cost of service methodology during 2007, and the Government will direct the crown corporation to continue to educate and inform the public about electrical generation supply and conservation issues and options.