A Season of Sharing and Salute to the Guard

www.washingtonelectric.coop

Vol. 71, No. 8 The newsletter of Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., East Montpelier, Vermont. December 2010

t wasn’t so much the spirit of giv- Avram Patt, who authorized ing that swept over Washington a matching contribution from IElectric Co-op’s employees as Washington Electric’s Community the Christmas holiday approached Fund. Patt administers that fund, this year. Giving is a noble act, one and usually runs the donation of humanity’s finest gestures. But requests he receives, along with giving might some- his recommendations, WEC employees have teamed up to make the holidays merrier for local times be thought of as You get the point: by a committee of National Guard families. These gifts, and more, will be distributed in time for charity, and it wasn’t these are families the Co-op’s Board of Christmas with the help of a Guard assistance organization. charity that was in with a loved one who Directors at the end of the employees’ hearts each month. However, has been stationed in so much as gratitude when a decision needs Co-op Applies For PSB Approval; and respect for those Iraq or Afghanistan in to be made quickly whom they wished to the military, and they he has the leeway to New Rates Take Effect In January help this Christmas. are having a hard respond right away. You might say that the time back home. In this case that’s project they undertook what he did, with an WEC Enacts was more in the spirit enthusiastic yes. of sharing. So suddenly the employees’ First Rate Increase Washington Electric currently has $700 became $1,400. Since the 38 employees, and word has it that Community Fund is financed by in 11 Years the majority of them contributed to WEC members who voluntarily this cause. And it’s typical of the donate their annual capital credit Co-op’s workers that no one wants refunds rather than taking them as fter nearly a year of in-depth rates after 45 days. (Investor-owned to take credit for it; they would rather credit on their November electric financial analysis and plan- utilities must wait for the Board’s it be thought of as a group effort. bills (or as a check, for former Aning, Washington Electric ruling before putting new rates into Which it certainly was. As a members), this brought WEC’s whole Cooperative filed for a rate increase effect.) WEC therefore will begin group, the linemen, warehouse membership into the act, whether with the Vermont Public Service charging members the higher rate staff, member services represen- they knew it or not. Now this act of Board on November 15, 2010. on January 1, 2011. In February, and tatives, engineers, IT and technical sharing incorporated the entire WEC Exactly how much of an increase with each monthly bill that follows support personnel, accountants and community. the Co-op would request was under until the PSB issues its decision, bookkeepers and financial folks, Fourteen hundred dollars can discussion by the Board almost up to members’ bills will show their electric and the management staff raised go a long way. But how would this the time the formal application was charges under the former rates and $700 to contribute to military-service donation find the families for whom it made; in the end WEC asked the a separate line item showing the families with a parent serving in Iraq was intended? PSB’s approval to raise its electric “temporary surcharge” that represents or Afghanistan. They just wanted A staff member contacted the rates by 23.81 percent. their additional costs under the to make these folks’ holiday a little Vermont National Guard and When publicly owned electric proposed rates. The total charge will brighter. was directed to an organization utilities apply for a rate increase – be shown as a combination of the But they weren’t done. called the Vermont National Guard that is, co-ops and municipally owned two. Representatives of the staff companies – the PSB permits them approached WEC General Manager continued on page 6 to begin charging their proposed new continued on page 3

Washington Electric Inside Cooperative 2010: A review. From windstorms to a rate East Montpelier, VT 05651 increase, the year now ending was a busy and sometimes difficult one for your Co-op. WEC President Barry Bernstein takes a look back in his President’s Message. Page 4. Turnover in state government. A new governor and a new public service commissioner are coming to Montpelier. State Rep. Tony Klein, a WEC member, ponders the state’s energy directions in 2011 and beyond. Page 8. Baby it’s cold outside – but the work From the future of Vermont goes on. A WEC crew constructs line extensions Yankee to the future of in Duxbury. Photos, page 8. renewable energy in Vermont, critical issues will be debated Nice day out, and suddenly… no power. in the Statehouse this winter. That was the experience of some Co-op members House Energy & Natural on December 1. WEC’s Dan Weston explains why. Resources Chairman Tony Klein Page 2. briefs us on page 8. Page 2 • Co-op Currents, December 2010 www.washingtonelectric.coop

