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

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 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?

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.

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 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!

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.

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!!!

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.

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!!!    

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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  

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

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!!! 

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.

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