Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) staff presented the proposed 2011 budget to the RPU Board with a recommendation of no rate increase for the electric or water utility at the RPU Board meeting on Tuesday. This marks the second straight year that RPU has held spending and recommended no rate increase for either utility.

“We have worked diligently to cut and reduce spending in order to present a budget to the Board that does not include a rate increase. We are confident that we presented a sound budget that is in the best interest of our customers,” said RPU general manager Larry Koshire.

Areas that were addressed in order to maintain a level budget for 2011 include:

–       No FTE increases and unfilled positions will be evaluated and will be held open

–       Reductions in facility maintenance and construction has been made

–       Deferring capital projects where applicable

The RPU Board will act on the proposed electric and water budgets at a special November Board Meeting on Tuesday, November 9 at 4 p.m. at the RPU Service Center. Final budget approval will come from the Rochester City Council on November 15 at 7 p.m.

For more information on RPU, the proposed 2011 budget, please contact Tony Benson at 507-280-1534 or email at tbenson@rpu.org.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 47,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 36,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) staff will present the 2011 budget proposal to the RPU Board with a recommendation of no rate increase for the electric or water utility for the second straight year. The RPU Board will hear the budget proposal at the October 26 board meeting and will take action on the budget at a special board meeting on November 9.

“We believe a zero percent rate increase during this continued difficult economic time is a clear message of our commitment to our customers. Because of the continued dedication of our employees, we will be able to maintain our current budget levels without compromising our core values of safety and reliability in our service,” said RPU general manager Larry Koshire.

RPU is committed to being fiscally sound during the continued tough economic times. However, keeping budget levels flat over the last two years has proven to be challenging due to increased operating costs. Some of the key items that will put pressure on the 2011 budget include:

–       Purchased power costs continue to be the single largest expenditure. The purchased power expense will be approximately $90 million, which accounts for 68 percent of the total operating budget in 2011.

–       Lack of demand in the Midwest Independent System Operators (MISO) energy market, where local generation from RPU could be sold

–       Increase in costs for necessary items such as utility poles, wire, pipes, and equipment

In order to sustain the reductions from the 2009 and 2010 budgets, RPU staff has worked diligently to ensure that reductions were made in places that will not compromise certain core pieces of RPU’s business. Some of the areas that were addressed include:

–       No FTE increases and unfilled positions will be evaluated and will be held open

–       Reductions in facility maintenance and construction has been made

–       Deferring capital projects where applicable

The RPU Board will act on the proposed electric and water budgets at a special November Board Meeting on Tuesday, November 9 at 4 p.m. at the RPU Service Center. Final budget approval will come from the Rochester City Council on November 15 at 7 p.m.

For more information on RPU, the proposed 2011 budget, please contact Tony Benson at 507-280-1534 or email at tbenson@rpu.org.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 47,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 36,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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ROCHESTER, MN— The Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) Board will consider approval of the 2010 electric and water budgets at the special November 10 meeting. The 2010 budget recommendations no rate increase for the electric or water utility.

The recommended electric budget for 2010 comes despite an increase from RPU’s wholesale power supplier, Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) of four percent. This will increase RPU’s purchased power costs to over $91 million in 2010. Purchased power equates to roughly 68 percent of RPU’s total budget expense. In addition to absorbing the SMMPA increase, RPU plans to make internal reductions and cuts by continuing cost reductions made in 2009, not increasing workforce, and through employee furloughs.

Reductions and efficiencies made to keep the budget at 2009 levels will not compromise certain core pieces of RPU’s business. RPU will continue to invest in safety, training, and equipment for employees, work diligently to meet the state mandate for energy conservation of 1.5% of kilowatt- hour sales, maintain a high level of customer service, and improve reliability through expansion of transmission initiatives such as CapX2020.

“We are well aware of the tough economic times that our customers are experiencing and we chose to be proactive and develop a budget that doesn’t include a rate increase for 2010.  Thanks to the foresight of the Utility Board, RPU is in a strong financial position to meet the challenges that are ahead. We feel that this approach is in the best interest of everybody and will ultimately ease the financial burden for customers, as we all work to get through these tough times,” said Larry Koshire, RPU General Manager.

A change in water rate structure will be proposed in early 2010 to meet the state mandate for water utilities to implement a water conservation rate structure. The proposed rate structure will change the amount certain customer classes pay for water. The rate structure will be put in place to incent customers to conserve water and will charge higher usage customers for the increased use.

The RPU Board will act on the proposed electric and water budgets at a special November Board Meeting on Tuesday, November 10 at 4p.m. at the RPU Service Center. Final budget approval will come from the Rochester City Council on November 16 at 7 p.m.

For more information on RPU, the proposed 2010 budget, or the water conservation rates, please contact Tony Benson at 507-280-1534 or email at tbenson@rpu.org.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 47,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 36,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2009

CONTACT:        Tony Benson

                        Communications Coordinator

                        507-280-1534

                        tbenson@rpu.org

RPU to Study Water Conservation Rates

ROCHESTER, MN— RPU is currently conducting a study to implement water conservation rates. Conservation rates are put into place to encourage people to use water wisely.  The focus of the study will be on residential customers and creating an equitable manner to provide water for purposes of sustaining health and welfare benefits, at the same time discouraging wasteful use of water. 

In addition to establishing the water conservation rates, the study will provide guidance on educational programs to help customers reduce water consumption and rebate programs to replace inefficient water appliances.  Recently, RPU has partnered with Olmsted County to provide a rain barrels to residents to be used for gardening and lawn applications.  Programs like this will be introduced for consideration for the future conservation program.

“Communities throughout Minnesota have been implementing water conservation rates due to the legislature requiring conservation rates,” said Jerry Williams, RPU Board President.  “RPU is implementing the water conservation rates not only because it is the law but because it aligns with one of RPU’s core values of stewardship.”

For a complete background on the new water conservation rates, please reference Minnesota Statutes section 103G.291 subd. 3 and 4.

The first presentation of the water conservation study and proposed rate structures will be held at the September 29, 2009, RPU Board Meeting.  The meetings are at 4:00 pm at the RPU Service Center and are open to the public.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 47,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 36,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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RPU 2010 Budget Schedule Established

RPU General Manager Larry Koshire