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ORCAS POWER AND LIGHT COOPERATIVE |
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Green Power use on the declineposted 04/28/05
According to the OPALCO web site: Subscribers can purchase OPALCO Green Power for $3.50 per 100 kilowatt-hour (kWh) blocks, or select the All Green option for a 3.5 cents per kWh premium. Both pricing options would be in addition to your regular kWh charges from OPALCO. There is no limit to the amount of green power you can purchase. San Juan County used to be Number 2 in the nation for Green Power participation, second only to Moorhead Public Service's "Capture the Wind" program. San Juan County is now seventh nationwide. Electricity rates have gone up due to a combination of drought and contract renewals with BPA. Green Power investment by OPALCO members sends the message to the electric industry that power supplied by renewable resources is a long-term, local priority. In addition to being environmentally friendly, Green Power also contributes to greater energy independence. Each "green block" represents 100 kWh of electricity provided from a renewable source. What does this do for our community? Your investment:
To see Green Power in action, visit the new solar electric array at the OPALCO Friday Harbor office. This 7.5 kW photovoltaic system was established by the San Juan Historical Park, in partnership with OPALCO, the Department of Interior, and BPA. Enrolling is easy, voluntary, and you can always change your mind. For more information or to enroll, contact Martha at mwarachowski@opalco.com or 376-3571. More information is available on OPALCO's Web site. Click on products and services and scroll down to Green Power. New logo for Project Pal
posted 05/28/04
OPALCO members, who are also owners of the cooperative, have the option of rounding up their monthly bill to the next whole dollar to benefit the PAL program. Additionally, OPALCO is grateful to accept one-time donations to help keep the program going. OPALCO hopes to increase community awareness of Project PAL this summer by announcing a new logo as well as a new series of ads to help promote the cause. According to Joyce Smith, Coordinator for the Project PAL program, "This could be your elderly neighbor on a fixed income during the winter when electric heating costs tend to be higher. Over past years, we have helped hundreds of low-income people, from seniors on fixed incomes to disabled people, single mothers, the father who is in between jobs and folks with medical emergencies. "I think people forget that OPALCO is a non-profit cooperative and that anyone who receives a bill from OPALCO is also an owner of OPALCO," said Joyce. "That said, it's important to reiterate that, because we are non-profit, OPALCO is here to serve the community and that's what Project PAL is all about." OPALCO members who would like to inquire about receiving help from Project PAL should contact OPALCO to see if they qualify. 100% of all your PAL donations go back into our community. For More information about Project PAL, call 376-3550 or 376-3500. Wholesale electrical rates to rise 30-40% in 2005Story and photos by Sharon Kivisto
OPALCO General Manager Randy Cornelius (left) congratulated OPALCO member Bill Gregory after he won a weed eater in the raffle. posted 05/10/04 OPALCO's 67th annual meeting was held aboard the Yakima ferry. The results of the election for one-third of the board were announced. Incumbents Leon Fonnesbeck, Bob Myhr and Ed Marble were all re-elected.
OPALCO General Manager Randy Cornelius echoed Clarke's prediction of 30 to 40 percent increase in 2005. He noted a number of infrastructure improvements recently completed by OPALCO including new submarine lines and a substation in Friday Harbor. The investment in infrastructure produces increased reliability, he said. In 1996, there were 311 power outages, in 2003 the number dropped to 141. Cornelius also updated coop members about the Island Network project. OPALCO needed fiber optic infrastructure to communicate between its facilities. In 2001, OPALCO's Board of Directors approved investment in a fiber optic backbone with the idea excess power could be sold to the public. In 2002 a business plan for selling the excess was created with the goal of a small financial risk for OPALCO and breaking even in five years. Another condition was the electrical rate payers would not subsidize the Island Network. . OPALCO is the wholesaler of fiber optic access. Local internet service providers the connections. The pilot project is starting in Friday Harbor and will include county and town government offices and the Port of Friday Harbor. If the pilot program meets its benchmarks the network will expand to other islands Cornelius said the outlook is promising and this fall OPALCO expects to announce it is moving from its base business plan to the high growth business plan scenario. The meeting wrapped up with the announcement of the raffle prize winners. OPALCO members who attend the annual meeting receive a catered lunch and a chance to win prizes ranging from Mariner tickets to $50 off OPALCO bills. Members who mail in their ballots are entered in a drawing for six $50 coupons. A quorum of 100 members is needed at the annual meetings. At the May 8, 2004 meeting, 128 members were in attendance. PREVIOUS STORIESOPALCO increases Green Power cash incentivesposted 03/04/04 This Green Power incentive is an increase from the previous incentive offer of $3000. Once the member's operation is producing electricity, any excess can then be sold at a fair market price by interconnecting to OPALCO's grid. The current buy back rate is 3.5 cents per kilowatt hour. The sale of excess power can occur in one of the following ways. The buy/sell option: Under this scenario, OPALCO will share the cost of installing a meter to register the energy flowing into and out of the member's facility. This shared cost is separate from and is in addition to the $4,500 incentive. The member agrees to purchase incoming grid power at the normal rate schedule. Any power generated can be used to offset the member's own power needs or be sold back to OPALCO. This option is required for wind and micro-hydro power renewable generating facilities. The net metering option: Electricity that is generated by the member's facility in excess of the member's energy requirements can be distributed to OPALCO's grid causing the meter to run backward. Unlike the buy/sell option, with net metering, there is never a credit issued for electricity put onto the grid. Instead, a bill for zero usage will be issued and the negative kWh's will be "banked" for usage in a subsequent month. Members generating solar power may take advantage of either the Buy/Sell or the Net Metering option. The Green Power incentive program has been successful in years past. Currently 19 OPALCO members have taken advantage of the Green Power incentives. Members who do not have the means to participate in the incentive program can still take part in the Green Power initiative by purchasing Green Power through OPALCO's Renewable Energy Program. OPALCO is a member owned and operated electric cooperative which serves San Juan County by providing electrical utility service that is safe, efficient, and economical. OPALCO members meet on YakimaStory and photos by Sharon Kivisto | ||
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(Above) OPALCO CEO Randy Cornelius answered questions from coop members.
