Energy committee to hear business strategy today

One of dozens of wind turbines located south of Medicine Hat (file photo).

The city’s Energy, Land and Environment Committee will meet Thursday afternoon but city administration’s proposal to purchase a solar production plant is not on the agenda.

The city’s administration announced its intension to purchase the 325 MW Saamis Solar Park in an Aug. 27 press release. That notice featured comments from the director of the city’s energy division, Rochelle Pancoast, and president of the current owner, DP Energy, Damian Bettles.

No energy committee council member nor any other elected official provided comment in the release.

Pancoast was quoted as stating, “any decision on investing in new generation assets is subject to council approval.”

In a letter to Mayor Linnsie Clark posted this morning by the Medicine Hat Utilities Ratepayers Association (MHURA), president Sounantha Boss requested more information on the purchase.

MHURA is requesting specifics such as costs and communications with the public regarding what it describes as a “monumental decision.”

Committee members will be hearing a comprehensive overview of the city’s energy business strategy through a more than 60-slide presentation that will be presented by Pancoast. That presentation is available for preview through the city’s website.

While the Saamis Solar project is not mentioned specifically, the presentation does include a general overview of the pillars of the city’s energy division’s strategy – including energy transition.

The presentation will also go through a comprehensive history of the city’s utility division, its asset management as well as the unique legislation governing Medicine Hat’s gas and electricity production.

Community TV will be providing live coverage of the meeting on its website and Facebook page. Recordings of the committee meeting are also exclusively available from Community TV.

The committee meeting is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon.