Deal could help support the town’s future growth
Tillsonburg’s proposed merger with ERTH could help the town address a major challenge to future growth: the need for more electrical capacity.
Deputy Mayor Dave Beres says an upgrade at the town’s electrical transmitter site is now estimated to cost $29 million.
He says the additional capacity would help accommodate future industrial, commercial and residential development as Tillsonburg continues to grow.
Beres says the merger would expand the customer base from about 7,800 to more than 41,000. He says that larger base would make it more practical to pursue a major capacity investment that would be difficult to support through Tillsonburg Hydro’s smaller customer base alone.
Under the proposed transaction, Tillsonburg would also have shares in ERTH Power.
The merger has not yet been completed. Beres says final approval from the Ontario Energy Board is still pending, with an announcement expected in early November.
The proposed merger and the electrical capacity upgrade are part of a broader discussion about how Tillsonburg can accommodate future growth. The upgrade’s estimated cost does not mean the project has been approved or funded.
For now, the town is waiting for the next step in the approval process.
