E.L.K. wins battle with Hydro One over power supply for Sellick Equipment

Sellick Equipment Ltd. finally knows which utility company will be supplying power at its new facility in Harrow, after the Ontario Energy Board issued a decision allowing the manufacturer to be serviced by E.L.K. Energy.

In a decision dated Thursday, April 27, the OEB approved an application from the municipally-owned utility to include Sellick's new land in their service area.

The forklift manufacturer has been without hydro at their 120,000-square-foot plant in Essex County for a year, despite requesting service first when they broke ground on the new facility in April of 2016.

The delay was caused by wrangling over who would provide hydro service to the manufacturer's new location. The plant was built on land that was within metres of E.L.K.'s existing footprint, but technically was in Hydro One's service area.

Sellick had indicated to the Energy Board that it preferred E.L.K. as a service provider, citing lower initial and monthly costs from E.L.K. when compared to Hydro One.

In its decision the OEB noted that while it took customer preference into account, it was not the deciding factor. However, the Board did reference that E.L.K. would be the "most economically efficient provider" for Sellick Equipment.