[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Community s renewable energy could soar with wind energy contract

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Connie Kacprowicz, Utility Services Specialist, 573-874-7325

Community’s renewable energy could soar with wind energy contract

COLUMBIA, MO (January 17, 2012) - Columbia Water & Light has delivered a wind energy contract with NextEra Energy Resources, LLC to the Columbia City Council for consideration. The 20 year contract with NextEra Energy Resources is for 21 megawatts of wind generated power from Iowa. This energy will help Columbia Water & Light exceed the city's renewable energy requirements. This long-term contract for wind energy allows the University of Missouri to purchase half of the wind power from the city through short-term agreements. The City Council will consider the wind energy provision with the University of Missouri at the same time they are deciding on the contract with NextEra Energy Resources.

 

NextEra Energy Resources responded to a Request for Proposals that Columbia Water & Light sent out in February 2011 in accordance with the city's purchasing regulations. The most favorable proposal came from NextEra Energy Resources. At their November meeting, the Water and Light Advisory Board unanimously decided to forward the contract to the City Council for approval. The 21 megawatt wind energy contract will produce around 60,000 kilowatt hours in one year which is enough energy to power an estimated 6,000 households. The wind energy will be generated for Columbia from the Crystal Lake III Wind Energy Center located in Hancock County, Iowa. If the power purchase agreement is approved by the City Council at the February 6, 2012 meeting, the delivery of energy will begin within a month.

 

In 2011 Columbia Water & Light had 5.4% of its electric supply coming from renewable energy resources which surpasses the 2013 requirement passed by voters in 2004. Columbia Water & Light will increase their renewable energy portfolio by 2.6% with the 10.5 megawatts from the NextEra wind energy contract. By 2018 the city will be required to have 10% of its electric supply from renewable resources. An Integrated Resource Plan approved by the City Council in 2008 determined that future energy needs should be partially fulfilled with wind energy contracts.

 

According to the renewable energy ordinance, the cost of the energy can not raise the electric rates more than 3%. The fixed cost of the wind energy delivered to Columbia starts at $42.50 per megawatt hour and then increases to $43.50 in 2013, $44.50 in 2014 and $45.00 in 2015 for the remaining years of the contract. The estimated cost for the city's share of the energy in the first year will have a 0.75% impact on rates. The cost of energy from this intermittent wind resource is below the current energy and capacity cost of $48 for new sources of fossil fuel generated energy.

 

For more information about Columbia's renewable energy portfolio, please see the 2011 Renewable Energy Report available at GoColumbiaMo.com. The draft of the 2012 report will be released in February.


 -30- 

______________________________________________________

You have received this message because you subscribe to the City of Columbia’s Web Mail service. To view linked material click on provided links or copy and paste them into your browser's address menu.
______________________________________________________

If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided. 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Web_Mail/
______________________________________________________

Archived press releases can be viewed online at:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Public_Information/Press_Releases/
______________________________________________________

If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided. 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Web_Mail/