Repairs Improve Wind Turbine Performance

Lamar Light and Power Turbines

Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, noted that wind turbine performance has increased through the first half of 2018, during the Lamar Utilities Board meeting on Tuesday, July 10^th.

He explained that through the first half of the year, the three wind turbines have generated 6,840.58 MWH’s (megawatt hours) of electricity at an average capacity factor of 31.36%. Hourieh noted this is about 26.25% higher than the same period last year.  T-1 has generated more than the other two turbines and T-4, ARPA’s unit was ranked 4^th in MWH production.  The turbine located in Springfield has always been a strong performer and it generated 3,178.54 MWH’s of electricity which is about 76.67% higher than the same period last year and at an average capacity factor of 48.69%.  Hourieh explained the increase is due to a failed transformer that took two months to replace last February.

The superintendent displayed two sections of cable which had been fried by an electrical surge. The told the board that the line crew replaced 400 feet of underground 3 phase, 4KV circuit that feeds a section of Dragon Incorporated situated along the Lamar Canal in the industrial park.  “Just a small amount of water through a pinprick hole caused the fault,” he said, adding there’s a lot of water along the conduit and the cable was probably a portion of the original installation when Neoplan USA was constructed in 1981.

The board approved an irrigation contract with Ron Peterson LLC for an 83hp irrigation pump which is newly installed to a sprinkler system. Peterson will be charged $10 per horse power for a minimum annual payment of $830, coupled with an $18 monthly service charge.  The irrigation well is located above the Amity Canal.

The board approved bid #1968 for pole mount transformers, approving the recommended staff bid for Stuart Irby. The total bid amount was $13,644.60 with a delivery date of seven to eight weeks. Irby was the lowest bidder of five suppliers.

The board approved the payment of bills with vouchers totaling $115,698.78 and approved various purchase orders totaling $848,331.12.

The superintendent gave a brief update on Power Purchase Agreement negotiations with ARPA and the proposed buyout of bonds by Tri-State G & T. He explained that La Junta, an ARPA member has some issues with financing the costs of taking down their power plant and discussions over a series of long-term contracts for power purchases with WAPA are also in the mix.  Hourieh felt that discussions on the settlements should be concluded by sometime in August.  The next LUB meeting will be held July 24^th at Noon.

By Russ Baldwin