LUB Notes Formal Suit Against SECPA, Develops Reimbursement Plan for Delinquent Accounts

The Lamar Utility Board paid $794,852.17 in purchase orders for May and a portion of June, of which $780,792.86 required board approval. This included $653,244.45 for the estimated power purchase for June from Arkansas River Power Authority. Payment of bills amounted to $166,418.

Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, explained the bidding for line materials and wire, needed to maintain levels of stock materials. A low bid of $9,709.54 was approved from Wesco Denver, a usual supplier for the light plant.

In other financial news, the sales of electricity through May 2020 are up approximately 2.92% compared to the same period in 2019. Residential sales climbed slightly by 0.68%, irrigation sales were up 71.6% and commercial/industrial sales were up approximately 1.3%. Those three classes represent 96% of the total system sales, according to Hourieh. He explained the irrigation jump was due to a very rainy period in 2019 for May and June which lowered the demand for irrigation. The superintendent noted that the light plant had three downed power poles over the weekend due to the high-speed, sustained winds that impacted the county. The board also voted to work with delinquent customers, offering a payment plan that would allow reimbursements to take place over a year’s time.

He told the board the semi-annual wind turbine maintenance found metal shavings in the gearbox filter of the T-4 unit and samples have been sent for testing as well as a request for a borescope inspection. Hourieh noted the board formally filed a complaint against Southeast Colorado Power Association, SECPA, to enforce the board’s right to serve May Valley Water Association’s well, in accordance with a decision from the Public Utilities Commission in 1970, No. 76027. A hearing on the matter will be held before an Administrative Judge on August 17^th in Denver.

By Russ Baldwin