6.1. ERMUSR 11-12-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Elk River Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING TO: FROM: Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Tom Sagstetter- Conservation and Key Accounts John Dietz—Chair Manager Al Nadeau—Vice Chair Daryl Thompson—Trustee MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: November 12, 2013 6.1f SUBJECT: Staff Update DISCUSSION: • Attended a half day seminar sponsored by the Environmental Initiative. The seminar was focused on utility business models and changes that are likely in the next few years to respond to all the different pressures facing the utility industry. The current policy approach seems to be one that is falling away from incentivizing increased sales and shifting to a cost/price transparency and decoupling of rates for utilities. The other trend that was emphasized was smaller community based distributed generation. The distributed generation is at individual customer owned facilities or larger third party generation facilities. This seminar was to educate regulators and utilities as to where public policy is going in terms of utility thinking around the country. The meeting was well attended by the MN Office of Energy Security. Bill Grant, Deputy Commissioner of Energy and Communications, was a key speaker at the event. ERMU will need to pay close attention in the coming years to the impacts of proposed changes to the utility industry to ensure our residential and commercial customers are not negatively impacted from wholesale policy changes at the state level as they relate to regulated utilities, municipals, and cooperatives. • I am drafting a letter for the City Council in support of the proposed solar PV installation that GRE is proposing on behalf of the Energy City Commission. At this time the site on Highway 10 does not look favorable for a site because there is limited southern exposure and the large right-of-way that runs along Highway 10. There is a possibility that GRE could install some at the RDF processing facility, but that has not been talked about in great detail at this time. • The holiday lighting contest applications and LED coupons have been sent out and we are starting to receive them back. It appears that mailing the applications to residents was beneficial for the contest. Residents can also use the new website to submit the application. • I spoke with Cal about Energy City and he communicated to me that Energy City will continue to be supported by Elk River and will most likely be the responsibility of the Economic Development department. y� �'.. 'ra111EeEO r ii J Page 1 of 2 NATURE Powerr lProovder POWERED To SERVE 129