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NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Ed Rice, Executive Director, Traverse City Light & Power
Phone: (231) 932-4559 or E-mail: ERice@tclp.org
Contact: Phil Callighan, Sr. Account Executive, Knorr Marketing
Phone: (231) 947-9707, ext. 207; Mobile: (231) 342-7590
or E-mail: philc@knorrmarketing.com
L&P Session Dec. 1 Studying Coal vs. Renewable Electric Generation
(Traverse City, Michigan) — Traverse City Light & Power (L&P) will be holding a study session this coming Tuesday, December 1, 2009 to discuss the utility’s plans to acquire a long term electric generation supply. “The utility is losing its access, as of January 1, 2011, to a long term coal fueled electric generation contract with a downstate electric utility,” says Ed Rice, Executive Director of L&P. “For over 25 years, that contract provided a reliable and cost effective electric generation source for approximately 50% of the electricity needs of L&P customers.”
According to Rice, the municipal utility is now at a crossroad regarding whether to diversify its electric generation portfolio to renewable generation or to continue to purchase coal based generation. Presently, L&P acquires over 99% of its electric generation from downstate coal based electric generation plants.
The L&P study session begins at 5:15 p.m. this Tuesday in the second floor City Chambers at the Governmental Center (400 Boardman Avenue).
The current L&P plan is to replace the expiring coal based contract with renewable electric generation sources including wind, solar, landfill gas and wood fueled
biomass electric generation plants. “Traverse City has long been a leader in environmental consciousness and moving to a position of significant renewable electric generation would continue that leadership,” says Rice.
According to Rice, L&P will not “run out” of electricity in 2011. A short term (3-year) contract for coal based generation is currently being negotiated to provide for the immediate electric needs of the community.
At Tuesday night’s study session, Rice will review the steps L&P has been taking with renewable energy resources and the options ahead for L&P, once the short-term contract expires. “Reliable and low cost electricity supply is best achieved through the stability of long term processes such as generation ownership or long term contracts with providers,” says Rice.
Traverse City Light & Power (www.tclp.org) is a community-owned, community-focused municipal utility that offers energy at low rates in the region to over 11,000 customers in Traverse City, and parts of Blair, East Bay, Elmwood, Garfield, Peninsula and Paradise townships.
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