High Winds At High Elevation: A Formula For Outages

ome 3,000 Washington Electric notorious, perhaps confirm that high two linemen we’re looking at four guys Co-op members lost their power even historical, as “Where the winds are elevations were working for three hours.” Son the first day of December, the National Weather blowing at 40 to 45 miles battered. The Service It didn’t help that autumn was wet and many of them didn’t understand Service in Burlington an hour at high elevation, reported gusts of this year, which loosened root systems why. The answer was that very severe reported winds and then the lines descend 103 mph on Mount that, if the ground had been dry, would winds were blowing – just not, in a lot of that reached an and travel across country Mansfield. have helped stabilize the trees. cases, where they were living. astonishing 90 miles for a few miles, people can Weston said the So this one took a while to clean “People were sitting there in their an hour in Cambridge lose their power and see high-elevation gales up. The storm struck early in the homes on a relatively normal night and and 73 miles an hour no explanation for it.” were the culprit day, and outage calls started rolling their power goes out,” Dan Weston, in Hanksville, towns in most of WEC’s in at around 10 a.m. The line crews — Dan Weston WEC’s director of engineering and that are not at high outages. As a rural and support workers fanned out and operations, said on the following day, elevation. (Cambridge, utility, Washington by late that night they had reduced even as his line workers were still out for example, is nestled Electric’s distribution member outages to about 1,000. trying to repair damages and reconnect beside the Lamoille River in Lamoille system crosses over mountain terrain They were still at it on Thursday, and people. “But the power was out County’s Lamoille Valley.) Statewide, in many locations to serve members on finished reconnecting people by around because the lines serving them came more than 35,000 people lost their both sides. WEC maintains a 30-foot midnight, making it certainly a notable over topography that had elevation electricity in the Wednesday storm, right-of-way (ROW) along its distribution outage event but in terms of repair time above 1,200 feet and the winds there with some saying that the damage in corridors, and even though there are not one of WEC’s worst. were gusting in excess of 40 miles per the area around Richmond, Hinesburg some 1,250 miles of power line to tend “We’ve got great crews,” said Weston. hour, causing trees outside the right- and Essex Junction was worse than the to the Co-op does a pretty good job of “I’m very proud of them and know what of-way to fall on the lines and in most notorious 1998 ice storm. controlling the growth within the ROW. they’re capable of accomplishing. They cases break the conductors [electric Because of its vast rural territory in Unfortunately, a strong, persistent wind work hard and stick with it, and at times lines]. It was a peculiarity of this storm, the northern part of the state, Vermont at a high elevation can take down we have to make them take a break. at least in our service area.” Electric Cooperative was particularly healthy trees that are outside the “In fact,” Weston continued, “after It was a different story in some other hard hit, and didn’t get its final Co-op’s corridor and toss them into we finished up our own work on Friday parts of the state. The thing that set reconnections made until the following the lines. And it doesn’t take 90 mph to we dispatched three trucks and six the December 1 storm apart from most Monday. In that same region the Village make that happen. line workers to Enosburg to assist their wintertime storms in Vermont was the of Enosburg Electric Department “Where the winds are blowing at 40 crews with restoration efforts.” severity of the winds in some of the suffered extensive damage. to 45 miles an hour at high elevation, Those workers returned late Sunday valleys. The storm quickly became The National Weather Service did and then the lines descend and travel afternoon. across country for a few miles, people Weston appreciated the membership, can lose their power and see no too. Often when they called they didn’t Co-op Currents explanation for it,” Weston said. understand why they had lost their WEC members lost their electricity power, and were understandably Co-op Currents (Publication No. USPS 711 -210 and ISSN in Fayston, in Cabot, in Orange annoyed. No. 0746-8784) is published monthly except February, May, and Williamstown, in Tunbridge and “We had to explain,” Weston said. August and November by Washington Electric Cooperative, Chelsea, for just this reason. “The weather right there, local to your Inc., Route 14, P.O. Box 8, East Montpelier, Vermont 05651. WEC is part of the “We had just under 100 separate home, may be quite nice. The winds alliance working The cost of this publication is $.48, which is included in the to advance and outages on our system, and I’ll bet you may be calm, there may be a little light basic monthly charge to each member. Periodical postage support the that 75 of them had wires that were snow. But where your power is coming rates paid at East Montpelier and at additional offices. principles of cooperatives in down,” Weston said. “Over at Boulder from, eleven or twelve miles away and Postmaster: Send address changes to Co-op Currents, Vermont. Beach in Groton we had seven span up in the mountaintops, it could be quite P.O. Box 8, East Montpelier, Vermont 05651. of wire down. [A span, from pole-to- a different story. Board of Directors pole, is commonly about 280 feet.] “Usually they’d say ‘Thank you for President BARRY BERNSTEIN 1237 Bliss Road, Marshfield, Vt. 05658 456-8843 When seven span of wire comes down, the explanation,’” Weston concluded. (May 2013) [email protected] instead of a one-hour repair job for “Nice people.” Vice President ROGER FOX 2067 Bayley-Hazen Rd., East Hardwick, 563-2321 (May 2012) Vt. 05836-9873 [email protected] Treasurer DONALD DOUGLAS 21 Douglas Rd., East Orange, Vt. 05086 439-5364 (May 2011) [email protected] Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc. Secretary MARION MILNE 1705 E. Orange Rd., W. Topsham, Vt. 05086 439-5404 (May 2011) [email protected] Statement of Non-Discrimination ROY FOLSOM 2603 US Rt. 2, Cabot, Vt. 05647 426-3579 (May 2013) [email protected] Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc. is the recipient of Federal financial assistance DAVID Magida 632 Center Road, Middlesex 05602 223-8672 from the Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is (May 2011) [email protected] subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section Anne Reed 3941 Hollister Hill Rd., Marshfield, Vt. 05658 454-1324 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, (May 2013) [email protected] as amended. In accordance with Federal law and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s RICHARD RUBIN 3496 East Hill Rd., Plainfield, Vt. 05667 454-8542 policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national (May 2012) [email protected] origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, status SCOTT SKINNER 28 Leland Farm Rd., Middlesex, Vt. 05602 223-7123 as a parent (in education and training programs and activities), because all or part of an (May 2012) [email protected] individual’s income is derived from any public assistant program, or retaliation. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs or activities). AVRAM PATT WILL LINDNER TIM NEWCOMB The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance General Manager Editor Layout efforts is Avram Patt, the Cooperative’s General Manager. Any individual, or specific class [email protected] [email protected] of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may Editorial Committee obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from, and/or file Avram Patt Donald Douglas David Magida Will Lindner a written complaint with, this organization; or write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call, toll free, (866) The Board of Directors’ regularly scheduled meetings are on the last Wednesday of each 632-9992 (voice). TDD users can contact USA through local relay or the General relay at month, in the evening. Members are welcome to attend. Members who wish to discuss a (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity matter with the Board should contact the president through WEC’s office. Meeting dates provider and employer. and times are subject to change. For information about times and/or agenda, or to receive Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination. a copy of the minutes of past meetings, contact Administrative Assistant Deborah Brown, Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible. 802-223-5245.

