Saskatoon seniors in shock after getting massive power bill
A retired Saskatoon couple says they're being forced to scale back Christmas after they received a bill from SaskPower for almost ten times more than usual.
Their monthly bills seldom run over $300, so seeing a bill for $2,991.32 was stressful for the couple, both in their late 70s and on a pension.
“Where am I going to get the money to pay this? It was such a shock,” Gayle Hersikorn told CTV News.
They’re on the equalized payment plan through SaskPower, which basically averages out power consumption and spreads it out throughout the year so bills are consistent.
They say a spike last winter during January to March could be the reason they now have to pay the massive increase, but it is still unclear.
“How can it jump like that in one month, compared to the last three months, I said how can this be. It doesn’t make sense. We’ve done nothing different and had nothing running,” she says.
“There are several reasons why a customer’s bill may fluctuate from month to month including an increase in usage, a customer on equalized payments receiving a ‘catch-up’ bill following a routine meter read, or an account going into arrears, to name a few,” a SaskPower spokesperson said in a statement to CTV News.
“Unexpectedly high bills are very uncommon for our customers, and whenever they happen, our customer care team works hard to lessen the impact to the customer.”
The couple hoped to speak to an actual person about the bill and drove into downtown Saskatoon to where they thought that could happen.
“That’s what we wanted was to ask someone, but you can’t ask nobody,” David Hersikorn said.
They learned that inquiries can only be done by phone. That left them even more frustrated because they felt a complete explanation was only possible if they took the bills in and showed someone who could then explain the reasoning to them.
Originally, they were told that they would have to pay the full amount within three months. They began figuring out how this could happen on their fixed incomes and considered selling their daughter’s car or even selling the home they’ve been in for 32 years at Sunset Estates, east of Saskatoon.
“This is the first time since we’ve been out here that we haven’t put Christmas lights up,” he said.
“It takes electricity to run them, and I think we might not even put up the tree. That takes electricity too,” Gayle said.
According to the couple, they’re scaling gifts back as well. This year they’ll direct their giving to SaskPower.
After CTV News ran the story on Tuesday, SaskPower contacted the Hersikorns and reduced the amount owing to $1,400. They were told they could actually take 18 months to pay, and it will be interest free.
“The lady said the amount should have been disbursed over the course of the year and not in one lump sum as it was,” Gayle Hersikorn said.
While that is better news, they still have to find the money somehow.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.