© 2022 Golden West Broadcasting. All Rights Reserved.

The City of Swift Current seems to have run into a supply chain issue with a six-figure purchase earlier this week for their light & power division.

City council voted in favour of doling out about $346,000 to Winnipeg's Anixter Power Solutions Canada Inc. for two dozen electrical transformers during Monday night's meeting, however, they won't be receiving them anytime soon.

The longest wait will be on 12 single-phase pad-mounted transformers which are expected to take between 60-62 weeks to arrive at just under $74,000. The additional 12 three-phase pad-mounted transformers will cost roughly $272,000 with a lag time of 48-50 weeks.

"The last bunch of transformers we received, I think it was a six-month delivery," Swift Current Mayor Al Bridal said. "Mr. Minken was asked tonight and he said we have enough for the next year, year and a bit for sure. It's just these transformers are for new installations, new businesses opening up or say a lightning strike or something goes wrong and we do have transformers in stock in case that happens."

Bridal was quick to point out that the general manager of infrastructure & operations, Mitch Minken's, swift actions on this purchase may have saved the City a future headache.

"If we waited six-to-eight months we could be a year, a year and a half out to get what we need," he said.

Not only is the delivery time significantly longer than previously experienced by the City, but the price has also risen a sizeable amount too.

"These transformers have increased between, I think Mr. Minken said between 21 and 70 per cent more in price," he said.

The City posted an RFQ on SaskTenders towards the end of November for the transformers that closed on December 16. Council chose the cheapest quoted price on the units.

Copyright 2022 Golden West Broadcasting. All rights reserved.