Huron Expositor, 2000-07-12, Page 5News
Fate of PUC soon to be known
After months of researching, looking at options ana delays
council expecting recommendation on PUC fate this month
By Scott Hilgsndorff
Expositor Edea
A recommended 'fate for
the Seaforth .PUC is
•expected from manager
Tom Phillips this month:
Governmental changes
in plans that change how
people are billed for
electricity are part-of.the
delay after council was
e x p e c t i n g
recommendations earlier
last month and in May.
The electrical energy
industry : is about to hot
deregulated, and open to
competition :banking how
people wi11 'e billed and
how secs ice w i)i be
provided.
Through. these changes.
PUCs are being dissolved
with towns faced with
deciding whether to
operate.their own PUCs.
amalgamate with others.
join, other electric- service
companies•or sell the PUC
to the --p'i'vinclai
government's* own. newly
created hydro- electric
business.
l:n April...?h'illips had
placed pressure on -council
-to he prepare to make a
decision on hydro
deregulation by -the end of
May but the complicated
process.. has- made it
.difficu.lt for. the PCC to
make.. it's own
irecommendat:on to
council -on what direction
it should take.
While Phillips has been
against the idea c'f going
alone because the town -s
customer base -would be
too low to pros ide cheap
enough electricity to stay
competitive and in
business for long. he isn't
sure what direction the
town should take vet.
As a result. the Town
will be making a decision
about two months later
than originally hoped.
leasing the PVC less time
to reorganize its
operations.
-However. because of a
new bill introduced in the
provincial legislature.
some of the deadlines.
Phillips• has been
wrestling with might be
hacked up now. giving
more time to get
everything in place:
.Under' the new billing
•.s tem. called unbundled
billing..that Phillips was
working with-. he said
there was •a.possibility of
a one. to two per cern rate
increase • to residential
customers. following the
formula given to PUCs by
the province. . •
But the province. which
created that formula. had
said there could be no rate
increases as a• result of
deregulation. leading to
t.he. introduction of Bill
100.
Phillips said 'the.bill
only: had. one reading
•before legislature broke
for the summer and could
.results in the market not
opening untilNosember.
"We're not sure when it
will open." said Phillips.
Regardless of provincial
extensions: because.'of
municipal' restructuring
taking effect this January.
Phillips said the town still
has to have, a.decision
made regarding how PUC
services will be handled
before then. •
Meanwhile. Phillips has
been meeting with other
companies interested in
having Seaforth join them
but is •trvin.g to gather
enough information to
give council a better idea
of what options might
have the best benefits to
the town and its• Seaforth
and area customers.
Further complicating the
issue is the fate of the
joint venture group that.
had formed among
municipalities in Huron
and Perth Counties.
Last year. the. Huron.-
Perth group was working
together at finding the
best direction • to take but
has slowly fallen apart as
different municipalities
make their own decisions
to join with other. larger
companies.
Phillips said the larger
the combined group of
area PUCs. the better deal
they stood to: get on
.services. from 'the
companies they 'are
considering joining. ,
With the possibilities of
working with a smaller
joint ven}ure group. he
said. "It leaves us in a'
pretty • precariou-s`
situation."
Philips' said the
information he .brings to
council will. not be
completely .accurate to
costs because of- the
Scott Higendorft photo
Ed Andrews of/ioplewO.4 fi.onor Rehrernent Horne entoys
vigtf with •Roxy the Clown • She: mode a visil,to the -retirement
home for the tocdhy.s June 30 Conodo Day picnic Fornriy and
friends gathered at the 1/,onor for.0 picnic lunch with music(/{
enierloinment and 0 soo I tirr►e'
l-r,r real peace of- mind:
l xu. •.1r . 1}'lilt)01 protection.
La. 14
. We peonde insivancc protection. tint `cts you sleep at night. Thar's
because rhe cdlectivc strength of o4i 50 corr:enunur based mutual. •
-insurers makes us unoti f the most financ ally segue insurance nerwodu
in the world.
