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Conservation is an issue that concerns staff, the
board, and all of us as members of our utility. It remains a vital part of our
program to keep our energy costs down. Terry Kelly, Member Services Manager,
reported to the board that approximately 25 people from various utilities
attended a Heat Pump Training Workshop sponsored by the Northwest Public Power
Association (NWPPA), held recently at Salem Electric. A future session will be
held for installers to learn of the requirements of the Salem Electric Heat
Pump Program to be implemented in the near future.
Kelly fielded a question asked by board
member Anderson regarding who provides the energy audit requested by a
customer. Kelly noted that the audit is the responsibility of the provider of
the energy for the home's heating system. Salem Electric will do the audit for
the homes heated with electricity or wood.
General Manager Bob Speckman gave the board
an overview of meetings he attended the past month at other Oregon cooperative
utilities, listing ideas that he wishes to explore, gleaned from other like
cooperatives. Speckman and board president Jeff Anderson will be attending
legislative conferences in May in Washington, D.C., as well as other
cooperative association meetings as the specter of deregulation of the industry
looms ever closer. Speckman also asked the board for a time line for a proposed
board policy review of the utility. The board agreed to a September deadline,
giving the board time to digest the internal policies and procedures now in
place.
Guest Steve Weiss presented an update on
the restructuring of the utility industry. He gave the board information on the
workings of both the federal and state levels, the talks about general
policies, prices of BPA versus the open market, and the hearings now being held
regarding various legislative bills before the Oregon session. Weiss discussed
briefly the proposed merger of PGE with Enron, with the outcome yet to be
determined.
Because of expressed interest in the use of
green power by Salem Electric members following a survey, the utility sent a
letter in January 1996 to BPA expressing interest in purchasing seven megawatts
of renewable power which would be produced by two wind projects. The two wind
projects were to be on-line by October 1996, but according to Roger Kuhlman,
Engineering and Operations Manager, these projects have run into problems.
Staff is continuing to keep in contact with BPA regarding the status of the
renewable projects, but BPA does not expect power to be available until
December 1998. It was noted that State Representative Peter Courtney will be
the speaker at the annual meeting on May 13 at Salem Electric.
Director Bonesteele said she hoped
Courtney's appearance at the meeting would be well publicized and would
generate a good turnout. Rep. Courtney will share with members legislative
activities and answer questions.
Under new business, Bonesteele reminded the
board that she had questioned Kuhlman about the cost of moving the overhead
service versus the cost of installing underground service on Wallace Road. As a
result of her including this discussion in the February "Board Report" she has
had some customer contact. Mr. Gerry Bartz, who is working on the Wallace Road
Access Committee, is representing other concerned Wallace Road travelers, all
of whom are interested in finding a way to put the lines underground.
It was the consensus of the board that a
staff member contact Bartz's committee and other concerned members for an
informational meeting where questions could be raised and answered. Members are
also invited to Salem Electric board meetings to express their concerns.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
-- Alicia Bonesteele,
Secretary/Treasurer
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The
Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association has alerted us to the
introduction of HB 2821 mandating retail wheeling of electricity here in
Oregon. As of this writing we are unsure of its chance of passing in the
Oregon House of Representatives. This flawed piece of legislation will
jeopardize public power and have significant consequences on consumer-owned
utilities such as Salem Electric.