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,
April 3, 2023 in the LWL conference room. Present were Commissioner Peter Cooper, Commissioner Ralph Ross, Commissioner Linda MacNeil, Director of Finance Lori Hogan, Line Supervisor Justen Elliott, and Superintendent Thomas Considine.
MINUTES REVIEW:
The minutes of the March 6, 2023 regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Cooper made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 2-0-1
Commissioner MacNeil abstained from the vote as she was not present for the meeting.
The minutes of the March 20, 2023 regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting were reviewed. Commissioner MacNeil made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 2-0-1
Commissioner Cooper abstained from the vote as he was not present for the meeting.
APPOINTMENTS:
Convergent Energy and Power provided the BOC a revised power point presentation (via Zoom) about an energy storage (battery) system with a shared saving proposal for LWL to consider. Convergent’s previous proposal that the BOC was not in favor of, required LWL to operate the system when needed at LWL discretion during peak load therefore LWL was taking all the risk. Convergent’ s revised proposal places the responsibility of operating the system on them and any savings achieved would be shared between Convergent Energy and LWL.
The plan, if approved, would be to install a 4.99 MW x 15MWh battery system located at the Westside Substation and interconnect to the 34.5 kV overhead line. This is a turn-key proposal with little or no out of pocket expense incurred by LWL.
The projected savings are estimated at more than $13 million dollars over the life of the project. Convergent would discharge the battery at peak hours for three (3) hours and recharge the batteries during off peak hours. The proposed savings would be achieved by lowering capacity and transmission costs plus some ancillary energy arbitrage should also be realized. LWL would retain 31.9% of any savings realized.
Mrs. Hogan questioned how the shared savings are calculated.
Convergent reviewed a slide that annotated the proposed savings calculation. It was agreed that another zoom meeting with LWL management to go over how the savings are calculated would be more beneficial.
The BOC discussed the safety and fire potential of the proposed system. They also advised Convergent that a similar type of project, though on a much larger scale and scope failed to achieve the necessary permitting due to concern surrounding the potential of battery catching fire.
Convergent stated that each container has it own fire suppression system that is supposed to contain a fire within the container and the battery design incorporates the latest technology advancements in safety. The system inside and out is monitored by their on-site SCADA systems.
Following some back-and-forth discussion as to the next steps. Commissioner MacNeil made a motion to allow LWL management to execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Convergent Energy to review LWL financial and load data so that the proposed savings can discussed, and calculations verified, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
Convergent thanked the BOC for their time and ended the zoom call at about 2:20 p.m.
CUSTOMER & PUBLIC CONCERNS:
1. LWL provided the Community House with a letter that explains why LWL does not offer energy savings incentives. As a municipal utility LWL does not require its customers to pay a System Benefits Charge like private owned utilities. This is one mechanism of how incentive and efficiency type programs are funded, they are not funded by the utility themselves.
2. Commissioner Cooper stated that he plans to attend the Town of Littleton (ToL) Board of Selectmen meeting scheduled on Monday April 24, 2023. Green Street Power Partners is scheduled to present a proposal to install a 5MW solar array on the old landfill property. This proposal will require that the ToL enter a long-term lease for the property and that the LWL execute a purchase power agreement for 25 years.
3. Commissioner Cooper stated that he has requested that the BOS reappoint him to another term on the LWL Board of Commissioners. Both Commissioners MacNeil and Ross are in full support of Commissioner Coopers reappointment request.
DIRECTOR of FINANCE and HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT:
1. Mrs. Hogan reviewed the highlights of the financial statements for the month ended January 2023 with the Commissioners (previously emailed). Several variances as compared to budget were discussed and explained by Mrs. Hogan.
2. Mrs. Hogan discussed the recent bank failures and if it presented any risk to LWL reserves. Accounts with more funds than that protected by the FDIC (> $250,000) are cover by the pledge agreement with each bank. LWL’s custodial risk as it applies to protecting LWL reserve funds from default by a counterparty or bank is evaluated and reviewed annually by the auditors and the results are annotated as a note to the financial statements.
3. The BOC discussed the current interest rates that some local banks are offering and agreed with Mrs. Hogan that certain funds should be moved to higher yield accounts/banks to better manage these financial assets.
