Power companies offer to pay Minster firms to cut usage during emergency

MINSTER - Two power companies have offered to pay commercial customers who are willing to cut power usage during emergency situations.

Village council heard the first reading of a resolution allowing commercial and industrial power users to join a demand response program from American Municipal Power and CPower.

"Demand response is basically being able to reduce your electrical load when either there is a capacity emergency issue or when there is a peak in usage," village administrator Don Harrod said.

AMP and CPower want companies to cut their power use during peak periods to help manage electrical demand. Companies could receive up to $13,000 to participate.

Participating companies must reduce power use for up to six hours once a year to prove they are prepared for emergency situations, Harrod said.

Those who join the program must also cut power use up to 1,000 kilowatt hours per year during peak power usage periods through 2017, he said. Businesses can sign up for programs over summer months, nine months or the entire year.

Businesses may never have to cut power use for emergencies or during peak usage, he said.

The program could help other customers, according to Harrod.

"It's going to reduce our overall costs. It's going to reduce that peak load. That means the price of power is going to be cheaper reflected in our power costs. It's going to help everybody," Harrod said. Most capacity emergencies occur in the summer, he noted.

AMP and CPower will meet with interested business people to educate them on program details.

The resolution will have a second reading May 5.

Also Tuesday, council members,

• approved an ordinance increasing village electrical rates effective May 22 and appearing on the July bill.

Customer, energy and demand charges will all increase.

The customer charge for residential users will increase from $4 to $10 this year and increase $2 per year until it reaches $20.

The energy charge per kilowatt hour will go from 8.4 cents to 9 cents this year.

The demand charge for commercial users will increase from $10 for the first 2,000 kilowatt hours to $12. The cost for use over 2,000 kilowatts would increase from $8.75 to $12, Harrod said.

Industrial users will see a new $50 customer charge. The demand charge for the first 500 kilowatts would rise from $4,925 to $7,500. The demand charge for anything over 500 kilowatts would increase from $9.85 per kilowatt hour to $10.

• learned the Public Works Department will start repairing streets and curbs damaged by water leaks during the winter.

Crews will replace damaged sections of curb and gutter. Gavit Paving, North Star, will patch streets in May.

• learned the Public Works Department relocated a hydrant on South Ohio Street about five feet north from the drive of Springcreek Building Supply.

• learned the Electrical department over the past two weeks replaced several wooden poles that were starting to rot behind Brinkman's Service Center on Main Street.

• learned the Parks Department will host the annual pitch, hit and run contest at Four Seasons Park at 9 a.m. April 25.

• had an executive session to discuss possible land acquisition. No action took place.