Lamar Utility Board Wraps up 2022

The Lamar Utilities Board approved Resolution No. 22-12-02 setting the Charter Appropriation Adjustment for 2023.  The rate will become effective with 2023 billing and will be $0.0154 per kilowatt hour.  The cost to customers is offset by $350,000 following a court decision regarding payments from ARPA, Arkansas River Power Authority, to be made to the Lamar Utility Board as consideration over the Lamar Repowering Project.

Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, noted sales of electricity through November were down approximately 0.038% compared to the same period in 2021.  Residential sales were up approximately 1.12%, commercial and industrial sales were down 0.29% and irrigation sales were down approximately 1.98%.  These three classifications account for an estimated 96% of the total system sales for the year.

The Lamar Utilities Board approved $646,629.67 in purchase orders from a total of $669,071.58.  This includes $611,911.51 for the estimated sale of electricity to ARPA for November.  Of this, $20,577 was for the installation of a security gate on the light plant premises.  Bills for the month were $267,548.49.

The line crew installed a 225 KVA padmount transformer at the Chamber/Welcome Center which will supply power for a four-position, fast-electric vehicle charging station for Charge Point. The line crew completed the construction of 600 feet of overhead line to power an irrigation pump at CR7 and LL in Prowers County as well as completing the lighting project at the Green Ballfield.  The next Utility Board meeting will be Tuesday, January 10^th, 2023.

By Russ Baldwin