Commissioner MacNeil made a motion to authorize a transfer of certain funds at the discretion of the LWL’s Treasurer and Financial Director to take advantage of higher yield interest rates. Seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
4. National Grid Transmission Service advised LWL a credit memorandum in the amount of about $24,000 would be forthcoming. Apparently, this credit is a financial audit true-up for excessive transmission charge paid by LWL in 2022.
SUPERINTENDENT/ GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT:
LWL BOC reviewed a draft letter of response to the NH Public Utilities Commission (PUC) requesting information as to how LWL secures its default service (wholesale power supply). LWL’s response will be sent to the PUC by their April 6, 2023 requested date.
GENERAL/OTHER BUSINESS:
1. The BOC discussed the current G-3 Commercial/Industrial Electric Rate and the current policy language. The G-3 electric rate is the most efficient commercial rate that is available to large commercial customers and offers cost saving incentives built into the rate if they maintain a power (quality) factor above 90%. For a three (3) phase customer to qualify for this rate their minimum 6-month average consumption must be equal to or greater than 25,000-kWh.
Mr. Considine stated that some customers are at or just above this threshold and are making or have made energy efficiency improvements to their plant that has resulted in their consumption dropping below the 25,000-kWh limit. In accordance with policy the customer would be moved into a lower rate schedule with a higher electric rate. Mr. Considine questions the reasonability of this action and suggests that the 25,000-kWh consumption threshold be lowered to 20,000 kWh in support of their efforts to be more efficient, which can benefit LWL. This will have very little immediate impact on the rate class as customer consumption drops dramatically below 20,000 kWh.
The BOC agreed that to move a customer to a higher rate after they are investing in efficiency equipment is not prudent.
Commissioner Ross stated that we do not want to penalize these large customers and should be working with them. Time-of-Use metering is most likely on the horizon and that will have an impact as well on LWL’s rate tariff.
Following some other discussions relative to how similar size utility consumption limits are managed Commissioner Ross made a motion to amend the language in the current G-3 electric rate schedule consumption threshold from 25,000 kwh to 20,000 kWh for a 6-month average. Seconded by Commissioner MacNeil.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
2. The management of Rail Trail Village asked LWL to consider moving them from the G-2 Standard Electric Rate Class into the G-3 Large Commercial/Industrial even though they have yet to meet a 6-month average.
Mr. Considine stated that there are three (3) meters in question and two (2) of the three (3) have exceeded the consumption threshold for the past several months and their load is increasing as the building becomes more occupied. They are asking for an exception to the 6-month average rule.
Following some discussion, the BOC agreed that the two (2) larger meters with the consumption of more than 25,000 kWh can be moved into G-3.
3. The BOC reviewed a proposed invoice to the Town of Littleton (ToL) Wastewater/Sewer Department for managing their consumption/meter reading data for the past 6 months in the amount of $1,025.35 or about ten (10) cents per account.
Historically, LWL would process the cost of this in-kind work as a “favor” or Community Support. During the recent closed litigation neither ToL or NHDRA placed a real monetary value on those in-kind services as LWL never generated an invoice and there was no agreement in place. The DRA suggested that in the future LWL invoice the ToL for all services rendered so a proper paperwork trail is established for the record, and the ToL could request a waiver.
The BOC agreed that it is unfortunate that the service rendered by LWLs forces to both local non-government agencies (i.e., Chamber, Main Street etc.) and local government (ToL) were not valued by the NHDRA or supported by the ToL selectboard.
The BOC agreed that in accordance with the NHDRA recommendations LWL will invoice the ToL for all services rendered. If the selectmen would like the charges abated, they would need to make a written request that the charges be waived. This action would create a transaction record between LWL and ToL to validate the value of in-kind services rendered by LWL.
4. Mr. Considine stated that wholesale power supply future prices appear to be trending down and this may be an opportune time to lock in additional contracts and stabilize electric rates going into winter 2023-2024. The BOC reviewed a chart that graphed an estimate of on-peak forward energy prices through 2027. There is no significant price variation between years though prices increase sharply through the winter months (November through March) of each year represented on the chart.
Mr. Considine asked the BOC to authorize him to work with Daymark Energy and solicit a Request for Proposal/Bid for the needed resources/products to fill the remainder of 2024, and portions of 2025 and 2026 and to execute the procurement if prices are reasonable. This action would also establish a benchmark for LWL 2025 budget.
Following some discussion, the BOC authorized Mr. Considine to proceed with the RFP and possible procurement.
MEETING ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business to come before the board Commissioner MacNeil made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 3:10 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.