HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 7/31/2018 - Memorandum From Lisa Rosintoski Re: Csu Foothills Campus Utilities AnalysisUtilities
electric · stormwater · wastewater · water
222 Laporte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
970.212.2900
V/TDD: 711
utilities@fcgov.com
fcgov.com/utilities
MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 20, 2018
TO: Mayor Troxell and Councilmembers
FROM: Lisa Rosintoski, Deputy Director, Utilities Customer Connections
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager
Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director
RE: CSU Foothills Campus Utilities Analysis
This memo is intended to introduce the content of the full analysis and provide a general summary.
Bottom Line:
If Fort Collins were to serve all utilities on the Foothills Campus, Colorado State University (CSU) would
see an increase in its annual utility expenses.
Summary Analysis and Methods:
• Utilities was asked by the City Manager’s office and Tom Milligan, CSU Vice President for
External Relations, to analyze the various utilities and associated costs on the Foothills Campus,
comparing current costs to costs if the City of Fort Collins were to provide all services
o Water-Currently provided by Fort Collins Utilities
o Wastewater-Currently provided by Fort Collins Utilities
o Electric-Currently provided by Xcel Energy
o Stormwater-Currently no charges to CSU
• Analysis Process
o Utilities staff met to plan analysis and gather data from various departments
o Utilities staff met with CSU Facilities staff to discuss approach and receive data on current
CSU expenses
o A draft report was created and shared with CSU Facilities staff
o Collaboration between CSU and Fort Collins Utilities achieved the final report, which is
attached
Next Steps: None at this time.
CC: Dan Clark, Key Accounts Representative
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7/23/2018
Diana Royval,
Acting Manager
7/23/2018
7/23/2018
7/23/2018
CSU Foothills
Campus Utilities
Analysis
May 14, 2018
Final Draft
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Overview of analysis ……………………………………………………………..2
Electric System Construction …………………………………………………3
Electric Rate Comparison ……………………………………………………….4
Stormwater ……………………………………………………………………………5
Water and Wastewater Service.....………………..……………………….6
Summary ………………………………………………….……………………………7
CONTENTS
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Utilities Analysis
The Foothills Campus of Colorado State University (CSU) is located on the western edge of
Fort Collins, just outside the city limits. The campus hosts several CSU programs and research
centers, along with space leased to other government entities such as the Centers for Disease
Control. The typical population, including employees of CSU, students and employees of other
organizations on campus, is over 2,000 people.
Electric service on campus is provided by Xcel Energy through a substation on the campus
north of Rampart Road on the west side near College Lake. CSU owns and operates the
electric distribution system on campus and CSU is on a primary metered, large commercial
demand response rate from Xcel. There is also a 5.3 MW solar array behind the meter on the
north end covering 30 acres that provides about 30% of the electricity needs for the campus.
There would be a cost for Fort Collins Light and Power to buy the Xcel infrastructure and
compensate them for the lost service territory. That cost is unknown at this point and would be
negotiated with Xcel. Fort Collins Light and Power and Finance staff would have to ensure that
the expense of purchasing the Xcel infrastructure would be recouped in some way through a
rate mechanism or other arrangements consistent with Cost of Service principles.
Water and wastewater service is provided by the City of Fort Collins. CSU owns and operates
the water distribution and wastewater collection systems internal to the campus.
Stormwater is currently managed on the Foothills Campus by CSU and no fees are paid to the
City of Fort Collins. If the campus were to pay stormwater fees to the City, they would be
calculated based on less than 30% impermeable surface area on 902.96 acres that is
developed. The most likely method for any final stormwater arrangement would be for the City
and CSU to enter an agreement similar to the agreements for the main campus and south
campus.
Telecommunications is provided by a CSU-owned, high-speed, redundant network that exists
between the Main, South and Foothills Campuses, providing access to servers and storage
housed in data centers located on all three campuses, as well as to research and education
networks such as Internet2 and the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet). The future Fort Collins
Broadband network could be available to the campus and offer diverse routes, backup circuits
or other beneficial services.
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Construction necessary to serve Foothills Campus with Electric Service
Light and Power would need to construct additional infrastructure to connect the campus to the Fort
Collins system.
1) Install a circuit on Overland Trail in existing conduit (Solid Red Line)
2) Install a new duct bank from the substation to Mulberry Streey along Overland Trail and west to
the point of service (Dashed Red Line)
3) Pull a second circuit in the new duct bank from the substation to the point of service (Dashed
Green Line)
The cost total cost for the duct bank and both circuits is estimated at $1.36 million.
