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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 - Energy Board - Annual ReportEnergy Board 2017 Annual Review Version 2: December 19, 2017 by Peter M. O’Neill Energy Board Members The following Fort Collins citizens served on the board in 2017: Stacey Baumgarn William Becker Greg Behm Alan Braslau John Fassler Philip Friedman (Resigned) Nick Michell (Vice-Chairperson) Margaret Moore Lori Nitzel (Resigned) Peter O'Neill (Chairperson) Amanda Shores Activity The Energy Board held: 11 Regular monthly meetings 1 Special meeting 1 Regular work session 1 Joint work session with the City of Loveland Utilities Board Formal Actions The Board took the following actions in 2017 at the meetings noted. Work Plan objectives pertaining to each action are noted by number and letter in parentheses following that action. Refer to the summary Work Plan at the end of this report for the statement of the objectives. The July meeting was canceled for lack of a quorum. 1. Recommended adoption of the 2015 International Building Code with local amendments including provisions to make homes ready for solar PV following a presentation by Chief Building Official Mike Gebo. (3a) Jan. 2. Sent a memo to City Council urging them to direct the mayor to sign the Mayors’ National Climate Action Agenda letter endorsing the Paris Climate Agreement. (3) Jan. 12. 3. Re-elected Peter O’Neill as Chair and Nick Michell as Vice Chair. (5) Jan. 12. 4. Approved the 2016 Energy Board Annual Review for submission to City Council. (5) Jan. 12. 5. Adopted our 2017 work plan as approved by City Council. (5) Jan. 12. 6. After receiving advice from Assistant City Attorney Cyril Vidergar, agreed to pursue codifying the board’s additional duties and responsibilities that we requested in our work plan. Chairperson O’Neill brought this to Council Liaison Cunniff’s attention twice as well as to Councilor Summers. Board member Braslau also mentioned this to Councilor Horack. (4). Feb. 9. 7. Recommend Council adopt the ordinance to amend Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins related to customer participation in community solar, including the Solar Affordability Program, which enables low-income customers to participate in solar generation coupled with conservation. Presented by Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan. (5a). Feb. 9. 8. Recommend that Council approve a revision of the Electric Capacity Fee to simplify it and to make it more accurate and more applicable to redevelopment projects. Presented by Strategic Finance Director Lance Smith and Rate Analyst Justin Fields. (5a). Feb. 23 9. Wrote a memo to Council supporting time-of-use residential electric rates and recommending the development of a detailed education and implementation plan for the same after receiving a presentation on the time-of-use rate pilot study by Strategic Finance Director Lance Smith and Rate Analysts Randy Reuscher and Justin Fields. (5a). March 9. 10. Wrote a memo to the new City Council for their retreat after the municipal election stating topics of importance to the Energy Board for them to consider. (1, 4) May 11. 11. Created temporary subcommittees to study two underlying topics: electric rate design objectives, future electric system design. (1, 5a) May 11. a. The Board Chair appointed three members to each of these at the June 8 meeting. b. Strategic Finance Director Lance Smith and Rate Analysts Randy Reuscher and Justin Fields provided education on rate design philosophy at the Aug. 10 meeting. 12. Submitted our 2018 Work Plan to City Council. Repeated requests to be able to engage in public education and to work with regional partners. (5) Sept. 14. 13. Recommended City Council adopt the proposed electric rate increases including the simple (no tier) time-of-use residential rates as presented by Rate Analyst Randy Reuscher et al. (5a) Oct. 14. 14. Recommended City Council adopt Staff’s recommendation to negotiate master lease agreements for small cellular communication attachments to city property as presented by Standards Engineering Manager Kraig Bader. (1) Oct. 12. Other Activities In addition to the formal actions taken, the Board discussed or received presentations on the following topics and issues: 1. Received an overview report on Advanced Metering Infrastructure from Smart Grid & System Operation Manager Adam Bromley on how it saves costs and gives customers more visibility into their usage. (1) Jan. 12 2. Received an update on Light & Power’s reliability metrics from Operations Manager Tim McCollough showing how L&P’s reliability is good relative to the industry with no significant events for 3 quarters. (2) Feb. 9 3. Questioned Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan on the need for performance objectives to be included in future community solar agreements given the two significant outages in the first 18 months of operation of the Riverside Community Solar Garden. (1) Feb. 9. 4. Received a presentation on the Efficiency Works Neighborhood pilot from Energy Services Engineer Kim DeVoe. This program simplifies customers’ implemention of efficiency packages and increases the take rate by targeting customers based on their propensity to adopt. (5a) Feb. 9 5. Received an update on Platte River’s study of a Customized Resource Portfolio to meet individual member cities’ generation source preferences from PRPA Strategic Planning Manager Brad Decker. (5c) Feb. 9. This is part of a larger resource modeling effort at PRPA, including a large wind addition and a zero net carbon study, that had all 4 member cities possibly converging on their preferences later in the year as presented by Mr. Decker at the Aug. 10 meeting. 