APPA recognizes Western customers' programs and achievements
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| Omaha Public Power District's Power Drive program received the APPA Community Service Award. The event allows high school students to build and drive electric vehicles in a series of rallies. The utility awards two participants with $1,000 scholarships to study science or engineering. (Photo courtesy of OPPD) |
Innovative programming, community service and contributions to the public power industry brought honor to Western customers and their employees at the American Public Power Association's 2003 National Conference in Nashville, Tenn., in June.
The consortium of more than 2,000 municipal utilities commended Omaha Public Power District for "good neighbor" activities demonstrating the utility's commitment to its employees and community. The City of Palo Alto, Calif., Utilities received the 2003 Energy Innovator Award for programs providing better service to electric customers or projects that increase the efficiency of utility operations.
Employees from three Western customers also received awards for their commitment and contributions to the electric utility industry. Individual awards went to Burwell, Neb., City Administrator Robert D. Beat; Westbrook, Minn., Public Utilities Superintendent Dennis Jutting; and G. Richard Judd, the retired chief operating officer and general manager of Utah Municipal Power Agency.
Power Drive program encourages future engineers and scientists
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City of Palo Alto Utilities Director John Ulrich (rt.) accepts the APPA DEED 2003 Energy Innovator Award from Mark Crisson, immediate past chair of APPA's board of directors. The utility's comprehensive sustainability plan also helped to earn Palo Alto the distinction of being the first city to be designated a "Green Business" by Santa Clara County. (Photo courtesy of APPA)
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APPA gave one of five Community Service Awards to OPPD for its Power Drive program. Power Drive gives high school students the opportunity to design and build a one-person electric vehicle. Students showcase their creations in a series of rally competitions leading to a championship event each spring. The utility awards two participants each with a $1,000 scholarship to continue their studies in math, science, industrial technology or other energy-related fields beyond high school.
"We were looking for a community involvement project that would spark awareness in renewable energy and alternative technologies," explained Senior Media Specialist Mike Jones. "A customer who was interested in alternative fuel vehicles came to us with the idea, and we saw a lot of potential in it."
The program's popularity and quick growth confirmed that belief. OPPD introduced Power Drive in the 1998-99 school year, and 12 high schools in the utility's service area participated. The following year, Nebraska Public Power District got involved in promoting the event, and 24 schools from throughout the state sent entrants. NPPD became a full partner in the third year, greatly expanding the program's reach. Students from 50 schools across Nebraska and northern Iowa built safe, energy-efficient vehicles and competed in the 2001 rallies.
Power Drive has attracted sponsors and support from U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Program and the Nebraska Department of Education. OPPD provides most of the funding for the program, however, considering it a wise investment in the community's future. "Among the things we wanted from the event was a way to grow and improve our workforce," said Stone. "I've talked to students who said they would never have thought of going into engineering or the electric industry if it weren't for Power Drive. If OPPD is opening new doors for kids, then we're really accomplishing something big."
Palo Alto's sustainability plan turns city green with energy savings
Sponsored by APPA's Demonstration of Energy Efficient Developments program, the Energy Innovator Award went to the City of Palo Alto Utilities for a program that helped the municipal government institutionalize efficiency measures such as improved purchasing practices, using life cycle costing analysis and better tracking systems.
Prompted by California's energy crisis, Palo Alto's city manager formed a committee in 2001 to look at the best sustainable practices, from energy use to choice of pesticides. "It was the first time we were able to take a systemic approach to creating a sustainable operation," said Utility Marketing Services Manager Tom Auzenne. "We had the outline of the plan, but we had to wait for the right opportunity to put it into action."
CPAU took the lead, helping the city manager's office, public works, planning and administrative services create the long-term plan that reduces energy consumption in city facilities with renewable or alternative technologies, while continuing to meet the energy needs of facility users. Its guiding principles are responsible stewardship in all aspects of the city's functions, educating staff and citizens on those issues, and maintaining a healthy, safe environment for residents and staff.
The plan included adoption of utility-funded audits, promotion of efficient and renewable technologies in renovations, and operational changes to maximize efficiency. Using public benefits funds and state grant money, the city retrofitted lighting in 60 municipal buildings to reduce annual electric consumption by 1.5 million kWh and overall electric demand by 400 kW. Exchanging incandescent traffic-signal bulbs for LED replacements at 89 intersections, including all three traffic signal colors and pedestrian signals, saved another 1.4 million kWh and reduced demand by 161 kW.
Installing automated energy management systems capable of controlling lighting, HVAC and process systems in several large municipal buildings gave CPAU load control capabilities approaching 150 kW. The project inspired a large industrial customer with the same technology in its own building to reconfigure its system to get the full, energy-saving benefits.
The Palo Alto City Council embraced the concept of sustainability, adopting a green building policy that provides a lifecycle cost analysis for major projects. Boilerplate language requiring bidders to include a life cycle costing analysis in construction and purchasing project requests for proposals is currently being drafted.
In addition to the APPA award, Palo Alto became the first governmental organization to be designated as a "Green Business" by Santa Clara County. "The awards validate the direction and the concept of the sustainability program," said Auzenne.
Small municipal utility managers honored for versatility
APPA gave the unique and varied challenges of managing small municipal utilities their due, honoring Robert Beat and Dennis Jutting with the Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award for service to communities of 2,500 or fewer electric meters.
Burwell, Neb., City Administrator Beat hinted that he wore more than seven hats to provide services for the town's 727 electric customers. Some of his initiatives to improve the municipal utility's load include a rebate program for energy-efficient appliances and promoting electric heat systems to business and residential consumers. "Last year, we had 30 customers install ground source heat pumps," he noted proudly.
As a city official, Beat is in the forefront of the on-going renovation of Burwell's downtown district. The project encompasses sidewalk improvements, water main replacements and sewer service upgrades. "The challenges change everyday," he admitted, adding that he enjoyed receiving the recognition of his peers.
Westbrook, Minn., Public Utilities Supervisor Dennis Jutting agreed with Beat's assessment of the job and the honor. Jutting has spent his 35-year career with WPU, "starting at the bottom," as he put it, and working his way up with vision and enthusiasm. "I enjoy doing it because it's always something different," he said.
Variety is to be expected when a utility offers electric, water, sewer, gas and cable television service to its 451 customers, as WPU does. It was under Jutting's leadership that WPU added natural gas and cable television to its services in the 1990s. More recently, he spearheaded the construction of a 2.2-MW Catepillar generator to improve the electric service reliability.
Retired UMPA executive receives award for career of service
One of four industry executives who earned the James D. Donovan Individual Achievement Award for contributions to the electric utility industry and the public power sector, G. Richard Judd spent his career in Utah's public power sector. From the beginning of his career as a grounds worker for Bountiful City until his retirement in 2002 from Utah Municipal Power Agency, Judd took an active role in shaping power issues in the West.
Consumer-owned UMPA is dedicated to supplying reliable and economic power to its member municipalities. As one of UMPA's founders and then its general manager and chief operating officer, Judd worked closely with Western. The relationship proved especially valuable during the California energy crisis. "If I ever needed to have a good partnership with Western Area Power, it was then," he remembered.
In addition to working for UMPA, Judd served four terms as president of the Colorado River Energy Distributors Association and sat on the Operations Committee of the Western System Coordinating Council, responsible for promoting the reliability of the entire western power grid. He also served on APPA's board of directors for four years.
Western congratulates all the utilities and individuals honored at APPA's national conference, but we take particular pride in our customers' awards. Their commitment to their communities and to best practices set an example for the entire energy and utility industries.
