SaskPower

Don't need and can't afford this what exactly do we have to raise the rate for???

It seems that every time I pay a Power bill recently, the amount keeps going up. We live in a twenty year old split level in Prince Albert (1400 sq. ft) and for the first 12 years the average annual price for power seemed reasonable. However, in the last two years it seems that every year the price continues to soar and of course as it gets higher, percentage driven hikes means even greater increases as opposed to set dollar amounts ie...3.5 % on $200 dollars, then 5% on $210 dollars etc... so as your power price gets higher so does the increase. I am outraged that Saskpower can even apply for these kinds of hikes every year. My power goes out on a regular basis and takes up to three hours to fix. They say or blame some other box connection that periodically breaks down but this year alone we’ve at least 5 power outages. And they want More Money!!! They say they’re getting away from coal burning yet I see no evidence of this. The rest of the world is going renewable; Does Saskatchewan even have any turbine windmills, or large scale solar arrays or any other forms of collecting free energy? I don’t know but my power rate continues to go up. I am a retired Federal Employee that transferred to Saskatchewan back in 2001 but the Harper Gov’t closed our Sask Offices after 12 years. If rates continue to climb I will be forced to move out of this province or sell my home. Better yet, put solar panels on the house and sell excess back to Saskpower at my rate. They should get a cost of living increase just like I do for my pension. This year its 1.6% .Thanks for this opportunity.

Cut Sask power waste I can help as I am sask power retiree. One thing cut the 2 hour coffee breaks at Humptys restaurant. Another example two thirty five mile trips to do a half hour job. What I'm saying is people should work a full eight hour day for eight hours pay.

Spending in this corporation is out of control, please stop blowing my money, then you would not need a rate increase!

3.5 percent is still too high. The target inflation rate for our country, and for the consumers, and I'm speaking as a consumer, is 2 percent, thus 3.5 is still way too high. ‎You can't put up ( or justify) a rate increase to be handed out to all areas in one segment of the economy. Energy is up- oil price is up, fuels are up, energy supplied by hydro are all up. Don't even think that 3.5 percent is ok because it is lower than 5 percent. 5 is a completely wild number. Closer or exactly 2 percent is the only thing you can justify. Or Mr. Poloz at the Bank of Canada on the next rate hike will have to hear about Sask Power hikes going wild and cause of runaway inflation in Saskatchewan. Something we in Saskatchewan just can't pull money out of our already depleted bank account for runaway inflation. Sincerely, ******

I am sick and tired of our power rates increasing continually to be used like a ATM machine for the government.The power rates increases are being used as a general revenue fund.This has to stop.Giving the GHT deal 25 million and now we are expected to pay for it!!Sask power is one of our sacred crowns.No more increases.

If you are saving so much money, then why do you need to increase the amount we pay for power? It doesn't make any sense. Is there going to be a break for those of us on single incomes?

The Saskpower CEO helped himself to a 7% wage increase from $566 000 up to $633 000. And now they are requesting a rate increase from residents to pay for this gob-smacking raise. OUTRAGEOUS! There is no excuse for this blatant entitlement. If the company has this much money to allow for such a raise, they, evidently, have too much money in the account and truly have no need for an honest rate increase. Thank you for your consideration.

Meetings and comments on the rate increases are a complete sham to placate the gullible public.This has all been decided ahead of time. If you got rid of most of the overpaid, underworked and incompetent Executives,Board members and Administrators with big expense accounts.You would not have to keep increasing rates.

A 2.5 to 3% increase would be acceptable. 5% seems a little excessive.

Sask Power is asking for rate increases where you know people aren't getting increases and old age pension since such two to be paying these(?) constant increases and they're always saying they have more more people to service. Well if there's more people the service there should be more people paying power bills. Unless all these new people that they're bringing in are getting it free. You know it's just terribly annoying. Maybe they should get rid of some of the high price vice presidents or such that aren't necessary or and I know that being a crown that these people are extremely highly paid from the bottom up you know maybe cut back a little with management expenses. It's just getting outta hand. You know I'm sorry you know how are people supposed to live there. Ron Lowen(?) comes in fixed income and what have you. I don't even have TV to try and survive nor do I have my cell phone or such you know taxes are up. I mean it's just it's just getting totally out of hand.

