May 7, 2002

Who should pay for power expansion?

E. G. Wolochaty - Lethbridge

Editor:

Regarding your April 24th article and the potential of the power transmission line upgrade costs to be channeled back to the customers as another surcharge has my attention and I assume a lot of other Albertans.

It appeared that the power companies are grouping their new line system and expansion costs as part of their upgrades, to sell more power across the border without any benefit to any of the current customers.

If your article is correct, the E.U.B. and the government simply go through the motions and rubber stamp any request by the power companies, and the customers must comply and simply shell out more money without question.

Shouldn't this new additional cost be the sole responsibility of the power company as a new project or a new business investment and the costs secured through their own profits or assets, shares or share holders?

This should not affect the current customers and their rates in any way. The subsequent recovery of these costs should come directly from those new customers or sources.

After all, I doubt if we would be considered in sharing future profits. At one time, maintenance of the existing systems was figured into the overhead and overall cost of the product, and now we have surcharges upon surcharges. I doubt if this change in the billing system was for the customers' benefit.

Now with so many new players and sub players involved in the overall electrical grid system, could we be looking at a Canadian Enron situation in the making?

Who is looking after our interests in such matters? Shouldn't this be a concern of our chosen MLA, as well as our new city council? Are they even interested? Does the fact that our city has its fingers in the pie to some extent mean that they will ignore what is happening and also rubber stamp anything that comes along?

Considering what city assets and independent control we had in the past to our current situation, "What's wrong with this picture?"

Perhaps it's time we power users and city council have a hard look at scrapping past contracts and agreements and rebuild our own power plant and manage our own affairs in a simple fashion. I'm sure the power companies would not hesitate a second if it was in their best interests, regardless of any objections.

After all, even a part of a billion dollars would buy a lot of power plant!

Anyone up to the challenge?

Copyright 2002 The Lethbridge Herald