6. Heard reasons for changing the name of the Climate Action Plan’s implementation programs from Environmental Program Manager Lindsay Ex et al but board members continued to advocate retaining the name “Climate Action Plan”. (1, 3). Feb. 23. 7. Received a presentation on the forthcoming revisions of City Plan, the Transportation Master Plan, and the Transit Plan from City Planner Ryan Mounce, FC Moves Program Manager Paul Sizemore, Service Development Manager Timothy Wilder. The Board pushed for the inclusion of energy considerations and metrics in these plans. (3a, 3c, 3d) March 9. 8. Received the results of the Utilities Customer Satisfaction Survey from Community Engagement Manager Travis Paige showing high overall satisfaction but low ranks for controlling costs and opportunity to participate in conservation programs. (2) April 13. 9. Received a presentation on the plan to have outsiders evaluate the effectiveness of the city efficiency program portfolio by Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan. (5a) April 13. 10. Received a presentation on the Community Organics Recycling Project to divert a major remaining waste stream from the landfill and to avoid methane releases by Environmental Planner Honore Depew. (3) April 13. 11. Received an update on Platter River ‘s efficiency programs from PRPA Customer Services Supervisor Adam Perry and Customer Services Manager Paul Davis. (3a) April 13. 12. Gave feedback, especially on improving the graphs, on the annual update on the city’s performance to the Energy Policy presented by Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan. (1, 3) May 11. 13. Received an update on city and Platter River solar programs from Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan and PRPA Customer Service Manager Paul Davis. (1, 5c) May 11. 14. Received a presentation on Platte River’s wholesale renewable rate premium, particularly how to handle new, cheaper renewables vs. older more expensive ones and which resources should be in the rate base vs. premiums, from PRPA Customer Service Manager Paul Davis. (1, 5c) June 8. 15. Received a report on renewable energy commitments to major L&P customers, which may exceed current renewable generation plans, from Light & Power Operations Manager Tim McCollough. (1) June 8. 16. Received a presentation on the city’s strategies for, and studies of the cost of, a municipal broadband communication service from Chief Financial Officer Mike Beckstead. (1) Aug. 10. 17. Received education on energy markets and the regional transmission operator that Platte River is trying to form from PRPA’s Andy Butcher at a joint work session with the Loveland Utilities Commission. Aug. 27 (4b, 5c) 18. Received an update on the Climate Action Plan customer messaging and engagement plans from Environmental Program Manager Lindsay Ex. (3) Sept. 14. 19. Received a presentation on engaging external expertise in developing innovative public private partnerships and related projects to support the achievement of the CAP objectives from Climate Economy Adviser Sean Carpenter. (3a) Sept. 14. 20. Requested a determination of whether the just-passed Community Trust Resolution will forbid Utilities from asking customers about their residency status and forbid denying energy rebates to those illegally present. Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan replied that the resolution does not forbid this, therefore it will not deny finite rebate funds to legal residents. (2) Oct. 12. 21. Received an update on demand response programs at Light & Power and Platter River, and their connections, from Senior Energy Services Engineer Pablo Bauleo and PRPA’s Joel Danforth. (1, 5a, 5c) Oct. 12. 22. Received a presentation on Platte River’s wholesale electric rates from PRPA’s Wade Hancock. (5c). Oct. 12. 23. Received a presentations on plans for the battery storage pilot study from Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan. (1, 5a) Nov. 9. 24. Received presentations on Light & Power’s reliability and asset management from Electric System Design & IT Manager Bob Hover and Asset Manager Coy Althoff. (2) Nov. 9. 25. Received a presentation on Platte River’s breakthrough Zero Net Carbon study from PRPA General Manager Jason Frisbie and Pace Global Energy Services VP Gary Vicinus where the Board asked for more consideration to be given to demand response and storage to move closer to zero carbon w/o having to count on selling excess renewable generation. (1, 3, 5c) Dec. 14. 26. Received a presentation on the evaluation of Ft. Collins’ efficiency program portfolio by Resource Conservation Manager John Phelan where the Board was pleased to learn that Utilities’ programs are quite effective. (5a) Dec. 14. 27. Received updates on the state of Ft. Collins Utilities from Executive Director Kevin Gertig. (5) March 9, Sept. 14. 28. Received financial updates from Utilities Strategic Finance Director Lance Smith. (5a). March 9, June 8, Sept. 14. The Board is concerned that expenses are rising faster than revenues. 2017 Work Plan Objectives 1) Preparing Light & Power for the future 2) Protecting Light & Power assets & customers 3) Implementing the Energy Policy & CAP outside of Light & Power a) Accelerate energy efficiency programs. b) Prepare comments to the CDPHE on the Clean Power Plan if that plan is still pertinent. c) Include energy considerations in the revision of the Transportation Master Plan. d) Examine the feasibility of energy districts. 4) Expanding the Energy Board’s Charter a) Educational activities. b) Regional collaboration 5) Ongoing Responsibilities a) Review electric utility rate proposals and energy services programs or projects. b) Review the City’s Legislative Policy Agenda. c) Review Platte River Power Authority resource plans.