After watching the presentation on October 3, and given that SaskPower is on a dividend holiday, why the need to generate a ROE of 8.5%? The health of SaskPower (ie an industry comparable ROE) is never in question, given it's monopoly status. Further, looking at the debt ratio of the investor based companies, they are roughly half of SaskPower. I would suggest the investor lead companies get the concept of not being in an unsustainable debt crisis, otherwise their share value would be decimated. Good thing our crown owned monopoly can get out of debt by asking for rate increases!

I have just discovered that SaskPower will be charging a 1.65% convenience fee to pay my power bill with a credit card. SaskPower justifies this by claiming this is a credit card company charge, not a SaskPower charge. If I could only go to a competitor, I might be able to find a company that understands what customer service is all about. Since we are discussing SaskPower rate hikes and the justification for those, I demand that SaskPower find more efficiencies or reduce expenditures to absorb this credit card cost, DO NOT make me pay for the privilege of paying my bill with a credit card. Only a crown owned monopoly would even think about doing something so asinine as this!

The latest request for a rate increase is ludicrous. If the 5% increase is allowed, this would make an almost 25% increase in the last 5 to 6 years for power rates. When has my or anyone's pay increased that much in that short of a period? The Leader Post ran an article recently outlining that the CEO of SaskPower was the highest paid CEO of all Crown corporations. The fat needs to be trimmed not the ratepayers gouged due to managerial incompetence.

I think if the government quit taking dividends from the Crowns annually to line up the provincial budget to make it look good. INSTEAD THE PROFITS MADE BY THE CROWNS should be reinvested in building the capital assets to continue the great service they provide, without the double taxation planned by the government . Politics should be taken out of the CROWNS so they can fulfill there mandate of providing service at a reasonable cost. I AM ON A FIXED INCOME, cannot sustain continous unnecessary increases in cost of living. I don't think there should be a I crease, the corporation is making good profits to make the improvements, stop paying the dividends to government coffers.

I, along with many former civil servants have grown accustomed to annual pension increases of 0.7%or less. How can the government of Saskatchewan, in good conscience keep raising the various utility rates by 5% annually. It should find a way to spend less on the salaries of current senior officials which are now exorbitant to pay for any utility increases..

I am on a fixed income. Please explain to me how I am going to pay for this increase? It seems that all these crown corporations continually have there hands out for more. The people of this province have been hammered by tax increases municipally, provincially and federally. Why? We need a break! Why doesn't the rate review panel do their job and stand up for the people it's suppose to protect. Say no to these crown executives who continually ask for more. They need to look internally for cost savings and not take the easy way out and Put the burden on the people yet again.

I most strenuously object to the proposed SaskPower rate increase based on the false premise that SaskPower needs to have an industry comparable benchmark rate of return while significantly investing in infrastructure for the future. Any privately run company would ask that shareholders accept a lower rate of return while embarking on a significant investment back into the company, in this case a significant investment in infrastructure for the future. Private companies do this because they know their stock price will get hammered if they try to maintain the dividend and significantly invest for some purpose. My suggestion is that SaskPower reduce their rate of return to zero over the time period of this infrastructure investment, resulting in no need for this rate increase and potentially reducing the need for any additional rate increase over the next few years. As a shareholder, I am willing to accept this reduced rate of return and reduced dividend. As a customer of the monopoly, at least I can sleep at night knowing that SaskPower is being managed in a reasonable, business acceptable manner. Anything else smacks of incompetent governance, something only a crown owned monopoly could do.

I am a senior on a shrinking income, and I strongly object to rate increases when the shortfall in Sask Power infra structure could have been avoided if Bill BOyds shenanigans and land overpayment hadn't occurred. Bill, you can pay me power bill!

I'm extremely angry about being charged for THREE SaskPower rate increases in just over a year. The last two increases were huge, and my household budget no longer balances! Never mind that my contract for groundskeeping for the Government's Social Housing was frozen in 2002 ! And my property managers contract was slashed in 2007 (I don't even have enough $ to buy printer cartridges, stamps and paper) - Prior to '07 - we had a budget to buy what ever we needed. After Bill Boyd, Minister responsible for SaskPower, paid $25 MILLION out of SaskPower's coffers to buy GTH land. This is why our rates are increasing. Not all the advertising from SaskPower about suddenly needing $ for infrastructure !!! If SP hadn't bought GTH land, they'd have enough money for routine, ongoing infrastructure costs. Go collect the money from Bill Boyd, after his shady $25 Million SaskPower deal.

