MORE EXPENSIVE, LESS RELIABLE, SCOTT MOE'S LEGACY AT SASKPOWER

Government's Own Rate Panel Warns of Higher Rates, Deteriorating Finances and Lack of Long-Term Planning
REGINA – Saskatchewan families, farms and businesses are paying more for power. Meanwhile, reliability is under pressure and Scott Moe and Jeremy Harrison continue to make billion-dollar decisions behind closed doors, according to a damning new report from the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel.

"This report makes it clear that Scott Moe and Jeremy Harrison have driven SaskPower into the ground," said Aleana Young, Shadow Minister of Economy, Jobs and SaskPower.

"Rates are going up. Debt is going up. Reliability is under pressure. Massive new loads are being added to the grid. But Saskatchewan people still aren't being shown the long-term plan that tells us where the power will come from, what it will cost or how much more families will be expected to pay."

SaskPower's own public outage feed recorded roughly 60 publicly reported unplanned outages in August alone — about two a day. At the same time, the Crown faces the enormous challenge of replacing ageing infrastructure, meeting growing demand and financing billions of dollars in new generation and transmission.

Despite the government's attempt to bury the report on a Friday, its own appointed panel highlighted that under the Sask. Party, SaskPower consistently failed to hit its return on equity targets, and that since Harrison became Minister, its debt ratio has consistently exceeded its targets.

The Rate Review Panel also identified the Bell data centre as an uncertainty in SaskPower's financial outlook. The Panel is seeking updated information on the timing and amount of anticipated Bell revenues before making its final recommendation on SaskPower's 2027 rate increase.

Similarly, the panel found that the costs of Moe's coal catastrophe "remain uncertain" and are "at an early stage."

The panel recommended that Harrison's first 3.9 per cent increase proceed, but suggested that there might be a need for a 5.4 per cent to 6.4 per cent rate increase in 2027, citing the "deteriorating financial outlook" of SaskPower.
"How high will power rates go? The extraordinary answer from yet another report is: we don't know," said Young.

"We don't know what Saskatchewan families will be paying in five years, ten years, let alone next year. We don't know the full cost of the government's coal decision. We don't know what infrastructure will be required for massive new data centres. And Saskatchewan people still haven't been shown the plan that would answer those questions."

The Panel itself is now calling for greater transparency and long-term planning, including information consistent with basic transparency found in every other jurisdiction. The report makes clear that the public ought to know.

"After 19 years in government, Scott Moe and the Sask. Party are being told by their own handpicked Rate Review Panel to show Saskatchewan people the plan," said Young.

"Only Carla Beck's team can guarantee a future where power is affordable and reliable. It's time for change."

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