Latest news with #Enmax
Calgary Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: Secrecy shrouds city's refusal to engage on Enmax power line
In a project that we have not been able to find an equivalent for in Calgary, Enmax has proposed running a high-voltage transmission line — with towers up to 10 storeys tall — down a northeast residential street. The Alberta Utilities Commission is holding a public hearing beginning May 26 to determine whether to approve Enmax's request to build the line above ground, or if it should be buried. Article content Article content Article content If Enmax gets its preferred overhead option, people living in the dozens of houses and hundreds of apartments, and those resting and recovering in the Fanning Centre, will see their view of 40 fully mature trees ripped from their streets and throughout the largest regional park in the area. Article content Article content For a one-time savings of $10 million, Enmax proposes to sterilize the area and put hundreds of millions of dollars in development at the North Hill Co-op, Ambassador Motor Inn, the city-owned Midfield Heights and several smaller developments along the line's route at risk. Article content More than 800 people have signed a petition led by the Winston Heights-Mountview Community Association, opposing the overhead lines. However, as neighbours rally, our Ward 4 councillor and city administration have been silent. Article content Why would the city, with so much to lose in revenue from the land they are about to sell, and those from whom they collect property taxes, not even offer an opinion? We have worked with the city for too long to believe that the public servants wouldn't be concerned with Enmax's proposal. Article content Article content And indeed they were, at one point. The city's parks department notified the AUC that it intended to participate in the hearing because it 'feels strongly that an aboveground alignment . . . will ultimately sterilize the public land.' They later, confusingly, withdrew this request to participate. Article content It turns out there's an unfortunate reason the city won't participate in the hearing, despite potentially losing millions from the sale of Midfield Heights lots and in future property taxes, and seeing their densification and tree canopy strategies abandoned. Article content In June 2024, council passed a confidential policy titled Regulatory Interventions and Municipally Owned Utilities (CD2024-0677). You can't read the details and neither can we, but we've had it confirmed by multiple city staffers and councillors that it forbids the city from offering an opinion during AUC proceedings that involve Enmax.
CBC
24-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Enmax diverts funds to meet Calgary's growth, slowing smart meter upgrades
As Enmax works to keep up with Calgary's population growth, it could mean some Calgarians will be waiting longer to get their old electricity meters upgraded. In the board's annual general meeting with city councillors on Friday, CEO Mark Poweska said Calgary's growth has outpaced their projections. And since the company asks the Alberta Energy Regulator for a certain amount of growth money for a five-year period — that funding is falling short. "We recognize that it's important that we support the growth of the city. And so we're diverting capital to support that growth today," Poweska told CBC News after the meeting. Much of that money was taken from Enmax's program to replace old electricity meters with smart meters across Calgary to modernize the electricity grid. The new meters allow control centres to see what's happening on the grid remotely. "It's an important part of our future," said Poweska. "We are progressing towards that, it's just going to take a little bit longer as we've had to divert some capital to the growth." According to the utility's website, roughly half of the meters in Calgary need to be replaced. Over 21,000 meters were replaced last year, said Poweska, but it will take longer to get the rest of the work done. Mayor Jyoti Gondek said increased electricity demand will continue to be a challenge as more people move here. "With advances in technology, AI, data centres, we are going to need a lot more electricity than we have," said Gondek. She said she's optimistic to hear new federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson make a commitment to work with companies like Enmax on electricity regulations and providing transmission across the country. "If the federal government is willing to be a partner with us and really invest in the technology that we need for things like carbon capture, as well as offering things like smart meter technology, Enmax can go a long way towards future proofing itself." Evolving to a regulated utility Reflecting on 2024, Poweska said one of the highlights of last year was Enmax's progress on its renewed strategic focus — evolving to a regulated utility. That means the company will be investing less in the competitive business, which includes energy generation, and more on aspects like wire infrastructure. Ninety per cent of the utility's total capital expenditures last year were devoted to the regulated business, according to its 2024 financial report. The move comes after years of Alberta residents sounding the alarm about volatile prices in the electricity market. It resulted in city council voting to change how its local access fee is calculated, and a provincial bill forcing the municipal government to move faster to make that change. "The competitive business — it's a volatile business. You have up years and you have down years. Over the last couple of years, the commodity prices have been high and that part of business has been doing well," said Poweska. But electricity prices are dropping, and Poweska said focusing on regulated business means greater stability in the long run. "For Calgarians, this means confidence in the long-term sustainability of their utility and a reliable source of revenue for the city," he said in his speech. As electricity prices soften and Enmax moves to becoming a regulated utility, Poweska said he isn't anticipating the City of Calgary — its sole shareholder — will see a repeat of its record $103 million dividend from last year. "I think we've hit the peak, from a market perspective," said Poweska. Additionally, according to its 2024 environmental, social and governance report, Enmax will need to make a "significant strategic investment" in its switch to a regulated utility, which could decrease the dividend in the short-term. City council decides how the annual dividend to Calgary is spent. For example, councillors recently approved the mayor's motion to spend $20 million from the dividend on community amenity upgrades. Coun. Evan Spencer, who chairs council's audit committee, said Enmax is making good changes.
