SaskPower’s annual report says deferred bill payments for customers because of COVID-19 total $47-million as of the end of last month and sales for the Crown Corporation were down by 10 per cent from April to June. Minister Responsible for SaskPower, Dustin Duncan says use of power declined when the pandemic hit all across the globe. There was a 2 per cent decline in sales for the last fiscal year.

The Minister says it’s too early to tell if there will be a rate increase to make up for the shortfall from the pandemic. However, COVID-19 didn’t hit until the end of the fiscal year, so SaskPower is still reporting an increase in net income of 4 per cent, at $205-million.

The Crown Corporation’s President, Mike Marsh, says SaskPower is on track with its goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. He says, “With the retirement of a couple of coal plants in the last decade and with 2 new retirements coming up, and the installation of the new power station in Swift Current, we have turned the corner on our emissions.”

He adds that the last fiscal year was the second one without a rate increase. Efficiency gains were found through cost management and deferred capital spending. The electricity mix for the year was 45 per cent gas, 31 per cent coal, 18 per cent hydro, 5 per cent wind and 1 per cent ‘other’.