I am against selling our power generation for several reasons:

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• Generating our own power is the cornerstone of developing the Medicine Hat Advantage and has been a huge part of the city for over 100 years now.

• Energy security is of the utmost importance for the safety of Hatters because we can count on our needs being met first before any surplus power is sold onto the grid. We will no longer be first priority when it comes to our energy needs if we sell our city-owned power generation. Shortages at high demand times throughout the year could also arise if we are relying on another provider for Medicine Hat’s energy needs,  

• Increased electrical prices could become a real problem for many. Now that the city has installed the infrastructure for automated metering (Smart Meters) everything is in place for time of day billing, peak hour rates and other cost increases. If residents have any issues with rate increases there will be no recourse because the rates will no longer be in the control of the City. Many people here live on a fixed income and any increase in their monthly budget can have a big impact. Right now if you have issues you can bring them to the city council. Who will you contact if our power generation is sold and will those people even care about your issues?

• Revenue the city brings in from the export of power on the grid is a huge source of cash flow for Medicine Hat and I feel it will continue to be. Take for instance this past year the city projected a $25 million surplus from our power generation. I believe the $25 million will be a low estimate for this year and maybe 2-3 times that amount. We need to continue to generate our own power in Medicine Hat for all the above reasons.