To the Rescue
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.washingtonelectric.coop Vol. 66, No. 4 The newsletter of Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., East Montpelier, Vermont. June 2005 The barred owl (left) being held by To The Rescue Nadine Brooke of Chelsea prior to its release on Starving Owl In WEC Right-of-Way June 11, owes its life to Nadine and Lives to Fly Again WEC contractor Ray Shatney (beside her), ith gloved hands, Nadine a few months of rehabilitation had made and to the bird Brooke reached into the in the exotic, wild creature. rehabilitation W cardboard pet carrier and “I was surprised (to hear it had center at VINS. scooped up the owl inside. She removed survived),” Ray later told Co-op it carefully and then held it against her Currents. “I figured the owl had died. It body, the bird’s feet gripped between looked like it was starving. When they her fingers and its powerful wings brought it back, it looked totally different. confined by her wrists. It flew about six feet off the ground and Ray Shatney, who had discovered the went about 150 feet and flew around a weakened owl nearly 12 weeks earlier corner. It was really good to see it while clearing right-of-way in Chelsea disappear like that.” for Washington Electric Co-op and gotten a message to VINS (Vermont Easter omen Steward Janet Institute of Natural Science), took his A few days before Easter Sunday, spot beside Nadine, and photographer Ray Shatney, proprietor of Shatney’s Janet Steward began snapping pictures. Tree Service of Greensboro, was Nadine’s mother watched from a lawn clearing right-of-way for the Co-op’s Vermont Adopts chair that Nadine had carried to the power lines on O’Donnell Road, just off field, her two grandchildren beside her. Route 113 between Chelsea and Renewable Energy Goals “I was smoothing out his feathers for Vershire. Winter was waning in those a better picture,” Nadine explained later, final days of March, but the cold and ice WEC Protects its Credits, For Now “and I lost my grip.” still were still very much present. The owl spotted his chance, and with Working with Ray were his employees a startling beating of wings pushed Mark and Matt Foster. he Vermont Legislature passed a alternative power in their wholesale away from Nadine and soared into the They had seen a barred owl perched renewable-energy bill during the sources of energy. Gov. James Douglas air. As the little group watched, he sailed in a tree earlier in the week, but on this T 2005 session that demands a signed the measure into law in a over the field and around a bend in the morning they found it resting in a ditch concerted effort by Vermont electric ceremony at Northern Power Systems’ tree line. beside the road. The owl didn’t look so utilities to increase their use of power Barre Town facility (the former “He did a nice, graceful, happy flight,” good. Its wings weren’t broken, but the generated by wind, solar, thermal and Bombardier plant) on June 14. said Nadine. “It wasn’t like he was in a best it could do was to fly a few feet at a other green sources by 2013. Along with the Legislature’s approval panic.” time before collapsing again to the The bill envisions the establishment of on-site dry cask storage of nuclear For a moment their eyes lingered in ground. of “renewable portfolio standards,” which waste by Entergy Corp. – primarily to the direction where they had last seen would require electric utilities to include the owl, marveling at the difference that continued on page 7 a certain minimum percentage of clean, continued on page 2 Inside Washington Electric Cooperative WEC has found a wind partner. Co-op to assist UPC Vermont Wind in researching a East Montpelier, VT 05651 Sheffield site, in hopes of adding wind power to WEC’s energy mix. Page 2. John Bellefeuille, a man for all seasons in WEC’s long history, wins recognition from Northeastern co-ops with Aiken Award. Page 3. State takes measures to improve indoor air Treasurer Don Douglas quality and save lives. Co-op offers advice (above) and nature expert and help meeting new air and safety Bryan Pfeiffer combined for standards. Page 6. an interesting and informative one-two punch at the Co- Joe’s Pond gets its beach as WEC sells the op’s May Annual Meeting. popular recreation spot to Danville. Why did Coverage of the Annual WEC own a beach? Find out on page 8. Meeting begins on page 4. Page 2, Co-op Currents, June 2005 www.washingtonelectric.coop energy community and the towns and villages of central Vermont. After Long Search, WEC “WEC’s knowledgeable staff and history of dedication to the environment Selects A Wind-Power Partner made this a natural partnership for us,” said UPC Vermont President Paul Gaynor. “We