Letter: Solar power discussion will be open and public

At the Utility Board meeting on Tuesday, March 22, Doug Buresh, Senior Vice-President of Planning and Operations for Indiana Municipal Power Agency, was in attendance, at the request of Huntingburg Energy Superintendent John Reutepohler, to discuss residential solar use and how that might impact our utility. IMPA has been the city’s energy supplier since 2007. They have provided similar information to other IMPA members across the state.

The discussion focused on net-metering, which is used to credit solar energy system owners for electricity added to the grid through solar panels. The presentation was for informational purposes only, and examples of what other cities in Indiana are doing in regards to net-metering were discussed.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first step in gathering information on the topic. The reason for the healthy dialogue on this issue is because this was presented in an open meeting with both media and citizens present. At least four news media outlets cover the council meetings on a regular basis.

An ordinance that involves any fiscal matter is usually introduced at one meeting and then presented for final reading at a subsequent meeting, to allow the Council to receive input from the public. All decisions made by the council are done so during public meetings that are conducted on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month.

Concerning the discussion on Tuesday, IMPA receives no direct benefit of the proposed tariff. Any power generated by residential solar panels in excess of the customer’s usage will reduce the amount of energy the city purchases from IMPA. The purpose of the discussion was to determine an equitable way to implement a process that is fair to both the city and the citizen, as well as to determine if there is a reasonable rate for this program.

This is a program that is totally voluntary. If someone wishes to use solar energy, there are certain safeguards that need to be put in place to protect the city’s assets and all the other rate-paying customers. In cities where a tariff is proposed, it is designed to cover the fixed costs of the utility and only affects customers who are using alternative sources of energy – it does not impact any other rate-payer.

The real benefit would be to the citizen who installs solar panels, which would reduce their energy costs.  Any energy produced that goes into the Huntingburg system would benefit all customers in the reduction of the purchase of energy made by the city.

Any changes in utility rates in the City of Huntingburg must be approved by two bodies, the Utility Board and the Utility Rate Advisory Board. If rate changes are proposed by the elected Utility Board, they will go before the appointed Rate Advisory Board, made up of five utility customers from both inside and outside the city. The Rate Advisory Board reviews the proposal and makes a recommendation to the Utility Board for their action.

I also want to reiterate that our utility crews are highly-trained and have all the certifications required by the state to operate an electric utility. The proposals being considered provides additional safeguards to those employees – something I believe to be very important.

Discussion on this topic will continue at future meetings where representatives from the solar energy industry will be asked to provide their input on this same issue.

We have an engaged public in this community, and for that I am grateful. Huntingburg has a long history of open discussion of issues in public meetings. I am blessed to be Mayor of a community where there is a lively conversation on various topics. It is truly what makes Huntingburg, “A City Like No Other!”

Dennis W. Spinner, Mayor
City of Huntingburg