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River, including in particular those areas within the City of Elk River's <br />designated urban service area, for the following reasons: <br />As ERMU's electric service territory has grown since 1991 ERMU has <br />realized increased economies of scale which has helped reduce unit costs <br />and improve the value of electric services provided to customers. <br />Continued expansion will further improve these economies of scale and <br />reduce electric costs for all citizens of the City in the future. <br />2. The increased customer base and load which ERMU has realized since <br />1991, and which would continue to build if ERMU's electric service <br />territory continues to expand, has improved the City and ERMU's ability <br />to market Elk River as a desirable location for large power users, such as <br />data centers. <br />Having a uniform service territory for all municipal services will improve <br />planning by the City and ERMU for future development, facilities and <br />maintenance for water, wastewater, storm sewer and electric service <br />throughout the City of Elk River. <br />4. Having ERMU provide electric service to areas within the City which the <br />City is promoting for economic development, particularly areas within <br />the City currently designated for urban services, will create additional <br />opportunities for cooperation and collaboration between the City and <br />ERMU to promote economic development. <br />5. Having uniform municipal services throughout the city limits enhances <br />the ability of the City and ERMU to provide services with local control <br />and local accountability and will cause less confusion for electric <br />customers. <br />ERMU, being locally based and serving the bulk of the City of Elk River <br />already, would be able to provide the expansion areas with reduced <br />dispatch distances and reductions in response time when electric utility <br />personnel respond to outages, fires and traffic accidents involving <br />energized electrical utility equipment. <br />As ERMU enters the market over the next six years for a wholesale <br />power supplier, the increased customer base and load which an <br />expansion of ERMU's electric service territory within the City would <br />provide would improve ERMU's marketability to a wholesale power <br />supplier or power agency, therefore potentially reducing electric costs for <br />citizens within the city limits of the City of Elk River. <br />Increasing ERMU's customer base and revenues would increase the <br />annual revenue transfer which ERMU contributes to the City. <br />