Good Day We do realize that there is a growing demand and that there is upkeep/upgrades that need to be made to our current power grid as well as these demands and upgrades cost money.We do give kudos to SKPower in taking a reduction to their net earnings but those of us in the Ag industry, who are being charged more because we live in the country, also take cuts in our profits all the time and we have no place or nowhere to go to apply for an increase to help us with improving our investments which in turn helps provide food for all of us! We cannot charge more for the food we produce even though our costs go up continuously; we have to take what is given to us!!We live in the RM of Enterprise and there have been upgrades to power lines in our area but our power continues to go out either once a day, sometimes consecutively, or sometimes even three times a day!!. In fact the power has gone out here four times again in these last two days!!! This is very frustrating and hard on our appliances and electrical equipment, such as computers, printers, etc., which are not cheap to replace. Also SKPower will not replace any of these items even with proper documentation/proof of days that they knew the power was out in this area. We have been told that it is the birds sitting on the line!!. We've been here more than 40 years; there has always been birds sitting on the lines. On the majority of the times - the power goes out when there are no birds on the lines, which I believe and so do others, is a lame excuse on SKPower's part. Plus over the last 5-7 years these power flickers/outages have been increasing and SKPower has received calls/complaints as myself and several neighbors have called into SKPower only to be told that it is the birds. Well this situation is definitely for the birds!!!We do not have a problem with applications for an increase when there is required work to be done to keep us warm and have access to all the necessary electrical equipment available to us. But we do not believe that people, companies, etc., need to make millions or billions in profits/bonuses in order to live a sustainable life. Yes, they need to make a profit otherwise why invest in such an infrastructure. But do they need to make these millions or billions at the cost of other people's profits that are needed in order to live a sustainable life?? Just something to think about and rationalize the justifications.Don't take us the wrong way - we do know that SKPower does donate a lot of money to organizations that need help. But please remember that this is probably due to the profits that are generated through this infrastructure!We are asked for our opinions and we're giving it: until these power outages/flickers are resolved, not just in our area, we do not agree with the application for an increase. Sorry, but this is how we feel.Once we can't afford the price of power, will SKPower donate free power or take a reduction in their earnings to help us stay warm?? This is not meant to be nasty - we're asking an honest question.Thank you for your time in considering our opinions.Frustrated Clients

I don't feel it's in good faith that saskpower should be asking for yet another rate hike, how is it that they keep raising the price and most everyone in sask has stalemate on their pay increases. Tell saskpower to look internal for the money they need, I'm sure there's more than enough money available judging by the amount of mistakes saskpower has made just publicly. So I say no to this rate increase.

Regarding requested 5.1% increase effective Mar. 1/18 (following 5% and 3.5% increase eff. Jul 1/16 and Jan. 1/17 - 27% increase past 5 years per the SP article Aug. 16/17 ) I ask - is SK Power going the way of Ontario where power will be out of reach for many? Don't current and past rates have a built in slush fund for depreciated and obsolete infrastructure? That would be considered good management. Most people do not get a 5.1% increase in salaries/pensions. Disposable income in Saskatchewan is dropping as all "costs" keep rising. Does SK Power make a profit? If so, where does it go? to the Province for general revenue? If so, isn't the profit really another tax charged on top of the other taxes shown on our utility statements? Profits, if any, should be held in a fund to pay for replacing aging and outdated infrastructure. I understand that some power is made using natural gas which is at an all time low price. Aren't profits higher as a result? The SP article talks about a $100 power bill and an increase of $14.12 per month ($170 per year) by Mar. 2018. Aren't many power bills already greater than $100 per month? Mine is, so my proposed increase will be considerably higher, plus all the taxes and sir charges that go along with it. Oh, and don't forget about the Federal carbon tax that will hit one day, maybe Jan. 1 2018. What will the increase on that be? 10%? I pity anyone who is thinking of buying an electric car! Ontario energy pricing here we come??? Don't make that mistake. People will once again be leaving this province.

