Wildrose Party holds information meetings about proposed power lines

Times Contributor

 

A sizeable crowd gathered to hear Wildrose MLA and Utilities Critic Joe Anglin present the concerns that Constituents have in Strathmore and area with regards to the proposed power lines running from Strathmore north to the Edmonton area.

Anglin has partnered with MLA for Strathmore-Brooks Jason Hale and Chestermere’s MLA Bruce McAllister to speak on the negative impact new transmission lines and rising power bills are having on hardworking Alberta families in Strathmore and area.

Anglin was elected to his MLA position on April 23 and was appointed to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on May 24, and the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship on May 28. Anglin has an extensive background in the field of electricity and business as he worked as a lineman for a public electric utility before going to work for AT&T, the world’s largest corporation.

An active member of his community, Anglin successfully organized and led the Lavesta Area Group (an association of southern Alberta landowners opposed to the construction of a 500KV electricity transmission line through their area, from 2006-2010. “Right now Albertans are paying among the highest power bills in the country and with the complete mismanagement by this PC government these past few years, prices are only going up,” Anglin said

Concerned landowners and tax payers are upset with the proposed line as it has not been determined that this is the answer to Alberta’s utility concerns. Landowners are feeling the pinch and the property rights advocate has no power and can do nothing for them.

Anglin, who jokingly claims he is “not part of the Party official opposition but rather a part of the Government in waiting” with the Wildrose says that Albertans have a right to compensation. While Alberta used to be the most efficient and cost effective area “ranking in the top 3 in North America”, we are now at the bottom. The average Albertan’s electricity bills have doubled and in some cases tripled over the last 2 years.

The proposed line that would run from Genoese to Langdon will cost just about 2 billion dollars and will have a huge capacity but it “is not economical,” says Anglin. Even if it is built it really cannot be utilized without a second line being in service (running North and South of the AB/SK border). Then it would be considered to be a huge “waste of money on the part of Albertans” that would have 2 (super highway) inefficient lines in Alberta.

Further information can be obtained by contacting Evan Menzies (Wildrose Official Opposition) at (780)-246-1466.