Electric
Construction
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Electric rate comparison between Xcel Energy and Fort Collins Utilities
The CSU Foothills Campus is currently on Xcel’s primary metered industrial demand response rate. The
equivalent rate offered by Fort Collins is the GS 750, E400 Industrial rate. The rate comparison based on
kWh and kW demand charges is straightforward. The Coincident Peak charge on the Fort Collins E400
rate is estimated because we do not know the kW demand for the campus at the coincident peak hour
each month. The coincident peak kW is estimated to be 60% of the facility demand kW. The Xcel prices
are taken directly from bills provided by CSU. The City predicted bills are based on 2018 E400 rates.
kWh kW
Coincident
kW Xcel Bill
Fort Collins
Predicted bill Difference
Apr-17
1,159,054
6,798
4,079 $95,430.11 $118,771.43 $23,341.32
May-17
1,329,704
3,850
2,310 $107,259.88 $98,595.52 -$8,664.36
Jun-17
1,753,376
4,807
2,884 $141,440.75 $138,682.64 -$2,758.11
Jul-17
2,123,579
5,031
3,019 $139,734.70 $158,661.54 $18,926.84
Aug-17
1,756,986
4,342
2,605 $119,100.86 $133,629.12 $14,528.26
Sep-17
1,778,230
4,260
2,556 $145,945.61 $122,776.95 -$23,168.66
Oct-17
1,471,407
3,764
2,258 $141,923.11 $104,195.38 -$37,727.73
Nov-17
1,627,557
3,662
2,197 $112,390.01 $110,297.71 -$2,092.30
Dec-17
1,763,501
3,144
1,886 $107,805.56 $111,548.46 $3,742.90
Jan-18
1,475,821
3,339
2,003 $96,813.88 $100,372.97 $3,559.09
Feb-18
1,515,441
3,219
1,931 $95,935.07 $101,030.57 $5,095.50
Mar-18
1,172,668
6,828
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The CSU Foothills campus is not in the city limits so is not currently subject to stormwater fees or PIFs. If
the campus were to pay stormwater fees to the City, the amounts below are calculated based on the
number of acres that are developed and the percentage of the area that is impervious. It is not
anticipated that PIFs would be charged for existing development, however, future construction could
require stormwater PIFs. CSU currently has agreements for stormwater with the City on the main and
south campuses. Any stormwater arrangement on the Foothills campus would go through a similar
process to negotiate an agreement.
Assuming a rate factor of 0.25 (less than 30% impervious area):
902.96 acres x .25 x $189.60/acre = $42,800.30
Assuming a rate factor of 0.40 (between 30% and 50% impervious area):
902.96 acres x .40 x $189.60/acre = $68,480.49
Based on a preliminary review of maps, the most likely rate factor is .25 based on less than 30%
impervious area. An in-depth study is needed to verify this assumption.
The areas not included in this analysis due to no development on the parcels are crossed out in red.
Stormwater
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Water and wastewater service is currently provided by Fort Collins Utilities to the Foothills Campus
through three main metering points. CSU maintains a consecutive system inside the campus to deliver
services to each building.
Last 12 months of Water / Wastewater billing:
Bill date Water Gallons
Total $ (water and
wastewater)
Apr-17 2,997,000 $17,057.88
May-17 4,219,367 $21,951.90
Jun-17 5,161,200 $24,344.26
Jul-17 5,754,000 $25,748.31
Aug-17 5,325,300 $24,604.54
Sep-17 4,827,100 $23,312.97
Oct-17 4,535,500 $22,681.14
Nov-17 4,578,400 $20,396.85
Dec-17 3,894,332 $18,952.50
Jan-18 3,756,568 $19,764.80
Feb-18 3,234,100 $18,589.04
Mar-18 3,750,500 $24,308.20
Total 52,033,367 $261,712.39
Based on the analysis done by Fort Collins Utilities staff, if the Foothills Campus was served by all Fort
Collins Utilities, it would result in the below annual changes in billing for CSU and expenses for Fort
Collins Utilities.
Current CSU Utility Expenses CSU Utility Expenses on FCU service Change in cost
Electric $1,391,068.77 $1,418,233.84 $27,165.07
Stormwater $0.00 $513,603.60* $513,603.60
Water / Wastewater $261,712.39 $261,712.39 $0.00
Total $1,652,781.16 $2,193,549.83 $540,768.67
*Assumes stormwater rate of .25 based on less than 30% impermeable surface. If the rate factor is 0.40 (between 30% and
50% impervious area): 902.96 acres x .40 x $189.60/acre = $68,480.49
Water and
Wastewater
Summary
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Costs to Fort Collins Utilities
Electric Construction $1,360,000.00
Purchase Facilities from Xcel Unknown
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4,097 $87,289.23 $119,671.55 $32,382.32
TOTALS
$1,391,068.77 $1,418,233.84 $27,165.07
The cost comparison shows less than 2% difference between the two rates. Annual changes in rates,
kWh and kW usage on campus and other factors could sway the comparison year to year.
Electric Rates
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