The first meeting of the Demand Side Management & Renewable Energy Collaborative met March 29 to build a process for evaluating renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities for the Eastern Kentucky Power Cooperative service area. The meeting was a very respectful, well organized coming together of different stakeholders — including representatives from all 16 member-cooperatives of EKPC, staff from EKPC itself, environmental advocacyt groups, clean energy experts, and community development organizations. The two year process will allow for on-going communication between groups and exploration of clean energy opportunities for Eastern Kentucky. We will be sure to keep you posted on the efforts of this group, through sub-committee meetings as well as the quarterly Collaborative convenings that are scheduled to take place.
Press Release from EKPC:
DSM/Renewable Collaborative Establishes Charter And Prepares to Start Work
At the first meeting on March 29, members of the Demand Side Management & Renewable Energy Collaborative approved the group’s charter and prepared to delve into energy issues that affect Kentucky.
Members of the Collaborative divided up into committees to consider issues related to current offerings, technology, economics and regulatory feasibility of renewable and demand-side management (DSM) programs.
Using a consensus decision-making process, the Collaborative will evaluate and recommend ways to expand deployment of renewable and DSM options, and promote collaboration in implementing those ideas. The group will meet at least quarterly for the next two years.
“I am excited by the energy and ideas expressed during the Collaborative’s first meeting,” said David Mitchell, EKPC Vice President of Construction & Engineering, who chairs the group. “The Collaborative represents a significant commitment by all members to explore options for renewable energy and DSM programs that are reliable, affordable and make sense for electric cooperative members in Central and Eastern
Kentucky.”
“I believe we’re off to an excellent start,” said Tona Barkley, vice chair of the Collaborative. “It was exciting to see this smart group of people 3 knowledgeable and experienced in a wide variety of areas, and coming from different points of view 3 begin our work together on how to better save energy and add renewable energy generation.”
The Collaborative is made up of representatives of 17 electric cooperatives, three environmental advocacy organizations and other interested stakeholders.
The next Collaborative meeting is scheduled for July 19. Some subcommittees are expected to begin work before then.
Over the next two years, the Collaborative's DSM committee is expected to review: EKPC’s current offerings and participation levels in DSM/direct load control programs; best practices in DSM; on-bill financing for DSM investments; revenue impact of DSM programs on distribution cooperatives; rate treatment of DSM programs, including rate design; job-creation potential of energy efficiency programs; and use of home-energy displays and emerging technologies to facilitate energy efficiency.
The Renewable Energy subcommittee is expected to review renewable technologies with the greatest economic viability; methods for cost recovery; impacts on ratepayers; and the treatment of renewable resources in an integrated resource plan.
Collaborative members include:
• Appalachia – Science in the Public Interest – Andy McDonald
• Big Sandy RECC – Jeff Prater
• Blue Grass Energy Cooperative – Dan Brewer
• Clark Energy Cooperative – Scott Sidwell
• Cumberland Valley Electric – Robert Tolliver
• East Kentucky Power Cooperative – Scott Drake
• Farmers RECC – Chuck Bishop
• Fleming-Mason Energy – Joni Hazelrigg
• Frontier Housing – Josh Trent
• Grayson RECC – Kim Bush
• Inter-County Energy Cooperative – David Phelps
• Jackson Energy Cooperative – Sharon Carson
• Kentuckians For The Commonwealth – Steve Wilkins
• Kentucky Environmental Foundation – Elizabeth Crowe
• Licking Valley RECC – Maudie Nickell
• Mountain Association for Community Economic Development – Nina McCormack
• Nolin RECC – Rick Ryan
• Office of the Kentucky Attorney General – Dennis Howard/Larry Cook
• Owen Electric Cooperative – Mark Stallons
• Salt River Electric – Larry Hicks
• Shelby Energy Cooperative – Theresa Atha
• Sierra Club – Wallace McMullen
• South Kentucky RECC – Alan Coffey
• Taylor County RECC – Ann Beard
EKPC is a not-for-profit organization providing wholesale electricity to 16 distribution cooperatives that serve 500,000 Kentucky homes, farms, businesses and industries across 87 counties. EKPC provides power through plants located in Mason, Clark and Pulaski counties, renewable energy plants in Boone, Laurel, Greenup, Hardin, Mason and Pendleton counties, along with gas peaking units, hydroelectric power and more than 2,900 miles of transmission lines. Nearly 8 percent of EKPC’s generating capacity comes from renewable sources. Together, EKPC and the member cooperatives are known as Kentucky's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.
The Sierra Club is the nation's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization with 1.4 million members nationwide and staff in every state. Since 1892, the Sierra Club has been working to protect communities, wild places, and the planet itself.
Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is a nonprofit grassroots, citizens' organization that has more than 7,200 members across the state. KFTC believes in the power of people, working together, to create a better Kentucky. KFTC members work to challenge injustices, right wrongs, and bring about new economic power, new political power, and new clean energy power for all Kentuckians.
The Kentucky Environmental Foundation (KEF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to securing solutions to environmental problems in a manner that safeguards human health, promotes environmental justice, preserves ecological systems and encourages sustainability.
For more information, contact:
Nick Comer, EKPC External Affairs Manager
Office (general): (859) 744-4812, ext. 450
Office (direct): (859) 745-9450
Mobile: (859) 333-8735
nick.comer@ekpc.coop
