WILLMAR -- The state wants to work with municipal utilities to develop strategies and approaches for complying with energy conservation goals, Willmar Municipal Utilities Commission members say.
"What we learned is that they very much are looking for utility input in how to achieve those goals,'' said Bob Bonawitz, president of the Willmar Municipal Utilities Commission.
A law passed this year requires utilities to reduce their load by 1.5 percent per year through the year 2015. Bonawitz said the law is an effort to reduce the need for generation.
"It's really the load itself. That would be people buying less, using less electricity,'' he said.
The new mandate follows a law passed in 2002 that requires utilities to spend 1.5 percent of annual electric sales on conservation improvement programs.
ADVERTISEMENT
The mandates were discussed during the 75th summer meeting of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association Aug. 20-22 at Breezy Point.
Willmar was represented by Bonawitz and commission members Jerry Gesch, Marv Kray and Dave Baker; Willmar Utilities General Manager Bruce Gomm; and Mayor Les Heitke.
A report on the summer meeting was given to the Willmar commission this week.
Utility officials also learned that the state association will embark on new activities and innovative ways to achieve conservation measures.
"It's just a matter of how do we get there,'' Bonawitz said. "Often times we struggle with making change, and certainly making change in a short period of time when we have to look at the cost and implications of these changes. Sometimes we're not able to respond as quickly as I think some would like us to.''
Gesch said mandates are "put out there and there is no real direction on how they're supposed to be fulfilled, and there's a minimum of financial support in developing these technologies.''
Gomm said the power market has some unique challenges. He said conservation is the cheapest form of generation. He said utilities generally favor innovative ways to conserve, but he said many times it's not easy to do. Much depends on the customer load base.
Bonawitz said it's important for everyone to participate. He said Willmar reduced its peak load last year by about 10 percent through load management techniques and conservation measures.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gesch said new power plants have not been built for more than 20 years and new transmission lines are needed. Association members were told that one-third of the predicted energy growth is caused by population growth and two-thirds by increased use, such as more electronic devices, he said.
Gomm said studies show more transmission lines are needed to carry power generated by proposed wind projects.
Kray said association members learned about positive approaches used by Rochester to educate customers about energy conservation measures.
"We feel an important part of any conservation program is making sure that our customers are aware of what we're trying to accomplish and that we can't accomplish it without their help,'' Gomm said.
