Lamar Utility Board to Clarify General Service Large Classifications

Lamar Light and Power Plant

The Lamar Utility Board passed several resolutions Tuesday, December 10, as the board held their final meeting of 2013.  Resolution 13-12-05 clarifies the availability section in the General Service Large Rate sheet, as it is available to all Non-Residential customers that carry an electric Demand Load greater than 40kW to 399 kW.  Light Plant Superintendent Houssin Hourieh explained that a first and second ordinance will have to be published as a matter of public record, and following a second reading, the ordinance is expected to be approved at the first meeting in 2014.  Basically, customers that have a demand charge  of 40kW or lower will not be subjected to an energy audit, but those who go over that power consumption threshold will be open to future audits. 

A resolution on Interest Rates on Customer Deposits was approved per PUC regulations.  It is based on a 12 month average of customer rates and for 2014, the rate will be 0.34%.  Another housekeeping resolution was adopted regarding a modification of the Charter Appropriation to the City of Lamar for 2014.  The new rate for 2014 has been calculated at $0.0198 and based on an average of 12 months sales, the amount sent to the City of Lamar will be $1,645,167.  Hourieh said this has increased from the previous year rate of $0.0174. 

Revenue and power sales through November show that retail sales are 9.9% lower than 2012.  Total Sales of electricity are approximately 6.3% lower than last year.  Year to date commercial sales are down 5.4%, irrigation sales are off about 45.5% and residential sales are up about 0.65%.  The next Lamar Utility Board Meeting is set for January 14, 2014.

By Russ Baldwin