Fonds 0260 - Bear Hill Rural Electrification Association fonds

The Bear Hill Electrification Association Ltd. was formed in 1953 to serve farmers in the La Glace-Valhalla area, and signed its first contract with the Alberta Power Commission that year. Each of the 45 members who signed on paid an initial $150.00. The Alberta Government had set up the Rural Electrification Revolving Fund Act in order to provide low interest loans to fund the electrical distribution systems, and the local associations became the Collection Agents. By the 1980s approximately 200 customers in the Bear Hill area had been serviced with electric power, but new technology and increased values on electricity made power companies eager to buy out the REAs. Older REAs were finding maintenance costs more and more expensive so began selling out. The Alberta government set up a task force to look into changes to the Rural Electrificarion Act, hoping to review the concept of REAs and solve a problem that was brewing between the power companies and the associations before the REAs all sold out. An action committee of the 6 REAs in the Peace country also tried to stop the selling out tide. Some thought that they should wait for the government to consider a public power system. Others were convinced they did not want to have to deal with repairs to the lines. One resolution was passed that required two-thirds of the total membership to vote on a sale, but by then the Bear Hill Electrification Association had already agreed to sell. In November, 1983, the Bear Hill REA accepted Alberta Power's offer to purchase their line.