2022 marked by major storm, broadband make-ready, rate increase By Stephen Knowlton Washington Electric Cooperative faced two major challenges in 2022. First, Winter Storm Elliott joined us all for Christmas like an unexpected relative, making the holidays more difficult and less comfortable for many WEC members and their actual relatives. As I write this, I find it pleasant to have …
President’s & General Manager’s Message
Evolution and alignment More on net metering; updates on rate increase, supply chain, and changes to incentive program Time to evolve net metering Steve: We continue to hear from our members in response to our net metering theme issue (September 2022). It’s worth reminding our members that we are not faulting those homeowners who have already chosen to net meter, …
Members Write: Responses to September 2022 issue
To Co-op Currents: I applaud the Co-op for making the Co-op Currents digital. However, the September issue had me confused with the links to read the “net metering” pieces at the tail end of the print issue. I first clicked on each of the links and read those pieces; they seemed short and disjointed. I then read the PDF of …
President’s & GM’s Message: Reckoning cooperative values with market-based incentive systems in our collective shift away from fossil fuels
Rate case, response to net metering issue, new CVFiber column, Coventry update, member cookout Co-op Month: Reckoning individual incentives with cooperative values Steve: October is Co-op Month. When I joined Washington Electric’s Board of Directors and was figuring out my responsibilities, a wise Board member told me, whatever decision we make should be made on the basis of what is …
WEC to File Request for Rate Increase
Multiple factors cause the Co-op to need to raise rates by more than 10 percent By Louis Porter WEC is planning to file a request for a significant rate increase with state regulators this month, due to a decline in production from the Coventry plant as work has taken place on the Casella landfill, very high and volatile electricity prices …
Net Metering’s Effects on Washington Electric Co-op
By the Board and General Manager of Washington Electric Co-op As the most expensive form of renewable power in the state, net metering raises the cost of electricity to Vermonters who do not own such systems while it lowers the costs for those who do. The members of Washington Electric Cooperative have a long history of supporting renewable energy. The …
Equity and unintended consequences
It’s the poor feeding the rich. Mack Gardner-Morse Today, WEC Treasurer Don Douglas said, net metering is “shifting the cost of running the Co-op from everybody to just the people who don’t have solar or some other form of net metering.” It’s a fundamental issue of fairness raised by regulators, WEC leaders, members, and others. When the PUC requested comments …
“It’s counterproductive:” Displacing green energy and causing rate pressure
As rates rise, members lose incentive to switch from fossil fuels to electric As a cooperative electric utility with an environmental mission, WEC exists in a mixed landscape of not-for-profits, for-profits, and state goals and mandates, all working to change Vermonters’ behavior. While all are aiming to reduce emissions and fossil fuel use, “we’re running at cross purposes in getting …
Who pays the cost of poles and wires
All members require infrastructure, but cost to maintain it is shifted to ratepayers WEC’s infrastructure costs have risen in recent years. The Co-op has prioritized improving reliability in the face of climate change-related storms and tree damage: that means replacing old poles, installing new poles to shorten long spans of wire, removing “danger trees” that could fall on the lines, …
An attractive partnership
Under Vermont’s net metering rules, large utility customers have a financial incentive to partner with solar developers Anyone who’s run a business knows you can’t sell your product for less than you pay for it. Barry Bernstein “Since I left the legislature [in 2017], calculation rules have been drastically altered to create large commercial development of solar power,” said Tony …
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