Rate Increase Meeting for the past two years, and it WEC President Barry Bernstein makes productive use of a potent continued from page 1 has been a topic of discussion at our emphasized that determining the greenhouse gas.) community meetings. We’ve also been amount of the rate increase, and how An important, related factor is When the PSB completes its saying more recently that we would the Co-op would apply for it – all at that WEC’s Coventry plant earns deliberation on WEC’s request, file in November. The only thing we once, or in stages – were decisions of Washington Electric the right to sell presumably either agreeing to the weren’t completely clear about, right the utmost seriousness. renewable energy credits (RECs) to Co-op’s request or approving a up until the filing date, was how much “We’ve done everything we can to companies in southern New England different amount of increase, members of an increase we would ask for, and try to minimize the cost and the impact that need these RECs to meet will receive a one-time, retroactive now that, too, has been resolved. We’re of this increase,” he said, “but we their state requirements to support adjustment on their next bill, if required. forced to do this to protect the solvency also have a responsibility to everyone renewable energy. The RECs have The Department of Public Service and the level of service we provide at we serve to ensure that we have provided Washington Electric some (DPS), which differs from the Public the Co-op.” adequate revenues to provide reliable $2 million a year in revenues – that Service Board in that its role is to A 23.81 percent rate increase is and high-quality electric service to is, until a drop of about 50 percent represent Vermont consumers in steep. Yet when the new rate goes into our 10,000 member households and of their value in just the past year. matters concerning regulated utilities, effect it will have been 11 years since businesses. Washington Electric Co-op Income from the RECs staved off a rate has an opportunity to investigate WEC’s the Co-op raised its electric rates, and has achieved a much-improved quality increase for several years; however, the rate-increase proposal and make an during that time the average Vermont of service over what we used to have, lucrative market for RECs stimulated independent determination of whether it electric bill went up by 27 percent, and particularly for a very rural electric utility the development of more renewable- is justified. the average U.S. electric bill went up by that operates on the very challenging energy supply – a good thing, but it “We have done our best to ensure 41 percent. terrain that we do. And people now undermined the price WEC had been that this increase, though obviously “We’re not aware of any utility, expect that of us, as they should. So collecting. This was the pattern the unwelcome, won’t come as a surprise nationally or in the state, that has held that’s not something we can sacrifice Board expected, but for it to happen to our members,” said WEC General its rates steady for that long,” said in order to try to cut a few percentage so suddenly, at the same time the Manager Avram Patt. “We have written Patt. “We are proud to have been able points off our rates.” economy flagged, was unfortunate. explicitly about it in Co-op Currents to accomplish that, but we knew that Still, Bernstein said, Board “When you look at the actual several times, we’ve made it a major eventually we would need additional discussions on the issue were complex. calculations of what is causing this rate subject at our Annual Membership revenue for the Co-op.” “After a lot of repeated analysis, the increase, almost exactly half of it is the amount of additional revenue we would decline in the REC value,” said General need through rates became pretty Manager Patt. “It’s the biggest single The Vermont Public Service Board requires all electric utilities to publish this clear,” he said. “But we deliberated on driver for what we are dealing with now.” Herbicide Use Notification periodically. Members of WEC are reminded, however, the possibility of trying to spread the that it has long been the policy of this cooperative not to deploy herbicides in its right-of-way management program. increase over a two-year period.” What you, and WEC, can do Those deliberations ended when As a Washington Electric Co-op the Board concluded that for the member, your rates are going to go up Co-op not to fully meet its lender- in January. Yet Bernstein and Patt both mandated revenue requirements were quick to remind WEC members would, in the end, only increase the that there are things they can do to try amount of money it would need from its to mitigate the impact of this increase. membership (through rates). “We have always said that people “The decision to go ahead and apply pay bills, not rates,” said Patt. “By that for the full rate increase that we know we mean that whatever the rates, we need was unanimous,” Bernstein they’re paying for the amount of said. electricity they use. That makes this a good time to remind people that How we got here they’re better off if they use energy The factors driving a rate increase as efficiently as possible, and that in have been reiterated in Co-op Currents our homes and businesses there is previously, as well as by WEC’s a reward for learning to use the least directors and staff in public forums such amount of energy we can, comfortably. as the Annual Membership Meeting “The Co-op works hard with our and the community meetings held in members to help them find ways to two localities each October. Briefly, they conserve. We are always available to include cost increases of nearly every help, if people will call us.” aspect of doing business – payroll, Bernstein noted other help WEC can insurance, taxes, equipment, fuel – extend to members who are burdened all of which have risen significantly by the rate increase. since WEC filed for its last increase “We do everything we can to work in 1999. There is also the fact that with people on an individual basis,” electricity sales have leveled out – a he said. “This is something we always national trend that if anything is more do. If members are facing difficulties pronounced in places like Vermont they should call our Member Services that emphasize the importance of Department to look into working out conservation. a payment plan so that we can keep For most electric utilities the list of providing their power and they can rising costs would include a significant find a way to meet their obligations to increase in the cost of purchasing pay their bills. Our member services power to sell to its customers or representatives also help people members. In WEC’s case wholesale every day by connecting them with power costs have increased overall, state services and other community but less dramatically thanks to WEC’s resources to help get them through decision to build a power plant fueled hard times. by landfill methane in Coventry, “The real mistake would be for Vermont, in 2005. The cost of that people to get behind on their bills and power has proved very competitive, and not pay attention to it,” said Bernstein. the Co-op holds rights to it for another “We’re a cooperative, and have been 30 years. That’s one important economy for more than 70 years. This rate hike is that has helped Washington Electric an unfortunate necessity, but it doesn’t hold the line on its rates for more than change the fact that we’re all in it a decade. (And it should be noted that together.” generating power from landfill methane