I am a resident of White City SK, and we have constant troubles with our power going out as glitches and full fledged power outages. This causes issues with our electronics, appliances and creates great inconveniences for everyone at home. If Saskpower is granted their rate increase I would EXPECT an explanation on their website as to EXACTLY WHERE the money will be used. I'm not happy that each year our rate goes up but our service gets worse. Thank you

"Hi, it's ***** from Weyburn and I just wanted to let you know I'm not in favour of that 5% SaskPower hike. Our wages are going down and I'm pretty sure nobody's gonna be able to forward power. Thanks. Bye bye

Hello,Until SaskPower starts providing adequate service, and meeting their own service deadlines, I do not think they should be approved for any more rate increases.For example, they have a 7-business day repair guideline for streetlight repairs after a problem is reported, but have lights in Regina that were reported in June (SaskPower tracking #571316), many more reported in July, and many more reported in early August that are still not fixed. There are entire neighborhoods going dark in Regina, and SaskPower is doing nothing about it.SaskPower appears to have blown a lot of money providing an online reporting tool for broken streetlights, but it doesn't mean anything (other than wasted money) if they don't actually get around to doing the work.What other power company can I call for the streetlights in my area that have been out (and reported) for weeks, but are still not fixed due to SaskPower's incompetence? Maybe the City of Regina should be allowed to set up its own power company, then customers would at least have a choice.Until SaskPower starts doing its job, their rates should be frozen as an incentive for them to get their act together.Sincerely

It's time for saskpower to control their spending instead of coming to the people every year, no other crown is coming every year for big increases.

I already try an conserve power and used to pay 60-70/month now I pay 70-80/month after the last increase and now they want to make it more?! Is this all just to cover their blunder of meters catching fire?

Please consider not raising your rates. It is difficult enough already to pay the power bill. The place where I live does not have natural gas and we use baseboard electric heat. The bill can be anywhere from 600 to 2000 a month in the cold months. With a 5% increase I will never be able to save for another alternative to power heat or even pay the monthly bill. Please reconsider. I need to eat too

I live in a 1000 sq. Ft. House with average use and our power bill is already $250.00 plus per month. Soon we will not be able to afford to turn the lights on. Saskpower needs to cut back on expenses, not increase rates twice per year. The person who comes to check meters on our property drives up in a new ford explorer. A small car would do the same job, etc, etc.

I seriously think this could be the straw for this camels back! We cannot possibly take one more increase in taxes, utilities or anything else without suffering dire consequences. Maybe at this time, you should be looking within the organization for ways to find money for infrastructure rather than gouging the hard working citizens of the province. This increase request absolutely sickens me!

Hello. I am definitely opposed to another rate increase by Sask Power. We live in rural Saskatchewan and have electric heat. All of these continued rate increases are hurting us financially as we are on a fixed income. We have already been slammed with increased taxes on PST, insurance, etc. We would get natural gas installed, but it is over $ 33,000.00 just to get the line ran to our house, so that is not an option. It seems like every time we turn around, Sask Power wants another increase. This year, a Sask Power came to our yard and wanted to inspect the power poles on our property. There were 3 men in the vehicle that came to inspect the poles. Not sure why it required 3 people to inspect a power pole. Perhaps better management and accountability could keep this company running more efficiently and they would not need more money to run their business. It also seems like every year, they report how many millions of dollars they made that year and then they turn around and ask for another rate increase. I also do not think the executives need to be making the salaries they do. They are being overpaid in my opinion. I feel the company can be managed better financially rather than all of these continued rate increases. Thank you, Strasbourg

It is irresponsible to ask for another 5% increase when we just had an increase of 3.5%. Power is already my most expensive bill, double what my energy bill is, and saying it averages $6 per month is a lie: mine will increase almost $9 per month. I'm sure other people struggling will see more than that on their bill. The poorest of this province have been hit the hardest in this last provincial budget. Any increase is just another blow to those already hurt. We heard the rate increase was necessary in January. Why so much again in roughly 1 year? Wages aren't going up. In fact we know workers have been asked to take a cut and days without pay. Is the rate hike a plan to show another crown with record profit in order to make it more appealing to a potential buyer? Please do what helps the residents and say no to a rate hike. Thank you.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment. I am very low income. I work part time as a housing manager and groundskeeper for government low income seniors. My groundskeeping contract has been frozen since 2002, and managers administration allowance was slashed in 2007. I don't even make enough to pay for printer cartridges. With many yrs zero or very low increase to managers contract. I am an artist as well, and don't make a great deal of income from that. With all the mandatory infrastructure projects government has put on small villages for new water treatment, lagoon expansion and garbage pickup now contracted from Regina ... I've seen a massive increase in utilities and property taxes. SaskPower has already increased rates significantly twice in one year. So my feelings are don't raise power rates yet again! Thanks.

