Local Units of Government seek reasonably priced and reliable energy supply…

Local units of government all over the nation have been watching the California electric deregulation experiment with both interest and alarm. In the Midwest, an area that has historically been blessed with energy surpluses, we are now forecasting energy deficits as early as 2003 for some areas.

As a local unit of government, there are steps that you can take to help assure both the reliability and reasonable cost of energy supply in your community. Some local governments have taken control of the cost of energy within their boundaries through the municipalization of their local electric and gas distribution systems. Cities have discovered that through planning and effective management, they can secure lower energy rates for their city through municipal ownership, without compromising safety or reliability.

Where municipalization is not an option, a municipality can enhance electric reliability by installing generation within their community. The power can be sold so that the city can recover its costs, while at the same time assuring that the generation will be there to support their local energy requirements.

We have recent experience assisting two Iowa cities with municipalization studies. In both cases, the studies led to successful votes by the citizens to buy out the incumbent IOU. We have also located generation behind the substation and sold the power long term to recover the cost while improving reliability. We are prepared to assist you in controlling energy costs and improving energy reliability in your city.