5.4 ERMUSR 07-10-2018 Elk River
Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO: FROM:
ERMU Commission Tom Sagstetter—Conservation and Key Accounts Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
July 10, 2018 5.4
SUBJECT:
Holiday Lighting Contest
ACTION REQUESTED:
Discussion and direction regarding future of the holiday lighting contest
BACKGROUND:
The holiday lighting efficiency program and lighting contest began in 2012 with a focus on
community engagement and energy efficiency education. At the time,the goal was to raise
awareness of the new LED holiday light technology and provide residential customers with
incentives to purchase the new LED lights that supported our conservation improvement
program efforts for residential lighting. ERMU provided educational materials and coupons for
each residential customer through bill inserts and newspaper advertisements.
The holiday lighting contest had 8 participants in 2012 and grew to a peak of 29 in 2015. The last
two years, despite additional marketing through social media,the participation dropped to 14 and
15 respectively. In addition to the decline in participation,the educational and energy saving
opportunities have decreased dramatically. The lighting market has been transformed and
virtually all holiday lights sold today are LED. Due to this lighting market transformation,
ERMU no longer provides coupons for the purchase of LED holiday lights.
DISCUSSION:
Per commission direction, staff has researched holiday lighting contests that are sponsored or
supported by municipal utilities. Only two such programs were found: one in Kentucky, and the
other in Princeton, MN. Princeton Public Utilities staff indicated that the program has had
decreasing participation, but intends to continue the program through 2018.
The contest does provide value as a community event through community engagement.
However,the contest does not currently provide energy saving value for ERMU's conservation
improvement program (CIP) as ERMU no longer has a residential LED holiday light rebate.
Staff has had discussions with other potential program administrators, including the City of Elk
River and Independent School District(ISD) 728 Community Education,to determine whether
they would be interested in assuming the administration and promotion of the Holiday Lighting
Contest.Neither the City of Elk River nor ISD728 have provided staff with an answer regarding
assumption of the program. Regardless, based on the recent declining participation, staff is
recommending that ERMU discontinue the holiday lighting contest effective immediately.
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