Connect with us

Maine

Calgary’s Enmax spends $7.5M to oppose Maine referendum on electricity providers – Calgary | Globalnews.ca

Published

on

Calgary’s Enmax spends .5M to oppose Maine referendum on electricity providers – Calgary | Globalnews.ca


An upcoming referendum south of the border is generating some concerns for Calgary’s publicly-owned electricity utility Enmax, which is sending money to a political campaign in the northeast United States.

In November, voters in Maine will cast a ballot on a referendum question on whether to dismantle the state’s two largest privately-owned electric utilities to create a consumer-owned utility called Pine Tree Power.

One of those electricity companies is Versant Power, currently owned by Enmax after a deal valued at $1.8 billion was finalized in 2020.

Richard Silkman, CEO of Maine-based Competitive Energy Services and supporter of the Pine Tree Power Company campaign, said the vote comes as Mainers are concerned with the rising cost of electricity and foreign ownership in its electrical grid.

Advertisement

“There are folks that are very worried about the cost of energy and they believe that there may be a cheaper way of providing that electricity delivery service,” Silkman told Global News. “There’s another constituency that views foreign ownership of utilities as being something that’s antithetical to the way in which we ought to organize society.”

Story continues below advertisement


Click to play video: 'Enmax says no Calgarians lost power due to unpaid bills as city dividend increases to $62M'


Enmax says no Calgarians lost power due to unpaid bills as city dividend increases to $62M


Advertisement

According to the Maine Ethics Commission, Enmax has donated $7.5 million so far in 2023 to a non-profit organization called Maine Energy Progress to advocate in opposition of a move to a publicly-owned electricity entity.

The Maine Ethics Commission said the founding organizations of Maine Energy Progress are Enmax and Versant Power.

“A government-controlled utility company is a risk Mainers can’t afford,” Main Energy Progress’ website reads.

The non-profit did not respond to Global News’ request for comment.

Advertisement

Others opposed to the move said it would cost Mainers billions in debt to acquire the assets of both of the power companies.

Lucy Hochschartner, a spokesperson for the Pine Tree Power Company campaign, said the funding is being used to “mislead voters” through political advertising on social media.

Story continues below advertisement

“I think most Canadians would be surprised to learn that this company that is supposed to be working for them is spending their money in our elections,” she said. “That’s not small change at all.”

Advertisement

Click to play video: 'Alberta to address high utility and insurance rates'


Alberta to address high utility and insurance rates


If Maine residents were to vote in favour of creating a consumer-based electricity utility, it would kickstart a process to replace the two privately-owned power companies in Maine, as well as a negotiation to acquire the electricity providers from their parent companies.

An elected board of directors would also be formed to manage the Pine Tree Power Company.

Advertisement

According to Silkman, the move comes as Maine works on climate efforts and would require upgrades to its electrical grid.

“The question is: what’s the best way to move us from where we are today to where we need to be in the future?” Silkman said. “The belief is that the best way to do it is through local control, local decision making, local ownership, and the lower cost of capital that comes with that.”

Story continues below advertisement

Since Enmax’s acquisition of Versant Power in 2020, it has sent Enmax a yearly dividend as its sole shareholder.

Advertisement

Similarly, Enmax sends the City of Calgary a yearly dividend with $82 million going to city coffers this year alone.


Click to play video: 'How’s Ontario’s power grid faring with the extreme heat?'


How’s Ontario’s power grid faring with the extreme heat?


According to Enmax’s 2022 financial report, Versant Power generated $349 million in revenue in 2022.

Advertisement

“I believe it was $31 million in 2022 taken out of Maine and sent to shareholders in Canada,” Hochschartner said. “That is not working for the people of Maine.”

In a statement to Global News, Enmax said its acquisition of Versant Power was made “to create value and positive outcomes for customers and stakeholders in both Calgary and Maine.”

Enmax said its electricity rates were not affected by the purchase of Versant Power or the paying down of the debt to acquire the company, and customers won’t be charged additional fees or rate increases to offset the cost of acquiring Versant Power, its operations or the referendum process.