For rou.. a menu friendh -cine iedgabie service from people of ;
understand you needs and provide tnc.proteawn and scr...e you N..i
s
Sebrtngvitle
393-6402 //,.;4,,./ J.,,,,�..,,i. ii„y,,,ti.1
1-800-263-1961''""" °' t"
4fYt Meta /NYte NM[ KI
Call -
T
/6u/1
u/ %ia.,.irrnir LYNDA VINCENT
DOWNIE) at 527-2204
or toll free
. /,vyrri�
1-888-269-0377
number -of issues insol%ed
in deregulation, but will
be close enough for
council to make .i
reasonable decision.
"We've got an awful lot
to do in a very short
time." he. recently told
council.
Phillips had met with
council behind closed
doors -May 23 to review
bids on the. sale of the
.PCC and further discussed
the financial details of
offers from other electric
companies.
He said it has- been a
%cry complicated -process
truing to determine what
option will give them the
hest •value- for Seaforth
customers.
TK)
Hot 1! fir Capitnfhoisti4ma
.tii•illi t.i •�•�
GREAT VALUES
FOR YOUR FAMILY
ALL SYSTEMS
COME WITH A
2 YEAR PARTS
& LABOUR
WARRANTY
NEW LOW
411‘ PRICE!
K6 VALUE SYSTEM
'500 MHZ
• 3 010
'1P Monitor
*Corsi
Mee 2000
*may more Wane
'Prices :totedMarge ipt/41''Ake
Thank You
� Joy Ross
'[.7Jea? ' joy,
)lou have been a
watts, and giving stay,
nicrnbet 741tlt4'.
'buss Siloppe Pyt
10 yeast; and 9
would like to thank you
AO? all the special
things you lutve done in
rhtit
You Ktete there �ot
me thtou yh thick and
thin, you ate truly a
ca?in, yivin.;.and kwn-
eetul person. (thank
you Aar all your kind-
nesses and lout
thouhqulness.
Since?el y
Anna flamdZtdn
TH[ HURON EXPOSITOR, Ally 12, 2000-5
1111\O 11\I\('
• REPAIRS • REBUILDI' G
• KEYS RECOVERED
• DALIPP CHASERS
• REGULATING
• BENCHES
BRUCE
PULSIFER
LAWN
PROBLEMS?
Call...
WedIvita
524-2424
Allan Carter, Broker
• Home •Auto
• Commercial
• Farm
522-0399 Seaforth
1-800-265-0959 Strathroy
full Bloom
REMEMBER...
Pared Nurser) Stock and Perermkels
can Le Planted Aurone.
Our Perennial Display Garden
is a Must to See as the
Blooming Bed is Never the Same.
Ted's Tasty Roma use Sol Aaal ie
-OPEN D r ' FROM 9 TO 6-
s
NAM
•••••••
ON...
Annuals,
Hanging Baskets,
Geraniums,
Perennials, Lilies
6t. "More!
Emma's Special
on Nursery Stock
Continues!!!
The Ns•Mn+ G.c 49
tout BAYfmD,ONI NOM tlo 482-3020
d
Finishing
Contracts Available
Let us show you how you can generate
additional revenue from your existing
land base'by building a contract hog
finishing unit. We are experienced in
designing and ' building naturally
ventilated finishing• barns that are very
economical. To learn more c6ntact Acre
T Farms at (519) 887-6181 or fax (519)
887-6330.
THE DOCTOR SAYS I HAVE DIABETES
AT KEATING'S PHARMACY WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP.
*FREE
MONITOR
Reg. Retail Price
$59.95
With this
coupon
• RECEIVE THE PRECISION QID OR OID PEN
BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITOR
FREE"
AFTER 'NSTANT REBATE.
LIMIT ON' PER CUSTOMER.
Guardia haling's hamiacy,
WHILE QUANTITIES LAST.
67 Main St., Seaforth 527-1990