Housekeeping Meeting Closes Lamar Utilities Board Year

Lamar Light Plant Repowering Project, East View

Several annual housekeeping events were approved during the final Lamar Utility Board meeting on Tuesday, December 15^th.  One resolution establishes the interest rate paid on utility deposits and is drafted according to the regulations set by the state Public Utility Commission.  The rate, set back in 2011, holds steady at 0.34% per year.

The annual Charter Appropriations Adjustment for 2016 was set at $0.0195. The figure is derived by dividing the budgeted amount of the annual Charter Appropriation Adjustment by kilowatt hour sales (84,083,888 hours) from the preceding 12 months.  The adjustment is $1,638,460 which is paid to the City of Lamar by Lamar Light and Power.

The board approved an agreement with Burns & McDonnel as an expert witness who would testify on behalf on Lamar Light and Power in called upon in a lawsuit regarding the decommissioning process of the Lamar Repowering Project. LUB will be billed only if and when testimony is required.

A formal agreement with NRG Energy was approved for troubleshooting and parts sharing for the city’s four wind turbines. Prior to this, there was only an informal agreement for services to Colorado Green Wind Energy.  The service will be on an as-needed basis.

Retain revenues through November were reported 2.8% higher than in 2014. Total sales of kWh’s of electricity are approximately 1.5% higher than 2014.  Year to date commercial sales are up 1%; irrigation sales are 19.8% higher and residential sales are down only 0.2% for that period.  The next LUB meeting is set for Tuesday, January 12, 2016.

By Russ Baldwin