SaskPower bills to increase again

There is good news and bad news when it comes to future utility bills in Saskatchewan.

SaskPoweris asking tohike its rates again by five per cent thisJuly 1and by anotherfive per cent on Jan.1, 2017.

The company says theincreasewill add an extra $6 to the average residential customer's bill each month.

The opposition says some of the blame for the rate increases belongs with SaskPower's smart meter debacle as well as cost overruns at its carbon capture plant.

SaskPower's president, Mike Marsh, sayshis company is spending an average of a billion dollars a year on infrastructure projects. However he saysa rate hike every six months is not going to become a regular occurrence.

"I can tell you that with these two increases I think we're in a very good position to not have an increase for a full year," Marsh said.

SaskEnergy, on the other hand, is asking to lower its rates for natural gas beginning Nov. 1.

It would drop the price of the commodityitself by 14 per cent from $4.30 pergigajoule to $3.65/GJthe lowest rate in 16 years.

It would, however, raise its delivery charge by 8.6 per cent, or about $3.50 per month.

The total effect of those changes would lower the average residential natural gas bill by $1.70 per month.

With electricityand gas combined,the changes would mean an extra $4.30 per month for homeowners this year.

The proposals will be reviewed by the province's rate review panel in two separate applications. The final decision is always up to provincial cabinet.