I must say I am shocked that inspite of recent cuts and increased taxes on then people of SK that sask power executives think now is the time to increase the cost of power consumption. While everyone is struggling to get through this difficult time with cuts to our wages and extra taxes straining our income numbers now is not the time to come after us for more money. Also I am quite confused about why Saskatchewan costs for power are so much higher than that of Alberta. Perhaps it's operating expenses that are too high. I think sask power needs to look inward to its own expenses and make some cuts to free up some money to make the necessary upgrades. Asking consumers to tighten their belts even more is ridiculous.

This 5% SP is asking for is absolutely ridiculous, the power rate in Sask is already the highest in Western Canada and we are sick of these regular increases. They should be reducing rates not raising them. NO MORE INCREASES in fact they Sask Party should privatize this horrible monopoly and allow wide open competition in Sask..NO MORE INCRESES!!!

Absolutely not. Tell the government to hand back the excess dividends they've pulled out of Saskpower if the utility needs infrastructure improvements. Or the developers who are profiting off their building binge.

5% is just too much, a small increase I can understand but there are too many citizens that cannot keep paying for all these increases.

More transparency of where this increase is actually going (infrastructure) would do wonders when asking for more money. Of this requested increase how much is going to CEO and upper management?The reason I am asking is it must be close to union contract negotiations and you know dam well management will want an increase also.

When did "Get Rich Off Of The Hardworking Backs Of Saskatchewan People" become Ok? Saskpower has shown major profits over the years! Profits! Not in the red, not breaking even, PROFITS! So how can a Review Board justify more increases? Saskpower doesnt NEED the money, they WANT the money so a shitload of lazy-ass executives and managers can fill their pockets off of the "just-breaking-even" working class people. How is this right? Please DO NOT approve of this increase, it is completely unnecessary!

While I can see the need to look forward into the future, I can also see the need for cautionary steps to take as a result of a provincial budget that has already inflicted severe harm to its population. Give us time to recover from the fatal provincial blow before wielding another!!!

Hello: I've briefly read the SaskPower application and would like to offer one thought for the Panel. How much of SaskPower's indebtedness is a consequence of the faulty meters and subsequent inspections and are SaskPower's customers expected to cover the costs which resulted from the Corporation's and supplier's decisions? Thank you for considering my concern,

I don't think saskpower should increase, being a costumer from northern Saskatchewan I already feel that the northern population isn't getting the full customer satisfaction in the past 3 month I have heard from multiple customers that they got extremely high bills and I also got one for 1600 which I am dumbfounded about because I cannot see myself using 500/month worth of power. I hope saskpower does not increase.

The requested 5% increase should be rolled back to match inflation. Crowns have a monopoly and must become more productive not just ask for money. As long as we keep giving them these gross increases there is no incentive for them to become more productive. Learn from Alberta.

This continual request for rate increases is ridiculous and in my mind indicative of poor management and/or governance. Clearly it's time to actively explore and implement internal efficiencies or maybe the problem rests with the need to disregard the demands of the government for dividends to offset government mismanagement.

concerning your upcoming application to raise our power bills yet again; I strongly disagree. Enough is enough. Please find a way to cut your costs for the next year..a wage freeze perhaps, or no big bonuses to the top dogs. My minimum wage is not going up nearly as fast as the crown's increases.

As a resident I will deal with it if its a necessary, if this hit business... We would be looking for a different Province to be in. It is very difficult running my type of company out of this Province, one of the saving grace for us is the utility cost and if that keeps going up there is not much keeping us here. --This email has been sent from my mobile device. please excuse any typos.

I wish to express my opposition to another Sask Power rate increase. We have had one increase after another and, when our rural distribution fee is applied, our power bill has increased in the past decade from $95/month to $134/month. Coupled with sporadic service in the crucial winter months, this is not acceptable. Please consider turning down yet another rate increase proposal. Thank you.

too much for one year unless u can raise my pension the same amount

I have to wonder what the purpose of the rate review panel actually is? As of yet I have not seen any rate hikes that the rate panel has flat out rejected. I think this should be the "first" one. It would be a good sign to show that the rate review panel actually is not just an extension of crown investments corporation. With all the recent rate hikes over the past 2 years from every utility and crown corporation it is becoming increasingly difficult to live in this province. I therefore respectfully ask that the rate review panel to "deny" this application, even though I expect the panel to approve this hike like they always do. These constant rate hikes for all the crown corporations are getting to be a bit too much. Time to stop the back door tax hikes.

I fully support any and all rate increases. 5% is not really much, but at least it is something.

