LUB – ARPA Moving Ahead with Turbine Repairs
Barbara Crimond | Dec 13, 2023 | Comments 0

Lamar Light and Power Turbines
The Lamar Utility Board ended their year with the Systems Operating Report from Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh. He noted the sales of electricity through November 2023 were down approximately 2.68% when compared to the same time frame in 2022. Resident sales were down 3.98%, commercial/industrial sales were off 1.9% and irrigation sales were down a fraction at 0.62%. Those three customer classes represent an estimated 96% of the total system sales for the year. Hourieh said a portion of the lower sales were the result of a wet and cool spring.
The Light Plant received approval from Arkansas River Power Authority, ARPA, to replace turbine T-4’s gearbox. Based on bids, the staff recommended going with Renew Energy at $514,790.14. Although higher than the bid from GE, their quote did not include a high-speed coupler. Integrated Power Services has been hired to replace the generator front and rear bearings at $18,656.41. The work will begin in mid-January of 2024.
Hourieh told the board, the electric maintenance crew is currently installing floodlights to illuminate the high school sculptures along Savage Avenue. The work is part of the Savage Median improvement project. Several runway lights at the Southeast Colorado Regional airport were also repaired and the line crew installed two, 40 foot ductile iron poles replacing two wooden poles damaged by fire north of CR CC.5.
The board voted to authorize payments on $828,457.24 invoices from a total of $849,144.31 which included $650,851.24 from ARPA for the estimated power consumption this past November. Roof repairs came to $168,226 and $6,360 was authorized for transformer repairs. Bills for November were $237,555.55. The plant submitted five bids for 15kv underground elbow lightening arresters, load break elbows and fiberglass ground pads to replenish stock inventory. The bid was awarded to Western United, a long-time supplier for $3,549.57 with a seven week delivery date.
The board approved Resolution 23-12-05 adopting a modification to the Charter Appropriation Adjustment Tariff. This is an annual housekeeping measure that establishes the Charter Appropriation Adjustment for 2024. The rates are derived by dividing the budget amount for the CAA by kWh sales from the preceding 12 months energy sales through November 30th. The rate becomes effective on January 1st to be $0.0158 per kWh and is also derived in part by the City of Lamar paying the Utility Board $350,000 to reduce electric rates paid by Lamar Light and Power customers. The $350,000 credit transfer is from the Lamar/ARPA settlement stemming from the Lamar Repowering Project and will continue to be paid out annually until 2043.
By Russ Baldwin
Filed Under: Agriculture • Chamber of Commerce • City of Lamar • Featured • Utilities • Water • Weather
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