Serving more than 10,000 member/owners in central Vermont. A rural electric cooperative since 1939. Page 4 • Co-op Currents, December 2010 www.washingtonelectric.coop

President’s Message

2010: An Especially Busy Year For Your Co-op

s 2010 comes to a close our first and nearly 1,300 miles of distribution winter snow has fallen, below- and transmission lines. On top of all this Azero temperatures are upon we are looking at the possible instal- us, and we have been lation of an automated hit by our second major metering infrastructure windstorm of the past few (sometimes referred months which had more to as “smart meters”), than 3,000 members out and a new contract with of power and some 35,000 Hydro Quebec starting Vermonters in the same in 2016. position. The past summer Our Co-op has made was one of the hottest we a conscious effort have experienced, caus- since the early 1990s ing a new summer-peak to be more environ- record for WEC in terms of mentally aware as we power demand on July 7. make decisions that 2010 started off with a January informational forum for WEC’s leadership on issues The 10 warmest years on affect our future. We related to Vermont Yankee. From left, WEC General Manager Avram Patt, President record have happened in will continue to be Barry Bernstein, and Vice President Roger Fox listen to the insights of four panel this past decade, and as The Board will continue diligent concerning our members. In February, WEC issued a resolution calling on the Legislature not to extend the nuclear plant’s operating license. the predictions that New your Co-op’s history of long-term planning for England will experience power, the equipment more severe storm activ- speaking out on energy we purchase for continued to discuss this option prior to charge also goes up slightly for our ity seems to be unfold- policy and issues our distribution our filing. However, the significant and residential members (about 98 percent ing, our Co-op is feeling that we feel affect our and transmission rapid change in our finances due to the of our membership). a significant impact. members and Vermont’s infrastructure, in our decline in price of the renewable energy This was also one of energy future. internal operations, certificates (RECs) we sell, flat sales Vermont Yankee Closing your Co-op’s most active and working with our of electricity in recent years, and other In February your Board of Directors and busiest years in a membership to help economic forces, made phasing in an voted to publicly support the closing of long time. It included the enactment each household and business conserve increase unworkable (see our article on the Entergy Vermont Yankee nuclear of our first rate design alteration in and use electricity efficiently. page one). plant on schedule when its license some 20 years, which went into effect We will continue to work with expires in 2012. WEC was the only in October, and the intense process Highlights In 2010 members who are having difficulty utility to take this stand. I, as Board of analyzing and preparing for a rate paying their monthly electric bills. If this President, Vice President Roger Fox, increase request to the Vermont Public Rate Increase Filed is your situation I urge you to call our and General Manager Avram Patt, Service Board (PSB) on November One of the most difficult decisions Member Services Department to try to testified in front of both House and 15, our first increase in 11 years when your Board of Directors had to make avoid getting too far in arrears. Senate committees that deliberated on it takes effect preliminarily in January. was authorizing the Co-op’s first this issue. In April the Vermont Senate In addition, we are in the process of rate-increase filing since 1999. We Rate Design Approved voted 26–4 not to allow relicensing of developing an update of our Long know that an increase of this magnitude Our first new Rate Design proposal the plant whose out-of-state owner has Range Plan, and working on our new – 23.81 percent – is very significant, in some 20 years, based on a Cost of continued to lose public support due to four-year Construction Work Plan, especially at a time when many Co-op Service Study required periodically of a record of poor maintenance, concerns both of which drive vital construction members are experiencing difficult all electric utilities by state regulators, about safety, and the age of the power upgrades of our electric system, financial circumstances as the economy was contested by the Vermont plant. The WEC Board will continue including our generation facilities in continues to be weak. Your Board at one Department of Service. Eventually our your Co-op’s history of speaking out Wrightsville (hydroelectricity) and time had planned to phase in the rate proposal was approved by the PSB on energy policy and issues that we Coventry (methane-power generation) increase over a two-year period, and we without changes on September 13, and feel affect our members and Vermont’s it went into effect on October 4. The energy future, when we deem it changes first appeared on members’ appropriate. electric bills sent in November. The new rate design collects the same Coventry total revenue for the Co-op as the prior With five engines now on line design – meaning that it’s “revenue and a total capacity of 8 megawatts neutral” – but it does change how that (MW) – enough to eventually supply revenue is collected between different 75 percent of our members’ power rate classes such as residential, needs – Dan Weston, our director commercial, and large commercial/ of operations and engineering, has industrial; it also affects members been working with Casella Waste differently within those classes, Management (owner of the landfill depending primarily on how much that provides our methane fuel) and electricity they use. Some members IES (our contracted plant operator) to will see an increase in their bills and maximize methane gas production. some a decrease as a result of the new Several new wells, horizontal collection rate design; for the most part those pipes, and additional piping have been changes will be minor. put in Phase IV of the landfill as it Additionally, the new design raises expands, with the hope of increasing Washington Electric’s annual October community meetings drew good crowds the initial, less-expensive, block of gas production so that we’ll be able to of folks interested in their Co-op’s energy and economic policies. Above, Co-op power that all members receive, from run all five engines on a regular basis members in East Corinth crowd around a dinner table. The other 2010 community 150 kWh to 200 kWh. The customer this coming summer. meeting was held in Calais.

