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HomeMy WebLinkAboutElectric Board - Minutes - 05/21/1997Council Liaison: Scott Mason I Staff Liaison: Delynn Coldiron Chairperson: Mark Fidrych Phone: 490-7240 (W) 223-7140 (H) Vice Chair: Tim Welch Phone: 491-5784 (W) 223-9487 (H) A regular meeting of the Fort Collins Electric Board was held on Wednesday, May 21, 1997, in the Light and Power Training Room, at 700 Wood Street, Ft. Collins. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Jeff Eighmy, Mark Fidrych, Barbara Rutstein, Richard Smart, and Jim Welch BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Brayden and Len Loomans STAFF PRESENT: Ellen Alward, Delynn Coldiron, Eric Dahigren, Suzanne Jarboe -Simpson, Bob Kost, Rich Shannon, Dennis Sumner, and Steve VanderMeer. OTHERS PRESENT: Council Member Scott Mason. INTRODUCTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MASON: Council Member Mason has a Masters Degree in mechanical engineering from CSU. He studied energy systems and heat transfer, with an emphasis on solar energy. He works for Hewlett-Packard Company. He is interested in the energy field and is an advocate for alternative energy and conservation. He is excited about his new role as Council Liaison for the Electric Board, and encouraged Board Members to stay in contact with him through e-mail, voice mail, etc. He can be reached by e-mail at: smason@ci.fort-collins.co.us or smason@lvld.hp.com. Chairperson Fidrych welcomed Council Member Mason to the Board. 2. TRAVERSE CITY WIND POWER VIDEO: Board Members viewed a video on the Traverse City Light and Power Company wind project. There was brief discussion following the video. Rich informed Board Members that Light and Power and Platte River Power Authority have been chosen as recipients for the 1997 Energy Innovator Award from the American Public Power Association for our wind power pilot program. This is a prestigious award that recognizes programs that benefit the local community or increase the efficiency of utility operations. This is the third Energy Innovator Award that has been received by the Utility. Council Member Mason commended the Board and staff for their leadership in promoting the wind program. Board Member Smart mentioned that he received a call from an Air Quality Advisory Board Member who was asking if the City will be purchasing wind power for any of its buildings. Staff answered that a conscious decision was made not to do this in order to prove the viability of green pricing. If the City buildings were included as some of the first participants, this would constitute a subsidy of the project. Once the viability of green pricing has been demonstrated, this issue will be re -visited. Staff will continue to keep Board Members abreast of wind power pilot program issues. APPROVE MINUTES: Board Member Eighmy made a motion to approve the April 15, 1997 Electric Board minutes as submitted. Board Member Rutstein seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously, and the Minutes from the April Electric Board meeting were approved. 4. FOLLOW UP ON ELECTION SURVEY RESULTS: Rich shared some of the results that were obtained through the election survey. The conclusions indicated that the issue was not clear to the voters, and that a large percentage (70 to 80 percent) of the voters felt that things were fine the way they are and there was no need for change. Lack of an endorsement from the Coloradoan did not seem to be an issue. There was brief discussion on this issue. Board Members were generally positive about the work that had been done as part of the governance process. It was suggested that increased efforts to inform the Community, mailings, bill stuffers, etc., might have been helpful. It was also suggested that getting agreement from Council earlier in the process might have been advantageous. A positive finding from the survey was that a majority of the respondents agreed that it was appropriate for a public entity to provide utility services. 2 The consultant who conducted the survey reported that the City of Fort Collins recorded the highest numbers related to general satisfaction that they had seen. Two years ago, the numbers for Ft. Collins for general satisfaction equaled 65%. This same survey question has been used in Fort Logan, Pueblo and some of the Denver suburbs. There was discussion on the issues that the Board placed on the ballot. There was some feeling that these issues are becoming more critical. It was suggested that the Board review its position on these issues and move forward on activities that will help posture the utility favorably in light of the coming changes. There are many deregulation activities that are currently taking place. Legislative rulings have been made on both the wholesale and retail levels. It was suggested that the Board research some of the changes that are taking place, and the impacts of these changes, in an effort to start gathering substantive data that can be used to convince the Community that deregulation is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. There was some feeling that waiting too long will jeopardize Light and Power's ability to maintain a competitive edge. Rich reported that, in an effort to increase communications with Council, staff will be meeting with them once a month on utility enterprise issues. This will be part of one of Council's study sessions and may include Water/Wastewater, as well as Light and Power issues. He also reported that City Council has developed a first draft of their policy agenda. This policy agenda contains six themes, one of which is utilities and telecommunications. Council currently has eight to ten different subcommittees, i.e., finance, telecommunications, growth management, health and safety, legislative, etc. It has been suggested by one of the Council Members that most of these committees be disbanded, and that new subcommittees be formed around their six themes. Potentially, a Council subcommittee will be formed that will address utility issues. It is anticipated that this subcommittee would meet monthly. Staff will provide Board Members with updates as they become available. 