CTV News
06-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Enmax warns of downtown substation traffic impacts
Enmax's new substation will result in some periodic traffic delays in the downtown core. (Supplied/Enmax)
Global News
30-04-2025
- Business
- Global News
Calgary's mayor accused of ‘electioneering' as council approves maintenance funding boost
Calgary city council has approved a multi-million dollar funding boost for maintenance and upgrades at several city facilities, but the timing of the move has drawn the ire of some on council. The motion, from Mayor Jyoti Gondek, proposed to use $20 million from the 2024 Enmax dividend surplus to support maintenance and upgrades of community spaces and amenities through a city facility management program. 'This dividend was not expected, it will not be repeated next year,' Gondek said at a press conference Wednesday. 'So we are using it wisely now to fix the things that need fixing.' Enmax delivered a $103-million dividend last year, a record high and $46 million more than the city expected. The mayor's office provided a list of eight projects that would benefit from the new funding, but noted the list does not contain all projects that are approved to receive repairs or maintenance. Story continues below advertisement Among those projects are an $8.5 million upgrade to the Prairie Winds Park wading pool, upgrades to Calgary Fire stations, safety upgrades at Queens Park Mausoleum and Bowness wading pool, recreation facility upgrades, and repairs to Shouldice Park after damage from last summer's Bearspaw feeder main break. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The projects have already been identified, they have been on a priority list for some time,' Gondek said. 'Now that the funds have been allocated, they will get to work on these projects right away.' The mayor's motion also earmarks an additional $2.85 million for the Federation of Calgary Communities, and a program to help fund community association and volunteer-driven placemaking projects across the city. 'It's going to allow us to do more projects, bigger projects, more impactful projects with community,' said Adam Schwartz, community activator at Federation of Calgary Communities. The program, called ActivateYYC, helps fund community projects aimed at increasing vibrancy and amenities in underused spaces. According to Schwartz, the money will help boost the program's fund from $60,000 to $400,000 annually over the next three years. 'It can be as simple as a gazebo, or a picnic table or a mural that pops up in these spaces to really turn them from space into place,' he said. But a group of city councillors representing the Communities First party are raising concerns with the timing of the move, and accused the mayor of 'electioneering,' ahead of the next municipal election in October. Story continues below advertisement During Tuesday's debate, there was an attempt by that group of councillors to postpone the motion until November's budget deliberations, but it was defeated. 'It didn't need to be done in such an urgent fashion, it could've been done at budget time,' Ward 10 councillor and Communities First candidate Andre Chabot told Global News on Wednesday. 'So that's why we consider this to be very much aligned with electioneering.' A press release from the party said the motion makes a funding decision outside the 'rigour' of November's budget process, and is less than 200 days away from the next municipal vote. 'You have an unpopular mayor trying to sprinkle public money around to garner some goodwill before the election,' Ward 13 Coun. and Communities First candidate Dan McLean said in the press release. 'In concept, I'm not opposed to anything on Jyoti's list, but November budget deliberations are where these decisions should be made.' The mayor rebuked the accusations of electioneering on Wednesday, while noting the projects on the list are urgent and couldn't wait another construction season. 'I don't know why those councillors don't understand that we need to make budget decisions outside of budget cycles on a regular basis,' the mayor said. 'Many of those councillors who are opposed to what was brought forward approved a motion that was very similar last year, in fact, council approved it unanimously.' Story continues below advertisement Gondek's motion was approved 8-5 with councillors Sonya Sharp, Sean Chu, Terry Wong, Chabot and McLean voting against.
Calgary Herald
30-04-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Councillors debate 'electioneering' accusation while passing two notices of motion worth millions in funding
A notice of motion from Mayor Jyoti Gondek Tuesday didn't sit well with a group of Calgary city councillors, who accused the mayor of 'electioneering' and attempted to postpone the proposal until next November's budget deliberations. Article content Article content The accusation led to councillors trading barbs as they debated the motivations behind two, separate notices of motion that each passed. Article content Article content Gondek's motion, which was approved in an 8-5 vote, proposed to use $20 million from the 2024 Enmax dividend to support deferred maintenance through the Facilities Management Annual Investment Program. Article content Article content The funding would be disbursed over three years and could support various community amenities and volunteer-driven projects, according to Gondek, such as seating and lighting enhancements, shade structures, or murals and community gardens. Article content Article content Dissenting councillors included Sonya Sharp, Dan McLean, Terry Wong and Andre Chabot, who are members of the Communities First party, and Sean Chu. Article content Early into the discussion, Chabot moved to postpone the item until the November 2025 budget deliberations, which will be led by a new-look council. However, his referral motion failed 6-7. Article content Article content Sharp, who is running against Gondek for mayor this fall, said she wasn't opposed to Gondek's idea, but called the timing of the motion 'convenient' and argued it falls outside of council's typical budgeting process. Article content 'It's not a no — it's a why now?' Sharp told reporters ahead of the discussion. Article content 'It's placed conveniently prior to some decisions that need to be made for budget, and we haven't, as a council . . . even had those conversations yet. I don't believe we even see the next budget update for this cycle coming up until May or June. So why now?'
