6.1. ERMUSR 09-15-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Elk fiver == ~L$I~I~I~dx ~~I~1$fl~~ L3069 Orono Parkway ~ Y.O. Box 43C Etk River, MN 55330-0430 (~ .1, ~-- Phone: 763.441.2020 Fax: 763.441.8099 U'I'ILI'1'IES COMMISSION METING TO: EII< River Municipal Utilities Commission John Dietz, Chair Jerry Gumphrey, Vice Chair Daryl Thompson, Trustee MEETING DATE: September 1 ~, 2010 SUBJECT: Staff Updates - Director of Operations _ _ . _ _ - FROM: Troy Adams, P.E. - Director of Operations I AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: 6.1 -~ DISCUSSION: Central Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (CMMPA) will be holding their 2010 Agency Meeting and Dinner to be held in Mankato. As in the past this annual event is held on two different days to make it easier for people to attend. This year the event will be on October 19'x' and 2 P' from Spm to 9pm. This event invitation is extended to EEZIVIU management and commissioners. See the attached invitation and registration form. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently issued new regulations regarding Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE). These new EPA RICE regulations will affect the four ERMU diesel engines located at our Power Plant Under these regulations, these engines will require emission reu-ofits in order to continue being contracted to Great River Energy for their capacity. The Initial Notification for the Nation Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines has been filed. Further internal analysis will be needed to determine whether it would be cost effective to retrofit all four engines. A courtesy notification has been sent to our customers participating in the ERMU's Dispersed Generation Program. Attached for your reference is a letter from the American Public Power Association (APPA) addressing this regulation. As always, this year's annual ivlinnesota Municipal Utilities (MMUA) Summer Meeting offered timely industry updates. There was an EPA update from APPA that covered the RICE regulations as well as the greenhouse gas regulations Chat are being enforce under the Clean Air Act. There was also a Minnesota focus update on RICE from MMUA. Other topics of interest included the SOOMHz statewide radio project, solar and battery storage technology, both State and Federal legislative and political environment updates, network security, and a League of MN Cities State budget problems. On September I'', staff took a tour of Great River Energys Coal Creek Station, DC Convertor Station, and the Falkirk Mine with representatives of Great River Energy and Connexus. This power plant and adjacent lignite coal mine is located in North Dakota approximately 50 miles north of Bismarck.