Utilities band together for regional strength.

• Author: GOULIQUER, DIANNE
• Position: Brief Article

Under the name of Northern Ontario Wires Inc., Cochrane Public Utilities Commission, Kapuskasing Public Utilities Commission and Iroquois Falls Hydro will face deregulation of the electricity industry next year as a single entity.

The three electric utilities are in the process of merging, and officials say the result will mean more efficient operations with the same level of service as before.

Monica Malherbe, Cochrane PUC office manager, says the provincial government's Bill 35 -- which allows for open electric energy competition in Ontario -- is the impetus behind the three-party merger.

"With deregulation coming in the next six months or so, there's a lot of administration and systems that have to be put in place," she says.

"A lot of small-utilities are getting out of the business because there's just too much work, too much cost to be incurred.

"You need a lot of specialized expertise, so if we get together (with...