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July 7, 2010

L&P may drop energy goal of '30 by 20'

BY ART BUKOWSKI abukowski@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Light & Power may be forced to abandon its oft-mentioned goal of sourcing 30 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020, but local generation of some sort is still a top priority.

Light & Power Director Ed Rice and Board Chairman Mike Coco briefed the Traverse City Commission on Tuesday night. They told commissioners that public opposition to a wood-burning biomass plant likely dealt a death blow to their lauded "30 by 20" goal.

"We're going to have to really rethink whether or not we can shoot for 30 percent renewable if we're not going to do biomass," Coco said.

Light & Power recently said they'd put biomass "on the back burner" after many citizens voiced concerns about the project. The utility hoped to build a plant that would consume 10 truckloads of wood a day.

But Light & Power still remains committed to securing some form of local generation, even if it is fired by fossil fuels. Nearly all of the power it provides to customers is shipped up from downstate, and utility officials want the independence, security and stability local generation could provide.

Commissioners seemed on board with that idea, especially considering the amount of money — about $18 million a year — that's shipped out of the community to buy power.

"I don't have answers for you guys, but I do feel very strongly that Traverse City Light & Power should own some of their own power," Commissioner Mary Ann Moore said. "You'd have more control, and it will bring more money into the community rather than sending it downstate."

But much is up in the air now with Light & Power's future, and at least one commissioner believes local generation never will happen.

"I'm projecting that this city is going to vote down any local generation," Commissioner Jim Carruthers said.

Carruthers, who also serves on Light & Power's board, was referencing a potential November ballot question that would give residents the right to vote on any Light & Power generation plans.

Former Traverse City Mayor Margaret Dodd believes she collected enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot, and her petition is now working its way through the approval process.

Commissioner Barbara Budros, a strong critic of Light & Power's handling of the biomass public input process, won't count out local generation.

"I think the community has spoke very loudly about biomass, but I'm not as pessimistic as (Carruthers) about local generation being completely dead," she said.

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