I am just leaving a comment to mention that my government wants me to take a 3.5 percent pay cut, but increase my utilities an even greater amount...after they have already increased. I find this unacceptable as these small increases seem to be the new normal while wage increases do not match inflation. Regardless of my employer, more and more working class families are living pay check to pay check and they simply cannot sustain these increases. I understand the need for infrastructure but there are also lots of things in my house I would like to fix but can't because of a tight budget. Thanks for listening.

I think utilities should be limited to increases matching the bottom 25% of the earning population. Otherwise, the poor are slowly being marginalized by utilities, government taxation including property taxes, and other basic necessities. For example, if the bottom 25% of the population’s wages only go up 2% over ten years, that is what utilities can apply for. This is simple, easy to monitor, and is arguably the only fair way to increase utilities. Saskatoon, SK

In regards to the proposed 5% power increase in March 2018 (a total of 13.5% in 15 months) I am totally opposed. The consumer, in the past few years has been inundated with increase after increase. In most Saskatchewan communities the taxes have increased 5 - 10% due to infrastructure needs. The 6% increase on PST on food services and on insurances (home, medical, vehicle) is into effect now. Our homes are needing a continual upkeep on windows, shingles, siding, concrete etc and how do we find the money when our wages are staying level. Pity the poor senior that has no pension increase and has to find $200-$300 more every year to pay for these increases. Saskpower, like everyone else, has to allocate money from one area to another if improvements are needed, just like we have to make choices in our homes, cars, holidays. Don’t start driving away people, especially the young (like was done during the NDP years) or the seniors.

I'd sure like some improvements on the Net Metering System in Saskatchewan. Perhaps an option for the meter to run backwards and allow for the basic service fee to be eliminated. Perhaps an option to sell the power back to SaskPower at a more generous rate. Perhaps a more attractive financing program for solar power users. Thanks for considering these benefits to solar power generators with the almost certain rate increase.

I strongly feel that a rate increase is a bad idea. We are a low income family with two children who are having a difficult enough time making ends meet.

First off, Saskpower is a crown corp, and I believe your mandate should be to serve the people of Saskatchewan, not profit off our backs. http://leaderpost.com/news/politics/saskpower-makes-profit-of-46-million-according-to-annual-reportFrom that article: ""SaskPower posted a $46-million profit in 2016-17"" It's clear a rate hike is not needed, if SaskPower remains so profitable. It's exploitative to seek a rate increase from the very same 'shareholders' that you serve. So, my feedback is simple: If you ask for this rate hike, you need to explain why to everyone, as it's clear unnecessary. so don't do it. If you do, you simply promote avarice and inflation.

I don't think they need to raise it again - get the govt to give them some pst money use

With the strained economy in Saskatchewan right now, I do not feel it is appropriate for our crown to be increasing our power costs. They just had an increase. I think Saskatchewan people need a break for at least a year from our essentials continually costing us more money.

I don't want another increase prices are getting rediculous and with all the cuts and wage cuts how are people able to afford more increases when they are making less money!!!! You get enough money as it is

I do not agree with this increase. People such as myself and my husband are directly affected. My huband works as a Cabinet Finisher and I work at a Residence for mental illness. No I am not paid big bucks, as a matter of fact my job will be suffering with a 10% rollback in funding and wages coming up. My husband and I work very hard and live pay cheque to pay cheque. We rent a house and we pay every utility. Some times we can’t even go grocery shopping because we’re broke after paying the rent and bills. No we don’t live on credit cards, we don’t even have one. We pay for ‘everything’. Life is hard as it is, it’s getting difficult to survive, and there are thousands more like us. Take more money from the ones who can afford it. Thank you.

Yes, my husband and myself are opposed to another rate increase, we do understand that the power grid and infrastructure has to be improved and maintained, however, when top management have salaries that the common person cannot even begin to imagine, it is difficult to agree. We do understand that salaries have to compare to other companies but freeze the top salaries for a couple of years or at least minimum increases and stop taking our income that we already just barely meet expenses. When does the bleeding stop, we have an energy efficient home, changed all the light bulbs to high efficiency, a mid efficient furnace and the power company keeps raising rates so they still get their dollars. We have fixed incomes and try to live within our means and this proposed power rate increase and the tax increases by the recent provincial budget we will lose well over a thousand dollars annually and our OAS increased less than ten dollars per month. Please reconsider this increase, or do not remind customers to reduce power usage in their homes as everyone just keeps paying no matter what customers try to do.