Experts were on hand to explain the energy savings of fluorescent bulbs.
Prizes were given to lucky attendees whose names were drawn. |
posted 05/12/03
Ed Peterson and Roger Crosby were re-elected to the OPALCO Board of Directors. There were eight candidates running for the two positions. Crosby received 377 votes, Peterson 325, the other six candidates received less than 150 votes each. OPALCO members heard from two representatives of Bonneville Power Administration. Dennis Oster, a BPA transmission account executive, updated the group on infrastructure projects the BPA is undertaking. "We are faced with making substantial investment in the tramsmission grid," he said. He noted the San Juans are in good shape regarding transmission, the submarine cable installed last August "should support your local needs for years to come," he said. Stuart Clarke, BPA power business line account executive, complimented the coop members for their participation in the Green Power Program. "OPALCO been a leader in marketing green power," he said. "In a national survey OPALCO came in second in terms of percentage of members buying green power" Customers pay a premium for the Green Power. The revenue is used for infrastructure to provide more green power through projects such as wind farms. | ||
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Clarke gave the coop members a heads up about an inevitable rate increase. He said the current 10-year contract OPALCO has with BPA ends September 30, 2006. "That contract called for BPA to hold rates at a level set in 1996," he said. "Our rates to OPALCO have remained around the same. They are considerably lower than rates to other customers." He noted BPA's costs have increased. "On Oct. 1, 2006 we will have a new rate," he said. "I told OPALCO management I can’t tell you what the cost will be but you need to start preparing for an increase of 30 to 35 percent. You have three and a half years to put in conservation measures." He noted the coop is already ahead of other areas in taking conservation measures. OPALCO CEO Randy Cornelius said a 30 percent increase in the wholesale price of the power would most likely translate into a 15 percent increase in retail costs. The board will conduct worksessions to determine the rates. "Any rate adjustment for OPALCO will be fiscally responsible," he said. He noted there is more to the OPALCO's budget than the cost of power. OPALCO has identified $8.8 million of construction needed in the next three years. Included are new cables between Orcas and Blakely, and Blakely and Decatur. OPALCO staff work hard to control expenses, he said. A replacement was needed for a bucket truck, the staff found a demo and saved about $80,000. Another way to cut costs is for more customers to take advantage of E-bill. Cornelius said it costs OPALCO 36 cents for every bill printed. Customers can choose to have their bills available electronically. If half the customers did that OPALCO would save $25,000 per year. To sign up for E-bill, a member needs their account number, meter number, and needs to enter their name exactly as it is on their bill. Once signed up, a notice will be sent out between the 24th and 26th of the month saying the customer's bill is ready. Customers go online and use a password to access their accounts. More information regarding electrical usage is available on the E-bill than on the paper bill. Costs will also be reduced through use of the fiber optic system OPALCO has installed. "The fiber backbone will start paying for itself as communications within OPALCO's system become faster and more reliable," Cornelius said. As for open access for other users, he said, "Hopefully by June we'll have a business plan together for the board to consider. Right now we are using it for our own purposes. By September we will have Lopez lit up. Fiber in Friday Harbor is lit now. " OPALCO Board Chair Alice Cook commented on the difficult times the enery cooperative is facing. "Not the least of which is with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions' (FERC) push for national deregulation" she said. "A concept we all hoped had sunk with ENRON." (For more information on the FERC's plans for Standard Market Design (SMD) and Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) see the story about Senator Patty Murray's visit to OPALCO). Cook noted OPALCO's Ambassador program is one way for customers to voice their concerns about energy matters to elected officials. Started in 1997, the program is a way for OPALCO to educate customer about issues impacting electric service and rates. Informative mailings are sent to people who sign up for the Ambassador program. Sample letters which can be sent to elected officials are also included in the mailings. Participants in the program are under no obligation. To sign up email Director of External Affairs Liz Loomis at lloomis@opalco.com. |
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