Town council wants to see some long-term growth with its electrical distribution system.
Council asked administration to issue a request for proposals Tuesday, April 28 after an in-camera meeting, for consultants to review long-term scenarios of the town’s electrical distribution service.
The Town of Ponoka is one of several municipalities that own its distribution service and Mayor Rick Bonnett said he wanted to see it grow. Hiring a consultant is the first step in determining if the idea is feasible.
“Unless you open these discussions up and have a look at them, you don’t know,” explained Bonnett.
“We need those numbers to even get a look at it,” he added, referring to hiring a consultant.
Previous councils and administration would make decisions without proper research, said Bonnett, and he does not want to make a serious decision unless a plan is in place.
“Can we make more money or can’t we? That’s all I’m asking,” he stated.
Bonnett referred to EPCOR and ENMAX, both large utility companies owned by the cities of Edmonton and Calgary, respectively. He hopes to find out if the town could have a similar business model.