I can't afford my bill to even be a dollar more I take home under 1000 bi weekly and my bill is from 400 to 500 a month! Still have other bills and groceries and mortgage to pay. This city is getting to expensive!! Have a good day

Dear Members of the Rate Review Panel, I understand that the power problems this summer have been expensive. I would REALLY prefer that SaskPower use cost-cutting measures to help cover these expenses, and opt to make smaller profits, rather than put another increase on customers. Yes, some users won't notice this increase, but for me - it's too much. I am on a pension with few options to earn extra money, and the recent taxation changes to my health insurance just reduced my pension. I will definitely feel the impact. All of my expenses just keep increasing. I hope you consider those of us who live on small, fixed incomes. PLEASE. Thanks for the opportunity to give input. Hopefully you will listen.

The people of this province are already struggling so much! We're being hit from all sides with increases, tax hikes, over priced housing and our wages are not going up! We pay too much already. Stop with the increases and inconsistent meter reading and way out to lunch estimates! You're taking advantage of the people in this province because there are no other options. Shame on you!!!

Please don't hike power rates again! They've already gone up enough!

Please deny another rate increase. The people of Saskatchewan are struggling enough to make ends meet. Why don’t you propose a significant wage decrease for the ceo and the overpaid management at these crown corporations? 3 rate increases in 3 years and increases in every other necessity provided by the government of Saskatchewan to cover their mismanagement is not fair to the residents of this province. Deny this increase and suggest they tighten their belts from within. Thank you

Electricity cost in SK: We pay (13.8), this is 5x Alberta (2.8) and will be almost double (8.08) Manitoba after this increase. Coal power has been at crazy lows for years and while other coal users get cheaper power, we pay more. That is unacceptable and is not justified. The rates were already increased less than a year ago. Why is this rate increase necessary? Why are we paying so much more than other prairie provinces?

