$23,260
Just got off the phone with a staffer at the Public Service Commission. The above figure is the amount of the fine levied against Electric City Power for its management’s failure to procure renewable energy credits in 2008, as required by state law.
This is such a clear demonstration of why the City should not have a power company; it simply is too small and inexperienced to have the needed organizational competence to navigate the myriad laws and administrative rules that govern this particular topic.
Update #2: Coleen Balzarini is claiming that the “difference between buying the extra renewable energy credits for 2008 or accepting the fine is less than $6,000″ and so this, out of the larger fine, is the only real “cost” to us. This is just not the case. The co-gen facility at the waste-water treatment plant could have been used as a Renewable Energy Credit, rather than having to purchase 100% credits if we’d got our act together on time — that would have meant only having to buy ~950 MWHs of credit (at $7.50/MWH, $7,125). In other words, we are suffering a net loss of about $16,000, not $6,000.
Update: Contrary to what had been reported before, ECP does not count as a “public utility supplier” and therefore the cost of this fine can theoretically be passed off to customers — except, of course, that we can’t raise our fixed rates under certain of our contracts. So, yeah, it’s more than likely on taxpayers one way or another…
Looks like this topic is catching fire! Northern Broadcasting System, the Trib, KRTV and KFBB all seem to be picking it out.
“there is no risk”
…John Lawton, City Manager of Great Falls
I asked several times, over the past years, if ECP’s business follies would come out of the taxpayer’s pocket and was told by Ms Balzarini and the ECP Chairman “not to worry” as that would not be the case. Does the word incompetence fit here?
Incompetence or deceit? They think they are fully qualified to run an electric utility and their 60K consultants just told them to rock on. You make the call.
no mater what the fine is; what is distrubing is MS Balzarini’s apparent attitude of “well it is just taxpayers money we are losing, what is the big difference we already wrote of (lost) $1M”.
KRTV has the story, too – and the PSC memo outlining their decision: http://montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11594570
“60K consultants”
Ah well, there is the problem. Cheap consultants.
This money should come out of the incompetant decision makers pockets-not mine!
You don’t get it do you taxpayer? You pocket is theirs.
Anon7:37
Apparently yo are the one who does not understand. My taxes go to support city services not to support a few select city employees and their select businesses. If ECP is run incompetently then the incompetents should be held accountable, either made to pay for their plunders, given a pink slip, or both. Maybe you want to see this continue down the rat hole, but I as a taxpayer do not!
Also KRTV has the story.