The engine room at Washington Electric’s generating plant at Coventry. WEC has Investments in right-of-way clearing are important for keeping the power on. expanded to five engines to take advantage of the landfill’s growing methane-gas Above, ROW Management Coordinator Mike Myers stands in a newly re-cleared production. right-of-way. WEC does not use herbicides in its ROW management program.

Storms start-up for generating electricity. staff, and our ROW contractors for their I also want to salute the contri- On July 21 we were hit with a dedication, especially during storms, to butions of several people who are microburst (extremely strong and abrupt Staff Changes keep the lights on. not on our staff but provide invaluable straight-line winds) in Brookfield, and Two senior staff members opted to services. These include our general as a result we had to rebuild three- take early retirement after decades of Special Thanks and Season counsel, Josh Diamond, of Diamond quarters of a mile of power line. It’s a service to our Co-op. Denise Jacques, Greetings & Robinson; Stan Faryniarz and Patti credit to the great work of the WEC director of administrative services, and I want to thank my fellow Board Richards of La Capra Associates, our crew and our right-of-way (ROW) Steve Anderson, safety & environmental members; our officers (Vice President power-supply and -planning consultant; contractors that they were able to coordinator, left the Co-op in October. Roger Fox, Treasurer Don Douglas, John Murphy of Stantec, construction accomplish this massive task in two Denise had more than 25 years of and Clerk Marion Milne); our Co-op and design consultant for our Coventry days. As the photos in the September service at WEC, starting as a secretary management (General Manager Avram power plant; Lenny Wing of NEWS VT, issue of Co-op Currents show, it was and working herself into upper Patt, Operations Director Dan Weston, which owns and operates the landfill not an easy job. management. Denise became one of Finance Director Cheryl Willette, former that provides fuel for the plant; the A second occurrence of unusually the most valuable and experienced Administrative Services Director Denise staff of Innovative Energy Systems high winds hit our Co-op territory of our management staff. She will be Jacques, Products & Services Director (IES), which operates the generating on December 1, breaking poles and greatly missed by Board and staff. Bill Powell, and Member Services plant; and Dan Crocket, our consulting bringing trees down on our lines and, However her new granddaughter will Supervisor Susan Golden) for their hard electric engineer. My deepest thanks get the benefit of her smile and her work over the past year. I also want go, as well, to Co-op Currents Editor time. Steve was with the Co-op for to thank those on their staff, whose Will Lindner and layout designer Tim 16 years, overseeing the operation of many hours of work ensures that our Newcomb. We rely on all these profes- Wrightsville hydro project along with electric cooperative runs effectively. Of sionals, and greatly appreciate their other duties. He is now wintering in course, one of our unsung heroes is services. Florida, and hopefully getting to ride his Debbie Brown, administrative assistant, Please remember that we always Harley. We wish both of them success who supports the Board, organizes the look forward to hearing from you, our in their retirement. annual meeting, helps coordinate the members – the owners of our Co-op. We also added two new apprentices production of Co-op Currents, and is in We are fortunate to have a great Co-op, and a lineman to our crew toward the so many ways the superglue that holds and a team effort which I am proud to end of 2009 – Mike Baril, Kyle Harper, our Co-op together. The many hours of be a part of. and Amos Turner (who just completed thought, hard work and study by both As 2010 winds down and we prepare his three-year lineman’s apprenticeship Board and management that go into the to move into 2011 I would like to wish A violent microburst hit the Co-op’s course) – and we look forward to them creation of our policies and decisions all of our members, your families, and territory in July, shearing off trees in becoming journeyman linemen. They often go unseen and unrecognized. our employees and their families, a very a vast area around Brookfield and join a number of younger line crew These are the people who do all that healthy and happy holiday season and knocking down the power lines. employees who are gaining knowledge analysis and planning, and then carry a great New Year. and experience working with our senior out the policies that shape our Co-op. staff, an investment both for them and causing, at its worst, more than 3,000 for the Co-op in a successful future. members to be without power at one time. Many were without power for more Now, Call WEC for Mad River Glen Tickets Right-of-Way than 24 hours. Fortunately we did not Your Board of Directors has The geese have flown south, the temperatures have plunged, and ski have freezing temperatures and heavy continued to approve increases in our season is coming! This year the Co-op has an improved deal for WEC snow, which would have worsened the ROW budget, supporting work carried members who ski at Mad River Glen – which is also a cooperative. You situation. Our dedicated employees out under the direction of Operations can now purchase day passes at the Co-op office. The ticket price varies worked long hours to restore people’s Director