By Richard Kerns
Tribune Staff Writer
KEYSER – Keyser officials hope to enlist in a brownout-prevention program that would pay the city $5,000 or more a month to take some of its heavy equipment off-line and switch to generator power at the wastewater treatment plant during times of especially high electricity demand.
Councilman Charlie Junkins has been working with City Attorney John Athey to finalize an agreement with EnerNoc, a Boston company that helps industrial users and local governments develop “Demand Response” plans that reduce load on the power grid when a brownout threatens.
Such plans pay big electricity users to enter agreements where, upon being notified of a threat to the grid, the users will temporarily take their equipment offline and use alternative power such as a generator. The city of Keyser would join the compact by agreeing to use its generator at the wastewater treatment plant, rather than drawing electricity from the grid.
As presented at this week’s Council meeting, the agreement would only run from June through September, when power use is at its greatest due to air conditioning use in hot weather. The city would only be called on a maximum of 10 times during that period, only on weekdays, and for a maximum duration of eight hours.
Junkins noted that while the city would be required to answer up to 10 “callouts” to go offline, the system has been rarely used in recent years, due in part to the slow economy. “The last two years, there has not been a callout,” he said.
If the city is called out, the agreement provides for full reimbursement of fuel and manpower expenses related to powering with the generators.
Junkins noted that a callout would also allow for real-world testing of the generator, which is currently started up once a week to ensure that the equipment is operational.
By agreeing to the Demand Response plan, the city would be paid a minimum of $5,000 a month, year-round, for a total of $60,000 a year. If the city can demonstrate additional generator capacity, the monthly fee could be as much as $23,000.
“That would be a payment and a half for the water,” Mayor William “Sonny” Rhodes said of the higher fee, noting the $15,000 monthly loan payment the city this week committed to for its $11.5 million water system upgrade.
Describing the deal as a “win-win” for the power grid and the city’s bottom line, the Council members’ only worry is that the city may be too late to the game. Junkins said there is a limited need for Demand Response participants, and EnerNoc is in the process of determining whether Keyser will be needed this year. The city expects to receive word on its status very soon.
With expenses mounting, including the snow cleanup and the pending water project, and with revenue declining as a result of the economy and business flight from the city, Rhodes is hoping EnerNoc brings the city on board.
“It’s going to be a little more income for the city,” he said. “It’s a no-lose situation for us.”
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By Richard Kerns
Tribune Staff Writer
KEYSER – Keyser officials hope to enlist in a brownout-prevention program that would pay the city $5,000 or more a month to take some of its heavy equipment off-line and switch to generator power at the wastewater treatment plant during times of especially high electricity demand.
Councilman Charlie Junkins has been working with City Attorney John Athey to finalize an agreement with EnerNoc, a Boston company that helps industrial users and local governments develop “Demand Response” plans that reduce load on the power grid when a brownout threatens.
Such plans pay big electricity users to enter agreements where, upon being notified of a threat to the grid, the users will temporarily take their equipment offline and use alternative power such as a generator. The city of Keyser would join the compact by agreeing to use its generator at the wastewater treatment plant, rather than drawing electricity from the grid.
As presented at this week’s Council meeting, the agreement would only run from June through September, when power use is at its greatest due to air conditioning use in hot weather. The city would only be called on a maximum of 10 times during that period, only on weekdays, and for a maximum duration of eight hours.
Junkins noted that while the city would be required to answer up to 10 “callouts” to go offline, the system has been rarely used in recent years, due in part to the slow economy. “The last two years, there has not been a callout,” he said.
If the city is called out, the agreement provides for full reimbursement of fuel and manpower expenses related to powering with the generators.
Junkins noted that a callout would also allow for real-world testing of the generator, which is currently started up once a week to ensure that the equipment is operational.
By agreeing to the Demand Response plan, the city would be paid a minimum of $5,000 a month, year-round, for a total of $60,000 a year. If the city can demonstrate additional generator capacity, the monthly fee could be as much as $23,000.
“That would be a payment and a half for the water,” Mayor William “Sonny” Rhodes said of the higher fee, noting the $15,000 monthly loan payment the city this week committed to for its $11.5 million water system upgrade.
Describing the deal as a “win-win” for the power grid and the city’s bottom line, the Council members’ only worry is that the city may be too late to the game. Junkins said there is a limited need for Demand Response participants, and EnerNoc is in the process of determining whether Keyser will be needed this year. The city expects to receive word on its status very soon.
With expenses mounting, including the snow cleanup and the pending water project, and with revenue declining as a result of the economy and business flight from the city, Rhodes is hoping EnerNoc brings the city on board.
“It’s going to be a little more income for the city,” he said. “It’s a no-lose situation for us.”
