The City of Swift Current plans to follow suit if SaskPower receives the go ahead to increase power rates by 5.1 per cent come March 1.

A successful application by SaskPower to a rate-review panel would see a small-to-medium-sized house pay approximately $6 more to Swift Current Light & Power per month, according to Swift Current General Manager of Infrastructure and Operations Mitch Minkin.

Minkin also said an apartment would see a monthly increase of around $3.75 and a larger home would be around $8 more per month.

"Nobody likes rate increases of course, so it's always a difficult thing and people complain," said Minkin. "The advantage for us as citizens of Swift Current is all the profit that's made by Light & Power utility remains here in the City of Swift Current to benefit our citizens. So we take a lot of that money that we make off of our utility and use it for doing our capital projects to fix our roads and streets and water lines and look after our parkway and recreation facilities."

The potential increase is before a rate review panel, and any recommendations they have will then go to the provincial cabinet.

SaskPower rates increased 3.5 per cent in January following a 5-per-cent hike in July of 2016.

Minkin said they continue to follow the crown corporation's rate increases so that the City's residents are on the same ground.

"We keep our light and power rates in harmony with SaskPower for a couple different reasons. Mostly for equalization. We have some customers in the city that are light and power customers and some that are SaskPower customers, so in order to keep a level playing field, we keep our rates identical to those charged by SaskPower. If they're raising their rates we will follow suit."