look forward to working with WEC and members of the fter studying in-state alternatives U.S. Department of Energy, with the (UPC Vermont Wind is a subsidiary of community to develop a domestic, for participating in a wind assistance of U.S. Rep. Bernard the larger company.) clean, and affordable power option for A electric-generation project to Sanders (I-Vt). The grant’s broad “We believe they’ve gone about the Vermont.” provide members with another portion of purpose was to help Washington process well in other places,” said Patt, Obtaining power from an in-state their power from a clean, renewable Electric procure electricity from wind, at “and they have been operating source using wind turbines fits squarely resource, Washington Electric an installation somewhere in Vermont. respectfully and professionally here in into WEC’s philosophy and plans. Cooperative has joined with UPC “There are only a limited number of Vermont. They’ve been talking to people “As we’ve made clear, we are Vermont Wind, LLC, to study the developers and potential wind in the immediate community (Sheffield) committed to meeting our future power feasibility of a potential project in generation sites in Vermont,” said Patt. for a while now; they’ve visited local needs from renewable sources – close Sheffield. The companies announced officials and had representatives at Town to home if possible,” said Patt, noting the their partnership on June 8. Meeting. We decided that this was a benefits of keeping the investments and “This is not Coventry,” General “We are linking up with a company we could feel comfortable revenue largely in Vermont. Manager Avram Patt emphasized as he company we are confident doing business with.” But expectations for this project, he described the Co-op’s alliance with UPC will be respectful of Vermont’s Equally important, the Sheffield site noted, are modest. “We expect that the Vermont Wind. “At Coventry – where, as environment and the community seems promising. Co-op would purchase just a small our members know, we are about to that will be home to this project.” “Although further study is needed, we portion of UPC’s total output, and that open a 4.8-megawatt generation project are hopeful that the analysis will be the power from UPC’s wind installation — Avram Patt using landfill gas – the Co-op owns the positive and that the project will go for- would account for just a small portion of facility and will harvest all the electricity ward,” said Patt. “In partnering with UPC, our total power supply.” it produces. With the wind project our “We’ve had preliminary conversations we are linking up with a company we are Pricing for the power purchase will be role is as a participant. If the project gets with all of the players. We determined confident will be respectful of Vermont’s finalized between WEC and UPC under built we expect to get a relatively small that UPC, and the site they have been environment and the community that will a separate agreement at a later date. portion of the electricity output. UPC will looking at in Sheffield, were on balance be home to this project.” UPC will sell the balance of the project’s be the owner and developer, and will the best match for the Co-op.” What WEC brings to the table is its output to other utilities. shepherd the project through the The decision was based on a number federal grant money, which will help fund For further information on the regulatory process.” of factors. UPC Wind has a track record the preliminary assessment phase of the Newton, Massachusetts-based The Co-op’s Board of Directors that includes the successful develop- project. WEC also brings its experience company, visit UPC’s website: determined that the Sheffield project ment of sites in Europe, and has now and positive reputation in the Vermont www.upcwind.com represented a good use of the $941,400 received regulatory approval and is grant WEC received in 2002 from the building projects in Maine and Hawaii. Renewable Portfolio credits, and other elements needed to continued from page 1 support a statewide RPS system. Co-op Currents On the whole, the bill moves Vermont toward a formal embrace of renewable Co-op Currents (Publication No. USPS 711 -210 and ISSN No. 0746- enable Vermont Yankee to continue energy, as other New England states 8784) is published monthly except February, May, August and operating after its storage pool fills up in already have done. November by Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., Route 14, P.O. 2008 – the renewable portfolio Box 8, East Montpelier, Vermont 05651.The cost of this publication is WEC is part of the (The bill also provides a layman’s $.42, which is included in the basic monthly charge to each member.