Medicine Hat Minute: Facility Winterization, Energy Decisions, and the Gas Turbine Budget
Medicine Hat Minute: Facility Winterization, Energy Decisions, and the Gas Turbine Budget
Medicine Hat Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Medicine Hat politics
This Week In Medicine Hat:
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There will be a meeting of City Council on Monday, beginning with a closed session at 3:45 pm. During this portion of the meeting, Council will discuss personnel matters, an Inter-City Forum on Social Policy, the Integrity Commissioner, and the water utility rate design. At 6:30 pm, the meeting will open up to the public. Once it does, Council will discuss Mayor Linnsie Clark’s February request for information on various employee living expense reimbursements, severance agreements, fund reallocations, staff turnover statistics, and expense reports for the City Manager and Managing Directors.
- The City is in the process of closing and winterizing outdoor washrooms and facilities. Closures have already taken place at the Saamis Rotary water park, Ross Glen Town Centre, Central Park Picnic Shelter, Jefferies ball diamond, and Moose ball diamonds. Today, facilities including Kin Coulee Kinette picnic shelter, Little League diamonds, the BMX/Big Marble Go Centre, Methanex bowl, Lorne Holden Field, Kin Coulee skateboard park, Police Point West, and Lions Park will be winterized. The Kin Coulee Bandshell is set to close on October 8th, followed by Gas City and Echo Dale campgrounds on October 15th, with the final closure at Echo Dale swim center scheduled for November 4th.
- The City is awaiting a regulatory decision, expected to come by year-end, about whether it can purchase and operate the DP Energy “Saamis Solar Park.” The 1,600-acre project in the city’s north end has the potential to generate 325 megawatts of solar power, with plans to begin with a 75-megawatt phase. This first phase could cost over $100 million but would qualify for federal capital grants and generate revenue through carbon credits. Critics want more details about the agreement and business plan, and the Medicine Hat Utility Ratepayers Association is seeking intervenor status as the Alberta Utilities Commission reviews the matter.
Last Week In Medicine Hat:
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The City announced that it will be hosting two public open houses on October 15th and 16th to gather feedback on a proposed southwest substation. The City plans to submit both a preferred and alternate location to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) after considering public input. With a $24 million capital budget, the project aims to address electricity distribution congestion and support future economic growth in the city's south end. If approved by the AUC, construction could begin in early 2026, with completion expected by late 2027. Previous plans for a substation were denied in 2023, but the City has since revised its approach.
- A recent overhaul of a major gas turbine at the City’s power plant exceeded its budget by $4.1 million, resulting in a total cost of $9.4 million. Initially budgeted at $5.3 million, the unexpected expenses arose from the need for additional repairs, including the replacement of a high-pressure turbine and a new heat shield, discovered only after the turbine was dismantled. Despite the added expense, the work was deemed necessary to avoid further shutdowns and the costs associated with renting replacement equipment.
- Officials from WestJet, the Medicine Hat Regional Airport, and the local business community convened to discuss upcoming changes to flight services, with a focus on a transition to larger aircraft and revised schedules. The airline will introduce its 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400, which will facilitate a morning flight to Calgary, departing at 7:00 am, with a return flight just before midnight, enhancing connectivity compared to the current mid-afternoon schedule. Medicine Hat’s airport manager said it would be important to boost passenger numbers to facilitate the expansion of WestJet's services.
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