(File photo/ CJME News Staff)

By CJME News

SaskPower rebate takes effect

Dec 1, 2020 | 6:36 PM

Saskatchewan residents started getting a break on their power bills Tuesday.

As promised by the Saskatchewan Party during the election campaign, all SaskPower customers will be getting a 10 per cent rebate on their power bills for the next year.

The program, known as the Saskatchewan Economic Recovery Rebate, began Tuesday and is to run until the end of November 2021.

According to the provincial government, the rebate is to apply to the electrical charges listed on customers’ bills, including the basic monthly charge, energy charge and demand charge.

The rebate doesn’t apply to GST, PST, municipal surcharge, federal carbon tax or other charges, including connect fees or late payment charges.

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“The Saskatchewan Economic Recovery Rebate is a simple and effective way to help individuals, families and business through this pandemic,” Minister Responsible for SaskPower Don Morgan said in the release. “By implementing this rebate today, our government is keeping its commitments to the people of Saskatchewan.”

The release noted bills that arrive in early December will show power used in November and December, but the rebate will apply only to power used from Tuesday onward.

The government said the program’s estimated cost is $262 million, all of which will come from the province’s General Revenue Fund.

Swift Current Light and Power and Saskatoon Light and Power will be giving their customers the same rebate and will receive credit to offset the cost.

Scammers making the rounds

In an email Tuesday afternoon, SaskPower reported it had been told of at least one person going door to door in Regina asking customers to sign up for the rebate.

“These individuals are NOT affiliated with SaskPower and are likely collecting information for illegal purposes,” the Crown corporation said. “The 10 per cent rebate that takes effect today will be applied to all customer bills automatically and there is no need to sign up.”

The release said one individual was described as wearing a blue uniform with a name tag but no logos. The person also was wearing a mask.

Anyone who encounters one of the scammers should call SaskPower customer service at 1-888-757-6937 as well as the police.