The Saskatchewan NDP is pressuring the province to answer why SaskPower is projecting a $165-million loss after projecting a $126-million surplus just months ago in the provincial budget.

“The fear is that this government will make up the difference by jacking up rates,” NDP Leader Carla Beck said during question period on Wednesday.

“Is the premier really going to make families in this province pay more on their power bills to cover up for his government’s incompetence?”

In his response, Premier Scott Moe said affordability is always top of mind for his government, as a large part of their campaign in the most recent election was focused on affordability.

“With respect to our utility rates, more broadly, we have one of the lowest, if not the lowest, utility bundles across the nation of Canada. It’s part of how we are able to rise in this house, Mr. Speaker, and quote article after article of Saskatchewan being the most affordable place to live in Canada,” he said.

“One of the reasons is because Saskatchewan families don’t pay the carbon tax on their power bill,” he added.

Beck posed the question to Moe again, referencing the overall deficit released in the mid-year report.

“Just months ago, this premier told us that we were going to see a $12-million surplus. Well, now the numbers are in. It’s nearly a half a billion dollars in debt and another billion dollars on the deficit and a billion dollars in new debt,” she said.

“Since the premier seems to not be able to tell us how much power bills are going to go up in this province to cover for their incompetence, can he tell the people of this province how much they can expect to pay for his inability to manage this province’s finances?”

Moe said Saskatchewan has the lowest deficit as a per cent to GDP in Canada and the second lowest debt to GDP ratio in Canada.

“This is also the province where families will not pay a carbon tax on their power bill, keeping their utility bundle one of the most affordable in the nation,” he said.

“Much of this is part of the reason, in addition to the $2.5 billion dollars provided each and every year in affordability measures, again, campaigned and elected on, why Saskatchewan continues to be the most affordable province in the nation to live.”

The province had projected $126 million in net income for SaskPower in the 2025-26 provincial budget released in March. However, SaskPower’s first quarter report showed that the Crown corporation was on track to lose $136 million.

At that time, the provincial government said there was no plan for a SaskPower rate increase, despite the decrease in net income.

According to a news release from the NDP on Wednesday, NDP MLA Aleana Young wrote to Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for SaskPower, on Wednesday to also demand an answer on a pending power bill hike.

“It’s not a matter of if rates will go up, but when,” she said in the release.

“Saskatchewan deserves better than an end-times government that has no plan but to send families, farms and small businesses the bill for its failures.”