Dan Weston and Right-of-Way depending on the day; weekday adult tickets are $35. power as quickly as possible. Management Coordinator Mike Myers. WEC is a ticket retailer for Mad River Glen and members ROW maintenance is critical to our are eligible for special prices. You can call and order ‘First Wind’ Sheffield Wind reliability, as a utility serving a primarily tickets by phone, paying with a credit card, Project rural territory. then either pick your tickets up here or have The 40-MW wind-power project As part of this effort we also support us put them in the mail. The Co-op will fill to be located in Sheffield received a danger-tree removal program and orders placed from the website (http://www. its final go-ahead from the Vermont systematic checking and treatment of washingtonco-op.com/pages/madriver.htm), Environmental Court on August 26 and the system’s 24,000 distribution poles, but members must still either pick them up or began preliminary work on the site in which reduces outages and extends the have them mailed to your address. This is the fall. The company halted work for life of our infrastructure. We extend our not an electronic ticket offer. the winter and will resume construction special thanks to our line crew, in-house See you on the mountain! in the spring, with plans for a fall 2011

Serving more than 10,000 member/owners in central Vermont. A rural electric cooperative since 1939. Page 6 • Co-op Currents, December 2010 www.washingtonelectric.coop

A New Focus on Energy improve Vermont’s energy system. The continued from page 8 legislative offseason has been a time for researching and preparing for the we lost [power from] Hydro Quebec. session. “It’s important for Vermonters That cost Vermont a tremendous to know we don’t just start thinking amount of money.” of things to do once we get there Relying on our own power, each in January,” says Klein. “Seventeen generation unit serving a comparatively four-day weeks is not a whole lot of small consumer base, would lessen our time to get things accomplished.” vulnerability to such widespread havoc. Klein stresses that the House Energy As for Vermont Yankee, Klein says, and Natural Resources Committee simply, “It’s going to close on schedule, will share the same priority as other on March 21, 2012. We’re not doing legislative committees. “We’ll all be anything that hasn’t been known about job-focused,” he says, “looking at the for 40 years. It should come as a employment impact of every direction surprise to nobody.” we’re going in.” Klein says he understands the Klein says the committee learned pressures to reverse last year’s a great deal about Vermont’s pent-up decision and allow Yankee’s license interest in developing renewable-energy to be renewed: people’s concerns projects from the state’s standard offer Six months before winning Vermont’s gubernatorial contest, then-Sen. Peter about replacing Yankee power, and for program. Established in 2009, the Shumlin (above) and his four Democratic primary opponents discussed energy the jobs and tax revenues the plant program sets guaranteed rates per issues at WEC’s Annual Membership Meeting in May. As chair of the House provides (even employees who live in kilowatt-hour for in-state renewable Energy & Natural Resources Committee, WEC member Tony Klein (below) expects New Hampshire and Massachusetts technology projects (landfill and farm there to be lots of action in the energy arena in the new administration. pay Vermont taxes on their earnings). methane, wind, solar, hydropower and However, Vermont Yankee’s parent biomass) up to 2.2 megawatts (MW) for company, Entergy, scaled back the 15-to-25-year contracts, depending on amount of power it would offer Vermont the technology employed. Rates were utilities under a new contract, so the set by the Legislature and verified by utilities are making replacement- the Public Service Board, based upon power contingencies anyway, at least the cost of construction. The program for a portion of their current Yankee was capped at 50 MW, but within allotment. And most Yankee jobs will hours of opening, in October 2009, survive for several years, as the plant it received applications totaling more must be controlled and monitored than 208 MW of production. This led to during a five-year “cooling” phase the Public Service Board’s organizing a before the work of decommissioning lottery for solar and biomass projects; begins. many of the projects that were “In the larger context, this represents successful in the lottery are now under a transition from what we have today development. to something else, which happens Klein points out that in this example periodically in all industries,” says Klein. the standard offer (also known as “We need to be able to go forward and the feed-in tariff) provided a level adjust to new jobs and new ways of of certainty unusual for renewable- doing things.” energy developers. Supporting their success yields numerous advantages “Based on that success,” he says, standard offer program but attracted Many paths… for Vermont. “It guarantees jobs, tax “we’re looking at other similar options.” less response than solar and The first order of business for Klein revenue, and more renewable energy Those options could include biomass. Klein acknowledges that is to determine what initiatives his generated in Vermont and used by a similar process targeting other the subsidized rates are compara- House committee will put forward to Vermonters,” says Klein. technologies that are included in the continued on next page

