Chapleau residents are getting a power boost for their hydro services.
Hydro One and the town of Chapleau have completed the sale of Chapleau power, and the switch to Hydro One’s services will start Aug. 1.
“We have a number of programs that Chapleau residents can expect to benefit from, from payment plays to community investment programs that they can benefit from,” said Aimee Oabel Hydro One vice president of forestry and integration services
Hydro One acquired Chapleau Hydro’s assets as part of the deal, totalling $2.3 million. Chapleau Hydro served approximately 1,200 customers in the region around the Chapleau township.
The change will allow for the upgrading of infrastructure, including replacing a large transformer that could cost between $8 million and $10 million.
The deal will also free up funds for other needed upgrades within Chapleau, said Chapleau Mayor Ryan Bignucolo.
“The township and the CPU were not in a financial position to pay for these things,” he said.
He said the money from the deal will go toward the town’s to-do list.
“We have a water plant that needs some attention. We have a sewer lagoon that needs some work,” he said. “With this money, we’ll be able to put a good dent in the work list we have.”
The Chapleau township is roughly 200 km southwest of Timmins, just off Highway 101.
The merger will also mean EV charging stations will be built in the town.
“We already have a spot picked out,” said Bignucolo.
While residents can expect an average of 5 per cent increase on their bills, Oabel said the improvements to service will make up for the increase.
“That aligns with all the other Hydro One customers,” she said. “Once they get their first bill, they can sign up for some of our digital customer experiences, and as of today (Aug. 1), they can start using our outage notification line that's available 24/7.”
Under Chapleau Power, crews had to be dispatched from Timmins when outages occurred, which could be complicated by weather and highway conditions. This will also mean that wait times will go down for customers looking to connect to the grid.
“We need Hydro One here 24/7, not Hydro One from Timmins,” said Bignucolo.
Hydro One has retained the existing three staff members from Chapleau Hydro.
Customers will receive their last Chapleau Hydro bill around mid-August and can expect their first Hydro One bill in mid-September.
“It’s a win-win,” said Bignucolo.
