Cambridge, North Dumfries and Brantford to consider merging hydro companies
Committee will review risks and benefits and will get feedback from taxpayers
Utility companies in Cambridge, the Township of North Dumfries and Brantford are beginning talks about a possible merger.
Directors on the boards for both the Brantford Energy Corporation and Cambridge and North Dumfries Energy Plus Inc., have endorsed a memorandum of understanding to explore the possibility.
The process could take more than a year, according to a release by Brantford Power. A committee will review how the risks and benefits could impact business and residential customers. That evaluation process will include a consultation process that will involve customers.
Cambridge and North Dumfries Energy Plus Inc., services more than 67,000 customers, while Brantford Power has a distribution system that looks after 40,000 customers.
The Ontario government has been supportive of consolidating electricity companies in the past providing it's to improve efficiencies and reduces costs, including when Thunder Bay Hydro and Kenora Hydro combined to create Synergy North in 2019, and when Guelph voted to in favour of merging Guelph Hydro with public utility company Alectra in 2017.
The Ontario Energy Board would have the final say on whether any merger would go ahead.