Brief Agenda for Lamar Utility Board

Wind Turbines

The Lamar Utility Board approved $90,160.22 in purchases from this past March from a total of $102,987.40 of which $10,055.25 were for vehicle repairs and $59,714.39 were for protection relay upgrades.

The board also authorized payment of bills totaling $814,151.14 of which $631,771.43 were for electricity purchases from ARPA, Arkansas River Power Authority.

Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh told the board sales of electricity through February 2022 were up approximately 1.13% compared to this time last year.  Residential sales were down 2.17%, irrigation sales were kup 53.14% and commercial and industrial sales were up 2.45%.  High winds, snow and freezing rain on March 21^st caused an ice build-up on conductors and that, coupled with winds caused some momentary power outages, mainly west of the 24.9 kv circuit along county roads 7 and SS.

Line crews are taking corrective measures including installing wind dampers and re-sagging or tightening loose power lines.  Hourieh explained, “The lines will develop an ice buildup when there’s a constant northerly wind and the ice forms into a shape of a wing which actually gives it lift, causing the lines to flap until they touch each other, producing a short.”  He said the plant purchases devices such as those dampers which reduce the tendency for the lines to rise and fall.

By Russ Baldwin