City shoots for power profits

The city is prepared to produce a new roadmap for the publicly owned powerplant, hopefully leading it back to profitability and out of the current bout of low power prices plaguing the province’s power grid.

Utility commissioner Cal Lenz laid it out for council Monday, saying the generating unit, known inside the city as Genco, needs to figure out how to join a new export market in 2019, be ready to face new environmental regulations and fold in renewable energy production, big and small, into its business plan.

But if more new energy efficiency measures reduce overall use, and more customers are generating more of their own electricity via solar panels in the future, many Hatters are asking why the city is building a new $56-million “Unit 16” generating station in the north end.

The project was approved two years ago to cover internal supply needs in case of emergency, but the side benefit was it could be switched on to churn out profits when demand (and prices) rose steeply on the Alberta grid.

If, as planned, the electricity market changes in 2019 to more stable capacity, will the 43megawatt gas-fired plant be needed?

“The answer is yes,” said Mayor Ted Clugston. “It’s backup supply we have to supply our citizens first in order to keep our exemption. We are having demand growth, greenhouses are coming on line, and there’s incremental demand.”

As well, both Clugston and utility committee chair Bill Cocks tantalizingly say there’s the possibility of selling power to U.S. markets if Alberta’s is closed.

Also, Cock’s said, a majority green power landscape is some time off.

“I think it will be a ways before microgeneration picks up the load that Unit 16 can,” said Cocks.

“It will be our salvation if something separates the north side and the south side of the cities. We can look alternatives and microgeneration as something to augment and becoming part of our whole package.”

Solar collector

Also tantalizingly revealed on Monday, after a question by Coun. Les Pearson, is that the city’s much maligned solarthermal project could be in line for new funding.

The solar heat collection system, meant to preheat steam turbine, was determined to be not economical to operate after an initial test year.

New testing this year will be submitted to the project’s funding partners (the Alberta and Canadian governments each put up $3 million), said Lenz. The city will also seek some new money from Alberta Innovates.

Keeping track quickly

Cenovus says it will have more information on the sale of its Suffield field in its thirdquarter financial report, due after Sept. 30... Lantic Sugar (Rogers) has reached a new deal with 134 unionized employees at its Taber plant showing two per cent increases every year until 2022... The Elks Hall in Riverside has a new metal roof... It’s assumed that Thursday’s big rain in Brooks led to some muddy fun at Friday’s first go-round of the weekend Kinsmen Rodeo in that city.

A look ahead

City committee meetings this week for the public and corporate services divisions will sit on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Redcliff Days kick off June 16.

Chuckwagon racing fires up the night before at the Stampede grounds.

100 years ago

The Russian Revolution has risked “bringing slavery to all of Europe” as Allied nations’ strategy was now in disarray, a British analyst stated in the June 7, 1917 edition of the News.

Britain, France and empire forces had strengthened Russia and counted on an assault on the eastern front to weaken German forces in the west, wrote a retired colonel in the

London Times. A new Russian democratic government redrawing its war plans would add at least one year to the war, he concluded.

Nominations totalled 12 for the upcoming Elks Queen Carnival contest set to coincide with the coming inaugural Medicine Hat Stampede in July. Supreme Court (Court of Queen’s Bench) Justice Green, Provincial Magistrate Rae and Mayor Cruickshank would count ballots.

Flowers, fruits and tobacco was handed off by the “returning soldiers committee” to former servicemen aboard the west board No. 1 train as it passed.

The sprawling “Q” ranch had been sold by A.J. Day to Mr. J.J. Bowlin of Macklin, Sask., for a rumoured sum of $150,000.