5. ESTES/LOVELAND HYDRO PLANTS: There was some discussion on the Estes and Loveland hydro plants. Board Member Smart read a couple of newspaper articles that mentioned that Estes was not going to put their existing hydro back in service. PRPA's Minutes referenced potential involvement in Loveland's hydro plant. Rich relayed the following information to the Board: Loveland: PRPA's involvement in Loveland's hydro plant is undecided. Estes Park: Sometime after the Lawn Lake flood, the National Park initiated efforts to discontinue use of the Estes hydro plant due to environmental concerns. They worked out a trade of some interests in water for some interests in power. In exchange for the City of Estes' agreement to discontinue the use of the hydro plant, the National Park purchased power equivalent to the amount lost, and gave it to Estes. Staff will report back to the Board if any further information is available on these issues. 6. HOUSE BILL 1176: Board Member Smart got a call from a member of the Air Quality Advisory Board regarding House Bill 1176 who was concerned that this Bill was not addressing pertinent air quality issues other than visible air particulates. Board Member Smart did not have enough information regarding this issue to address his concern and suggested that he contact staff. This prompted discussion on the amount of information Board Members should receive on these types of issues and the extent of their involvement. There was discussion on whether or not the Board should start taking formal positions on these types of issues. There was some concern that should Council come to the Board seeking information on these types of issues, the Board would be unprepared to answer them without becoming more involved. Staff mentioned that it is difficult to involve multiple entities of the City in the legislative process. Very seldom do bills that are introduced early on in the legislative process look the same as the amended bill that ends up on the floor. Having the Electric Board intensely involved in this process is not very realistic. What is realistic, however, is for the Board to inform Council on pertinent utility issues so they have a frame of reference in the event they are asked to take a position on them, etc. A good example would be net metering. The Board could recommend a policy position on net metering in advance. It was suggested that in the coming months the Board should focus on some of these types of issues, make an attempt to become knowledgeable on them, and take some general positions so that Board Members are able to field questions from Council and citizens, make recommendations to Council, etc. There was some discussion on the role of the Electric Board. Board Members will continue this discussion at the August Board meeting. It was suggested that it might be helpful to have John Fischbach and Council Member Mason in attendance for this discussion. • 0 NET METERING: It was suggested that net metering be added to a future agenda. Board Member Welch reported that this issue was addressed in the last state legislature. He also reported that Public Service had endorsed some type of net metering program. There was some interest in determining how this issue affects the Utility. This item will be added to the June meeting agenda. 8. PRPA WORK PLAN. There was a request to review PRPA's Work Plan. Staff will obtain copies of this information and forward it to Board Members. Board Members can then determine if there are issues they want further discussion on. 9. STAFF REPORTS: A. Utility Enterprise Board Meeting: June 10 is the date of the first Council Utility Enterprise Board meeting. The subject will be the installation of the fiberoptic loop that is being done jointly with PRPA. The meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., at City Hall. Board Members were invited to attend as part of the audience. It was not clear whether or not the Electric Board Chairperson was expected to be in attendance. Chairperson Fidrych was not available on June 10. Vice - Chairperson Welch will plan to attend. 10. OTHER BUSINESS: A. Energy Branding: Chairperson Fidrych mentioned that he received a flyer for an energy branding seminar. Some of the discussion leaders included ENRON, KN Energy, and Pacificorp. There was brief discussion on energy branding. B. Boston Edison: Chairperson Fidrych mentioned that the latest stockholder proposal for Boston Edison had on its agenda consideration of the creation an energy services company (a subsidiary of the holding company) in order to make itself more competitive in the deregulatory environment. Boston Edison is the only Massachusetts company that is currently not a holding company. He mentioned that this is a sign of things to come and that it is somewhat disappointing, but not surprising, that public power tends to lag behind what is going on in the IOU segment of the industry. C. Summer Schedule: There was discussion on canceling the July or August Board meeting to allow for vacations, etc. After brief discussion, it was agreed that the July meeting would be canceled. 11. AGENDA ITEMS (JUNE MEETING): Net Metering Update on the Council Utility Enterprise Board Meeting Budget Future Agenda: PRPA IRP Plan League of Women Voters Cross Current Program Role of the Electric Board (August) Election of Officers (August or September) Adjourned: 7:50 p.m. J,t;:A-VL- Delyr9i Coldiron, Staff Liaison