Judge denies restraining order in SME case
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA - A District Court judge has denied a motion seeking an order to block Electric City Power from taking any steps that would harm the finances of Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission.
SME asked the court to prevent the utility arm of the city of Great Falls from delaying payments for power or ending contracts with its customers that could cause SME to lose its customer base.
The Great Falls Tribune reports District Judge Kenneth Neill denied the restraining order, but ordered a June 1 hearing on the same issues. Neill said the city has continued to pay SME and the contracts at issue won't expire until June 30.
The city filed a lawsuit in March seeking to end its relationship with SME and the return of a $792,000 deposit.
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Manitoba Hydro scales back rate increase next year
WINNIPEG - Manitoba Hydro is scaling back its rate hike request for next year, instead of the annual 7.9 per cent hikes the Crown corporation previously said it would need until 2023-24 to address debt.
Hydro is asking the Public Utilities Board for a 3.5 per cent rate increase next year, which would take effect on April 1.
In last week's application, Hydro said its new board is reviewing the corporation's financial picture. Once that is complete, the utility expects to submit a new multi-year rate application in late 2019 that addresses the organization's long-term future.
"It's too speculative at this point to discuss any possible future rate increases," spokesperson Bruce…