Johnny Davies- wtf you ******** made profits of 30-40 million last year and your guna raise the rates you ****** greedy bastards. Kim Wells- Atco made $360 million in that same period. SaskPower needs to make a basic profit, for infrastructure, for debt repayment, and to stave off the greedy Sask Party from selling them off so we can pay even more to a private company and their shareholders. Johnny Davies- bla bla bla greedy **** Johnny Davies- then take the 30-40 million profit and put it in the bank even at 1% interest thats 3-4 hundred thousand a year and you can do way better than 1% use that you greedy ***** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C.J. Bathgate-How about a vote to lower salaries bonuses and pensions for the board members who seem to have no worries in this economic climate ... seems fair that those who took the most have to take the most cuts ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Rubin-If the panel say raise the rates we will remove all current panel members as saskpower has never lost money as well the profits show for 2016 were after infrastructure hold backs. So don't tell me that spending millions on wind is somehow the rate payers issue. Raise the rates of the power we sell to Alberta and the US and stop drowning the working class. Maybe this is why Brad Wall fled the boat. We are likely in for a Crown **** over. They forget We the Tax Payer Own the Company. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Rubin-Are the panel members names listed somewhere? Cindy Penner-Cindy Penner I think these are the ones. http://saskratereview.ca/panel-members.php Louise Stennett-Sure roll back wages by3.5 percent or more, no raises in many years for the public sectors then increase utilities and pst. Sounds good to me, said no one ever!!! What happened to all the profits, in the boards pockets and the MLAs!?!? Sharon Fox-Louise Stennett Sure beginning to think if ya have anything - burying it where accessible sounds good. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don Young-"Smoke and Mirrors" Willy Cole-Done deal!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keith Tramer- Nice ad. Came up today in my news feed. Great optics and transparency. Bunch of dummies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Linda Welk- Wow..water, power, gas, tax increases make it hard for seniors on a fixed income. Ouch..we will be sitting in the dark, letting the grass die, wearing more clothes and wondering what tomorrow will bring. Sharon Fox- Too close to the truth for many: Seniors on pension only, single parents, students... more. Finland, Denmark here we come??!! Sue Mayer- Also all those that have been laid off with mortgages that still can't find a decent paying job after the boom. Ei, just barely pays.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bev Duncan- Maybe someone should give us Seniors on a fixed income an increase in order for us to pay for the increases everyone wants us pay! Cheryl Baniulis- Isn't this just friggin lovely ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joan Van De Wiele- Read meters more frequently than once a year in rural areas ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kearin Winnifred- Caverly It's high enough now and we are seniors on fixed income! Give us a break Bonnie RuthMorton Need to figure out what follows this government. Remember after the Devine government? NDP had some hard decisions to make. Pulled the province out of debt. Built up huge savings and forgot to invest it back into the most vulnerable that sucked up the lions share of that fiasco. And left a hefty surplus for Wall and his cronies. Don't want to see a repeat of that. Most people and particularly poor people can no longer be the scape goats for thieves disguised as government claiming to serve the people. Donna Chartier-For decades, Saskatchewan felt like a small town stretched across a vast prairie; patriots loved its rural values, its farms and its sense of community. Unfortunately, it was situated right next to oil-fuelled Alberta, where a hard-working prairie boy could make six figures hauling bitumen sands and welding pipes. Saskatchewan’s farming economy, and its nascent oil and gas industry, could never seem to keep up. Until, right around the time Brad Wall was elected. In 2007, the year he defeated the long-ruling NDP government to assume the role of premier, the province’s commodity-driven economy really began to flourish. And it wasn’t just the growing petroleum industry, turbocharged by the rise in oil prices, driving that growth; demand for potash and grain rocketed as well. Suddenly, this was a Saskatchewan with a touch of swagger, the drab old days of socialist rule left in the dust. People began to return, young people settled down, the province continued to grow along with the wealth. The plain-spoken Swift Current boy in the premier’s office embodied it all perfectly. No creature of Ottawa or Toronto, Wall attended the University of Saskatchewan to earn a public administration degree before moving on to politics. He was sworn in as premier a few days shy of his 43rd birthday, swept to power with ample support from rural constituencies. Bonnie RuthMorton- Was elected on lies. Wouldn't release the budget that may have changed the outcome of the election. After election starts cutting the provincial assets and programs that protect people. Wall will walk away with a job and security leaving others to deal with his mess. Doesn't matter if he is Saskatchewan bred and educated. Sue E G Bruce- Well said Bonnie RuthMorton Ken Wiebe- What are you smoking Bonnie? That's not what I saw happen when the NDP were in power. I saw the closure of 52 hospitals, the closure of schools, the loss of jobs and population as business and people fled to Alberta and other provinces. You now see the NDP chasing people and business out of Alberta. You must of been on bad drugs if you believe the NDP were good for this province. Merandah Murray- As are you if you think Wall was any good. Dan Peebles- well said Ken Wiebe Denis Michaud- Well said ken wiebe Bonnie RuthMorton- Ken Wiebe would be nice if you had read my first comment. The NDP have not been the best government either. Try debating without the insults. Doesn't do you justice. I haven't seen a government that has truly served the interests of Sask. people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Donna Chartier- Today at 7:00 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blanche DeCorby Steffenson- Isnt that just poosh gathering Anna Smith Perreault Yeah, isn't it?? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick Lochart- What about all the gas that oil companies are flaring off into the atmosphere. Threw a 3 inch line at 50 psi not . ounces like what comes into your home. The whole system is meant to fuck the working slaves Sylvia Anna The flaring that gas companies HAVE to do is called maintenance! The gas being burnt off should be the least of anyone's worries, be glad they do this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Brenda Hrabia- what about a rebate every year would help Trudy Radke And what about the people who have had pay decreases and everything else keeps going up. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jean Yeik- The oil wad always there. Seismology found not Brad Wall! Potash was here! Brad Wall didn't find it! I talked to a farmer today who did nit mind seeing him go at all. He was left with a Heritage Fund. No one has left us in more debt than Grant Devine, Brad Wall & Brian Mulroney ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Todd Schmalenberg- Anything the conservatives touch will be ruined & crooked...no surprises here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bernd Sippel- There should be a rate freeze on natural gas for 10 years . We have enough of our own gas , we can set the price !!!!

It was just announced on the news. That SaskPower is seeking another increase in its rates. When is enough, enough with the Crown Corp. These guys are just nickle and diming the public for their miss spending of public funds. This will be the 3rd rate increase. As a parent and full time worker. It's hard and frustrating when you have pay and pay. I hope your panel does the right thing and say no to an increase. Or is these rate review panels a public form that a person can attend and speak here in Regina? Thank You

When will you learn that the people do not have a endless supply of money for these rate increases. With all the increases my pay has ended up being about 15% lower. It has come to deciding between cutting my grocery budget or cutting back on my prescriptions.