Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Friday, December 14, 2012

Panel urges hydro mergers

Ontario’s 75 local hydro utilities should be consolidated into 8 to 12 regional companies, says a three-man panel appointed by the province.

The panel predicts is would result in substantial savings for customers – about $1.7 billion over ten years, through streamlining and reduced borrowing costs.

That would reduce the yearly hydro bill for a typical residential customer by about $70 by the end of the 10th year, says the panel headed by former Liberal cabinet minister Murray Elston.

The consolidation would include the local services offered by Hydro One, which provides direct service to most customers in rural Ontario.

The panel says consolidation should be voluntary – and says utilities should be given two years to try to work out their own arrangements.

If there’s no significant progress at that point, it says, the province should consider legislation.

The panel took no formal position on whether the privatization should be part of the consolidation.

Some local utilities are already privately held.

Further acquisitions have been stalled by a heavy tax on private acquisition, imposed a decade ago.

The panel says the tax should be eliminated, but acknowledges it will take co-operation with the federal government.

Original Article
Source: the star
Author: John Spears 

No comments:

Post a Comment