Story continues below advertisement

Advertisement

“Although Enmax would be entitled under the (U.S.) Constitution to be paid fair market value if the referendum were to pass, Enmax has opposed this proposal, just as it did when it was put before the Maine legislature and rejected twice in the past,” the utility’s statement said. “This proposal is not in the best interests of our customers or the State of Maine, and would not result in better service or lower rates.”

Enmax said its participation in the referendum is publicly available information.

The statement added that Maine is “working hard to make progress” on its renewable energy goals and Versant Power “strives to be a trusted partner in those efforts.”

The City of Calgary did not respond to Global News’ request for comment.

“The message to the citizens of Calgary is: let Maine do what it wants to do, don’t interfere,” Silkman said.

Advertisement

Mainers go to the polls in the referendum on its electrical grid on November 7.

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Maine

Question Three: Restoring Historic Maine Buildings

Published

on

Question Three: Restoring Historic Maine Buildings


PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) – This week we are taking a look at the five referendum questions on this year’s ballot. Question 3 on this year’s referendum is a bond question. It states… “Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to restore historic buildings owned by governmental and nonprofit organizations, with funds being issued contingent on a 25% local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources?”

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said, “This question, like the other bond questions, originated with a bill put forward in the legislature to authorize a bond issue to restore historic community buildings. Now, those funds would be issued contingent on a 25% local match from either private or nonprofit sources.”

This means an organization must be able to fund 25% of the total amount they’ve requested to be eligible to receive funds. The decision on whether or not an organization would receive this funding goes through the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Secretary Bellows, “The legislature hasn’t designated certain buildings that will receive the money or not get the money. That will be the purview of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. This was sponsored by State Senator Rick Bennett, a Republican of Oxford County, and if it is passed by the voters, then the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, we will oversee dispersing grants.”

Voters can find more information on question three and the other referendum questions in the Maine Citizens’ Guide to the Referendum Election Questions on the maine.gov website. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows says this resource allows folks to take a deeper look at the questions before casting their ballot.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Maine

In mock election, Maine students pick Donald Trump over Kamala Harris

Published

on

In mock election, Maine students pick Donald Trump over Kamala Harris


Students from across Maine selected former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris during a mock election this week — and Maine students have a record of forecasting the winner.

Trump easily defeated his Democratic rival, winning 52% versus 41% for Harris. About 6% of the vote was split among three other candidates on the ballot.

Maine’s student mock election has accurately forecast the national winner of every presidential election since 2008, although the students’ choice doesn’t always win the most votes in Maine on Election Day.

Students also voted to re-elect the three members of Maine’s congressional delegation who are on the ballot this year: independent Sen. Angus King and Democratic Reps. Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree.

Advertisement

More than 100 schools participated in this year’s mock election, which is run the by secretary of state’s office.





Source link

Continue Reading

Maine

Ace is up: Flagg’s twin brother commits to Maine

Published

on

Ace is up: Flagg’s twin brother commits to Maine


Just days before the official debut of Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, the consensus projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, another member of the family could make an impact at the Division I level in the future, too: his twin brother.

Ace Flagg, a 6-foot-8 forward, has committed to play for Maine, he announced on Instagram on Wednesday.

Ace is a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, according to ESPN. He and his brother, who are both from Maine, were part of the same class until Cooper decided to reclassify into the 2024 recruiting class so he could play for the Blue Devils this season. But they’ve maintained their strong ties to their home state. Over the summer, the twins hosted a youth basketball camp in Orono, Maine, together.

Last season, the Maine Black Bears finished 15-17 overall and 7-9 under head coach Chris Markwood, who is entering his third season. Maine, appropriately, will travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face No. 7 Duke on Monday in the team’s 2024-25 season opener.

While Cooper will start his collegiate career with the Blue Devils this season, his twin brother won’t be too far. Ace recently transferred to Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, North Carolina, just an hour from Duke’s campus.

Advertisement

Ace recently told a local media outlet that he believes the move will help him reach his potential.

“To just be able to showcase what I can do and I think Greensboro is going to be that place for me,” he told Fox 22, a TV station based in Bangor, Maine.





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending