The Board meets on the first and third Monday of each month. Meetings begin at 1:00 p.m. and are held in the department conference room at 65 Lafayette Ave, Littleton. Board meetings are open to the public and time is allotted for public comments at each meeting.
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The regularly scheduled business meeting of the Littleton Water and Light (LWL) Board of Commissioners (BOC) began at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, May 3, 2021 the LWL conference room. Present were Commissioner Schuyler Sweet, Commissioner Peter Cooper, Director of Finance Lori Hogan and Superintendent Thomas Considine.
MINUTES REVIEW:
The minutes of the April 19, 2021 regularly scheduled Commissioner’s meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Cooper made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Sweet.
The vote was in favor of the motion 2-0-0
DIRECTOR of FINANCE and HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT:
Mrs. Hogan reviewed the highlights of the financial statements for the month ended March 2021 with the Commissioners. Several variances as compared to budget were discussed and explained by Mrs. Hogan. First quarter operating margins for both water and electric are about +11% and -3% respectively regarding breakeven. It was noted that all expense cost centers except for transmission (National Grid and ISONE OATT) are tracking at or below budget projections through the first quarter.
SUPERINTENDENT/ GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT:
1. LWL personnel responded to a motor vehicle/ pole accident on the North Littleton Road just north of Cow Brook last week where temporary repairs were made to keep the utility pole standing and the wires in the air. LWL coordinated with the communication providers and the damaged pole was replaced, all work was completed on Friday April 30, 2021 in about two (2) hours.
2. Geosphere Environment provided LWL with an updated report about the progress NHDES is making to permit the proposed Lafayette Well(s) and the Large Groundwater Withdrawal application. Geosphere is expecting comments from NHDES once the public information period is complete, no objections have been registered to date.
3. The proposed Blueberry Ridge solar project (27 MW PV solar array off Meadow Street on the Merrill Property) is now under a new management/developer, Vesper Energy. The status of the project appears to be in limbo as National Grid, ISONE and Eversource are requiring significant and costly engineering studies to determine the reverse energy flow affect to their respective systems.
4. Commissioner Cooper discussed NH’s renewable energy portfolio standards that requires each private electric company to provide twenty-five (25) percent of their connected load from a renewable/clean energy source. Municipal electrics are exempt from this mandate though they can choose to voluntarily comply at some level. Commissioner Cooper believes that some environmental conscientious LWL customers may be willing to pay more for a renewable energy supply/resource if LWL had one available.
Following some discussion, Daymark Energy Advisors will be asked to discuss the Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) program and cost impact should LWL voluntarily choose to comply in some capacity. Daymark typically visits the LWL BOC annually to provide the BOC an update as to the state of the power supply marketplace in advance of LWL’s annual power supply bulk procurement.
GENERAL/OTHER BUSINESS:
1. Mr. Considine discussed a proposed power supply procurement with the BOC to solicit resource for 2022-2024 that will bring each year into compliance with the BOC established power supply hedge limit. LWL employs a hedge block procurement strategy (pre-buys) for power supply resources to protect from market prices fluctuation and spikes due to weather events. The current real time cost per Mwh (electricity) during peak hours (7a.m. – 11 p.m.) is averaging between $35 Mwh and $40 Mwh according to data provided by Daymark Energy. It is unlikely that LWL will lock in resource at these prices through the competitive bid process, though a price around $40 Mwh - $45 Mwh is anticipate. Depending on the bid prices LWL could secure some or all the needed resources (about 50,000 Mwh).
Following some additional discussion Commissioner Sweet made a motion to authorize Mr. Considine to proceed with the solicitation and execute the contracts as needed to secure the needed wholesale resources, seconded by Commissioner Cooper.
The vote was in favor of the motion 2-0-0
2. Following some discussion the BOC decided that their next meeting would be on Monday May 24, 2021 in place of the typical third Monday
(May 17, 2021) of the month due to scheduling conflicts.
MEETING ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business to come before the board Commissioner Cooper made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Sweet.
The vote was in favor of the motion 2-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
The regularly scheduled Commissioner’s meeting is held twice monthly on the first and third Monday, at 1:00 p.m., in the Department’s conference room.