A Season of Sharing “This has been a joint effort that has made everybody feel good. It makes you continued from page 1 appreciate what you have.”

Family Readiness Program. Knowing that the employees preferred to assist Footnote: Stuff-A-Truck local families if at all possible, the Family Readiness Program came up with The Christmas presents for National Guard families was actually the second three military families that were in need of assistance. The program provided time in as many months that WEC’s employees and the Community Fund information about the families, but not their identities. The staff members learned teamed up to contribute locally to people in need. In November one particular that in all three cases the person on active duty was a husband and father, and staff member who listens to Barre radio station “Froggy 100.9” (WWFY-FM) as that each family is facing a hardship above and beyond having been separated she drives to work heard the station promoting its annual Stuff-A-Truck program. from the dad (and main breadwinner) for a long time. The really good news for all Upon arrival at the Co-op she dropped in at General Manager Patt’s office and three families is their Guard member is or will be back home before Christmas. asked if he would be so kind as to authorize a contribution for the food drive by The employees were given lists of gifts that each family would especially the WEC Community Fund, just as he did last year. He provided $1,000 for the appreciate. And so it was that in mid-December three of them went Christmas cause – one of the Fund’s largest donations of the year. shopping (four actually, because in one case two people went together). Each With this money four Co-op employees went shopping: Member Services shopped for a particular family, using the gift lists they had received, and Representative Shawna Foran, Member Services Supervisor Susan Golden, each had a third of the total funds, or $467, to spend. Though cash gifts were Operations Director Dan Weston, and General Manager Patt himself. On the discouraged, the Family Readiness Program advised them that gift cards for appointed day (November 18) the Co-op took its approximately $1,000 worth food would be appreciated, as well as gift cards for gas for the family car. You of foodstuffs to the Berlin Mall, where a Bellavance tractor trailer was awaiting. get the point: these are families with a loved one serving in the military, and There, representatives of the three radio stations that sponsor the event – they are having a hard time. Froggy 100.9, 107.1 Frank-FM, and 1450 WSNO – joined by members of the The shoppers returned to Washington Electric and piled their gifts in the Vermont National Guard, took the deliveries and loaded them into the big, conference room. Over the course of several days in mid-December employees cavernous truck. Surely the gifts made the Thanksgiving season a little more will take a little time to come to the room and wrap the presents in colorful paper comfortable for local folks in need. and bows. On Monday, December 20, representatives from the National Guard The Stuff-A-Truck program works with the Central Vermont Salvation Army will come and collect the gifts and get them to the families before Christmas – Emergency Food Shelf. This was the ninth year of the Stuff-A-Truck program in with thanks from the people at Washington Electric. central Vermont (there are similar programs in many places in the U.S.), and Maybe the gifts will brighten their Christmas. Just the doing of it has in that time people have contributed more than 100 tons of food and $60,000 brightened the season for the staff members. For here is the one quote in this in monetary contributions, according to WherezIt.com (“Your Source for Local story (and it’s anonymous, of course): Information”).

