LUB Notes Slower Power Sales, Explains Brief Sunday Power Outage

Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, noted that sales of electricity through May 2023 are down fractionally at 0.12% when compared to 2022’s time frame.  Residential sales were up 1.63%, irrigation sales were down 29.25% and commercial sales were down a fraction at 0.63%. Houssin explained that due to the rainy spring, use of irrigation electricity will be on the decrease as the cooler temperatures, thus far, have resulted in less power demand for air conditioning.

Sunday’s power outage was caused by a bird’s nest on a breaker at the Lamar Substation in proximity to the water towers south of town.  Power was out from 2:25pm until a little over an hour before the problem was resolved.  Most of the town south of Cedar Street was impacted.

The Lamar Utility Board’s purchase orders totaled $676,950.68 and of that $659,437.70 required authorization.  That included $623,910 for Arkansas River Power Authority for the May, 2023 estimate of electric power purchased by Lamar Light and Power.  Board members also noted $831,378.53 in various fees and purchases for the past month.

The board reviewed three returned bids from six submitted for assorted wiring supplies to maintain stock inventory.  Western United was selected for its bid of $16,349.50 for supplies currently in stock.
By Russ Baldwin