Most questions mailed in by members were regarding the following: rates, renewable energy, time of day periods and board elections. REC staff will work to answer any questions related to specific members' accounts in the coming weeks.
Questions regarding rates
In general, REC rates are higher than Xcel because REC has far more infrastructure per customer than Xcel. Xcel typically has 30 or 40 meters per mile of installed power line whereas REC as around 5 meters per mile of line.
Several questions related to the implementation of a three-part rate for residential members in April of 2019. A rate which includes charges to cover both fixed and variable costs is a fairer way to charge for the electric services provided. This new rate design increased monthly charges for some members such as those with a distributed generation facility (i.e. solar) and seasonal members. While those groups of members saw an increase in their monthly bills, many members, particularly full-time residents saw a decrease in their monthly bills.
One thing to consider is that even if you don’t use any electricity or produce all your own, REC still has all the poles, wires, transformers and electric system in place for your immediate use.
Renewable Energy
Member Owned Renewable Energy
• Over 150 individual installations
• 1.4 megawatts total
System Renewable Energy
• Humphrey’s Hydro – 352 kilowatts
• Penitente – 2.75 megawatts
Evaluating two solar projects
• One megawatt system solar project
• Community solar project
Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) heaters and On-Peak Hours
REC’s peak time periods have traditionally followed our wholesale electric provider’s time of peak periods.
In the past, the energy, i.e. kilowatt hours (kwh), was used to differentiate the on peak and off peak power costs.
The current time-of-day rates use demand, i.e. kilowatts (kw), to differentiate these costs.
Utilizing demand coincides with REC’s wholesale power provider’s billing structure and thus is more reflective of purchased power costs.
Why are the directors in running unopposed?
In early 2019, information on running for the Board of Director positions was published in the Newsboy, on REC’s website and on social media as is done every election cycle. The simple answer to the question is that no petitions other than the two candidates on the ballot were received.
The following questions weren’t received in time to address at the annual meeting.
How are scholarships decided on?
The board of directors use a rubric to rate each eligible candidate with a score of 0-3 in each of the following categories: GPA; SAT/ACT score; school/community involvement; achievements and the quality of the candidate’s essay.