To call the Co-op, dial: weekdays 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., 223-5245; toll-free for reporting outages & emergencies, 1-800-WEC-5245; after hours, weekends & holidays, 223-7040. www.washingtonelectric.coop Co-op Currents, December 2010 • Page 7 tively high, but by encouraging more utilities to avoid individual mandates Klein says the net-metering program state’s “energy efficiency utility,” which development of alternative power they by collectively achieving statewide has nearly met its goal of providing 2 has gained a national reputation for its create a competitive market in those objectives. The present targets are percent of the state’s entire load, so an effectiveness. technologies, eventually reducing the 20 percent of power to come from expansion could be considered. “The DPS is where ideas like that price. The House committee might renewable sources by 2017. A possible can and should be generated,” says also consider another approach to change would be to extend the deadline Renewed optimism Klein. “I’d rather have the Legislature the feed-in tariff program, for example to 2022 but increase the requirement to With Christmas still around the go back to the role of vetting the by allowing the subsidy rate to be 30 percent of total power. corner, it’s too early to know how the Department’s ideas instead of having established competitively as projects Then there’s Vermont’s group 2011 Legislature will pursue energy- to generate them ourselves. They [DPS seek a place in the program. net-metering law. Here, Klein raises the related reforms. Certainly, though, personnel] know a lot more about it Klein lists other ideas that his possibility of increasing the per-project Rep. Tony Klein is optimistic that the than we do.” committee plans to explore for cap from 250 kWh to 500 kWh. (Net atmosphere in state government will Pundits keep saying that the nexus stimulating Vermont’s renewable-energy metering allows individuals to generate be more conducive to creative ideas. of renewable-energy development and sector. The SPEED (Sustainably Priced their own power, for example from solar In fact, he hopes the Department of job creation is Vermont’s best and most Energy Enterprise Development) panels, and feed the portion they don’t Public Service under Elizabeth Miller, profitable pathway toward the future. program was created by the Legislature use back into their utility’s power lines, recently tapped by Shumlin for the Presuming that Vermont Yankee closes in 2005 as an alternative to the “green for a credit on their electric bill. Group commissioner’s post, will resume the on March 21, 2012, that theory will be portfolio” mandates that other states net metering allows people who don’t role of innovator, as it was under the put to the test. Klein, for one, can’t wait have used to ensure that their utilities use the same meter to join together to Howard Dean Administration when to begin. incorporate renewable power in their generate power, for example from farm DPS personnel (most notably Scudder energy mix. SPEED allows Vermont’s methane, and share in the benefits.) Parker) founded Efficiency Vermont, the

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Call the Co-op at 800-932-5245 or visit us on the web at: www.washingtonelectric.coop/pages/prod.htm

Serving more than 10,000 member/owners in central Vermont. A rural electric cooperative since 1939. Page 8 • Co-op Currents, December 2010 www.washingtonelectric.coop

A New Focus On Energy Local Legislator Foresees Jobs in a Revamped Energy Sector

ermont’s state lawmakers are the role of in-state renewable power controversy is largely perceived by the these as out-of-state fossil fuel-burning preparing to convene for their and crafting a proactive vision for the public as one that concerns plant safety stations, the description fits Vermont V2011 legislative session, and state’s energy future. and environmental protection, that’s Yankee as well. Through a transition to energy-related issues are certain to WEC member and State only part of what’s going on. distributed energy, Klein says, Vermont play a prominent role. This would be Representative Tony Klein explains that “It’s been the goal of the state that can reduce the climate and air-pollution true if for no other reason than that the there’s more than an administrative Vermont demonstrate its independent impacts of energy generation, create a Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant transition in the offing (Republican spirit by creating and developing its new array of jobs around the state, and is nearing the end of its contract with Gov. James Douglas completing his own in-state power sources through develop a sustainable tax base. Vermont’s largest utilities in 2012, and final term in office next month and local distributed generation,” says Klein. “This will strengthen our grid, too,” simultaneously its operating license, Democratic Governor-Elect Peter “Distributed generation means smaller, he adds, “making us less susceptible and that the Legislature voted last year Shumlin taking over). An even more more scattered generation facilities that to disruptions from outside our state not to renew its license. This raises significant transition is taking shape primarily use renewable resources and that can result in widespread power the likelihood that the plant will go for Vermont, this one regarding how are close to the people they serve.” outages and regional blackouts. We’ve out of business in March 2012, and and where energy is produced and The opposite – large, centralized seen the results of depending on large, Vermonters are wondering about the provided to Vermont consumers. Klein, generation facilities – has been centralized sources. There’s no better implications of that shutdown. who chairs the House Energy and the norm for decades. And while example than the 1998 ice storm when Yet there are other energy issues on Natural Resources Committee, says Vermonters, connected as we are to the table, too, largely having to do with that although the Vermont Yankee the New England grid, usually envision continued on page 6

Building Line When The Sun Don’t Shine Once the early-December rains turned to snow and the high winds abated, a four-man Co-op crew went out to build a line extension to two new house lots on Sunrise Ave. in Duxbury. Top photo: the trucks convene under gray skies and the workers get materials ready. Below, from left, Construction Foreman Bob Fair prepares an insulator at the top of a newly set pole; some 225 feet away, Apprentice Lineworker Kyle Harper enjoys the altitude as he attaches conductor (electric wire) to the top of the other new pole; Lineman 1st Class Larry Brassard rolls out the new wire; truck driver/ground worker Donnie Singleton helps Fair (atop the pole) handle the slack line before it’s raised and tightened in place.

To call the Co-op, dial: weekdays 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., 223-5245; toll-free for reporting outages & emergencies, 1-800-WEC-5245; after hours, weekends & holidays, 223-7040.