6.1a ERMUSR 05-14-2024Elk River _ -
Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
FROM:
ERMU Commission
Mark Hanson — General Manager
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
May 14, 2024
6.1a
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• The Brookings Investors monthly meeting kicked off April 23, 2024. 1 will serve as the
primary member and Finance Manager Melissa Karpinski will serve as our alternate. The
intent of the meeting is to review maintenance needs/costs of the transmission lines
currently owned, as well as research future transmission ownership opportunities.
• I've been working with Connexus Energy and representatives of the Northfork
Homeowners Association in Ramsey. Connexus would like to run an underground tie
line across one of their properties and needs an easement. After hearing of Connexus'
year -long struggles in connecting with the HOA, I volunteered to help facilitate the
discussion. An easement for the tie line is needed because our 2016 territory transfer
interrupted an existing tie. Due to the high costs at the time, the work was delayed until
a more cost-effective route could be identified. We are hopeful an easement will be
granted by the end of the month.
• The Board of Directors of the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) met on April
23, 2024, at Faribault Energy Park in Faribault, Minnesota and via videoconference.
Commissioner Stewart and I attended. The public summary is below:
o MMPA's auditor, FORVIS, presented MMPA's 2023 financial statement audit. The
audit report can be found on MMPA's website www.mmpa.org. The Board
received and accepted the 2023 audit report.
o The Board reviewed the Agency's operating/financial performance for March
2024.
o Customer penetration for the residential Clean Energy Choice program remained
at 5.4%. There was an increase of 41 customers participating in the residential
Clean Energy Choice program from February to March.
o The Board discussed the status of renewable projects the Agency is pursuing.
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