Cost of destructive storms in Windsor-Essex may end up on your utility bill
CBC
The cost of this year's destructive storms that snapped utility poles and required extended responses to restore power to thousands of people across Windsor-Essex could end up on ratepayer's bills.
Two of the area's distribution companies are tallying up expected costs following storms that officials believe are the worst in decades.
"First we had an ice storm and then we had a windstorm and now we had a flood storm," recalls Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy.
"I'm hoping that's it for the next 20 years really. We've had our share of storms here."
But Bondy, who chairs the board of directors ELK Energy knows that more intense storms are likely, as a changing climate is expected to produce more frequent and damaging extreme weather events in Ontario, according to a recently released report prepared this summer for the Ontario Energy Board (OEB).
"I do feel like we're going to see this more and more often."
Bondy said ELK Energy is already dealing with $100,000 worth of damage following an ice storm in February that knocked power out to thousands of people and an unknown figure connected to a wind storm that toppled trees across Essex County last July.
Those same storms were felt in Windsor where Enwin Utilities estimated a year-to-date damage bill of a million dollars, including last week's tornadoes that ripped across the region.
ELK Energy is applying to the OEB for a rate increase this year that could add $4 to each customer's monthly bill in Belle River, Comber, Cottam, Essex, Harrow and Kingsville.
"Getting healthy groceries is challenging, paying hydro bills is challenging. But when when people come into our town from out of town to work on our hydro poles, we have to compensate them," said Bondy.
Distributors can apply to the OEB for what's called a "Z-factor" claim to help recover documented costs connected to things like natural disasters.
An OEB spokesperson said they've received seven of those types of applications since 2018.
Bondy said the money would go toward new switches that would allow the distributor to isolate power outages, a additional tree trimming and a pole replacement program.
"Traditionally ELK has had years and years, approximately 20 years of under spending and now we're playing catch up."
A national Jewish advocacy organization is taking legal action against Manitoba's medical regulator over a complaint it made last year alleging a prominent doctor made antisemitic comments on social media.
A cat that went missing in a remote area of northeastern B.C. is finally back home with its family in Oklahoma, five months later.
It wasn’t clear trolleys would be a hit in Medicine Hat, but the Sunshine Trolley has wound its way into Hatters’ hearts.
More than 200 volunteers and politicians gathered in Etobicoke Saturday for the Daily Bread Food Bank’s holiday sort.
The rising cost-of-living has already made supporting a family difficult this year. But, the holidays can make staying on budget that much harder.
Strong winds across the Maritimes left thousands of N.B. Power customers without electricity on Saturday afternoon — and it could be days before all customers have their power restored.
Toronto police say they located a body inside a downtown Toronto home Saturday.
Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge is responding to public outcry against his government’s policy changes for non-permanent residents by making a plea to the federal government.
A man in Saskatoon is in hospital after being shot by police as officers executed a warrant late Friday night.
RCMP say a man who was reported missing near Key First Nation has been found deceased.
Christy Morin says life was never the same in Alberta Avenue after the fires began.
It's small things, like a cigarette or a pair of clean socks, Rachel Montour says, that can go a long way to make you feel more human when you’re out on the street.
Several dozen members of Windsor's Chaldean community and its supporters celebrated in the cold at the corner of Marentette Avenue and Wyandotte Street East Friday, as city officials gave a secondary name to the section of Marentette between Wyandotte and Tuscarora Street: Chaldean Way.