Utility Subcommittee of the Energy Task Force Minutes

MINUTES

Meeting No. 5
City of Madison Energy Task Force - Utility Subcommittee
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
5:00 p.m. - Rm. 300 Madison Municipal Building
215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI

Attendees:

Jeanne Hoffman, Mayoral Assistant, Greg Bollom, MG & E; Charlie Higley, Citizens Utility Board; Michael Vickerman, RENEW Wisconsin; B.J. Moghadam, Energy Lifeline Coalition; Dave Poklinkoski, IBEW Local 2304; Chris Deisinger, MSB Energy Consulting; Jim Mapp, DOA/DSE; Paul Meier, Meier Engineering Research; Nino Amato WI Industrial Energy Group & President WI Coalition of Energy Consumers; David Helbach, Alliant Energy; Larry Nelson, City Engineer;

1. The Minutes of the Utility Subcommittee Meeting No. 4 of January 21, 2004 were approved with one change.

2. Presentation by Alan Rutkowski, Alliant Energy on Generating Energy from Wastewater Treatment Facilities.
Mr. Rutkowski slide presentation is attached.

3. City Engineering presented the City of Madison Energy Consumption figures for 2003 (MG & E Customers only). It was agreed that the format for the information was acceptable and that the Water Utility energy consumption and customers served by Alliant should be added to the list.

4. Greg Bollom of MG & E reported regarding MG & E’s renewable energy program. Mr. Bollom’s slide presentation is attached.

5. General discussion regarding information acquired and future directions.
Vickerman reported that the Green Pricing Collaborative (GPC) had met. Wind power is becoming more competitive and smaller energy projects are becoming more competitive.
Vickerman reported that the State Energy Task Force was suggesting a goal of 10% renewable energy purchases for 2005 and a 20% goal for 2010.
Hoffman stated that she will continue to monitor the meetings of the GPC through e-mail.
Next meeting will be April 8, 2004 – from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at MG & E
Bollom stated that the original Wind turbines were 660 kilowatts mounted on towers 65 meters in height. The latest generation towers are from 1.5 to 1.65 megawatts and mounted on towers 80 meters in heights. 80 meters in height seems to be the maximum height that towers can be constructed due to transportation issues for the tower components.
Vickerman stated that one of the most significant issues for the Subcommittee is that our transmission lines provided power to the City of Madison are reaching capacity. He felt it was necessary to bring the Mayor into the discussion process with regard to transmission lines. ATC is presently working on a transmission line from the Femrite substation to the Sprecher/Cottage Grove substation. There will be a large substation connecting the north side of Madison to the Columbia Power Plant. By far the biggest line will be the construction of a transmission line that will link Wisconsin to energy sources in Iowa terminating in the West side of the City of Madison.
With Earth Day on the horizon, the report of the Energy Task Force along with the opening of the Solar Collector installation at 215 Martin Luther King Blvd. represents a positive support for the environment by the City and its partnering utilities.

6. Next Meeting

Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10, 2004 at 3 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 7 p.m.

Submitted by:

Larry D. Nelson, P.E.
City Engineer