Blog Archive

Friday, December 18, 2020

December 22, 2020 Regular Glasgow EPB Meeting

December 22, 2020 Regular EPB Meeting
TENTATIVE REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD
DECEMBER 22, 2020
6:00 PM
GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD Regular Meeting, 6:00 PM
This meeting will be exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
2. CONSIDER MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 24, 2020 REGULAR
MEETING
3. CONSIDER COVID RESPONSE,
RESULTS
4. CONSIDER BAD DEBT WRITE-OFFS
5. CONSIDER RESPONSE FROM TVA REGARDING FLEXIBILITY
OPTION
6. CONSIDER CHANGES TO EPB PAY PLAN
A. CONSIDER ANNUAL SUPERINTENDENT PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
7. CONSIDER CABLE PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS
8. CONSIDER ROOF REPAIR BID OPENING
9. CABLE TELEVISION RATE ADJUSTMENT
10. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
A. NOVEMBER METRICS AND FINANCIAL METRICS
REVIEW
B. JANUARY FCA
C. CPD LEDGER
D. TVA RATE CHANGE PROPOSAL
11. OLD/NEW BUSINESS
A. DISCUSS FORMAT OF FUTURE EPB MEETINGS
12. ADJOURN
TO: Members of Glasgow Electric Plant Board
FROM: William J. Ray, PE
DATE: 12/18/2020
SUBJECT: Board Meeting Information
December Main Topics
 EPB and COVID-19
 Accounts to be Written Off
 Review and Consider EPB Pay Plan for 2020
 Evaluate Superintendent’s Performance
Discussion of TVA's Response to Flexibility Agreement Inquiry
 Roof Repair Bid
 Cable Television Rate Change
 Reports
Action Items
January 1 FCA
 The January 2021 TVA FCA is
projected to increase to 1.577
cents per kWh.
 Continued abundant hydro
power capacity and reduced
energy sales due to the COVID
impact, result in record low FCA
numbers.
 On January 1, the energy component of our retail rates will adjust to reflect this
change.
Bi-Annual Write Offs Report and Recommendation
 List of accounts proposed to be written-off is provided as an attachment.
 Superintendent will review the list of accounts with board and make a
recommendation.
Annual EPB Pay Plan Review
 Per the Board’s long-standing directions, a survey of the pay plans of peer
utilities has been conducted.
 This year, the delta between EPB Hourly pay rates and the average of the peer
group was found to be 2.0%.
 Superintendent will recommend a 2.0% adjustment to hourly position pay rates
for 2021, along with corresponding adjustments to the midpoints of the six EPB
merit pay grades.
 Nationwide CPI change over the 12 months ending in November, as reported by
Bureau of Labor Statistics, is 1.6% https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
 Superintendent will recommend budgets for hourly, merit, apprentice, and
retirement/replacements for 2021, and those recommendations will continue the
five-year trend of annual salary budgets increasing only 1.25% on average.
Performance Review of Superintendent
 A performance review of the Superintendent is customarily performed during the
December meeting
Programming Committee Recommendations
 Every three years we have to renegotiate Retransmission Consent Agreements
with the broadcasters in Bowling Green. These “negotiations” are always
contentious and there is very little negotiation. We are offered the ABC, NBC,
CBS, and Fox networks for an outrageous price, and it is then left up to us to
take them or leave them.
 As usual, the offer from WBKO is coming in at the very last minute. In fact, as
this is written, the final numbers are not even available to us.
 At the meeting I will give you the recommendations of the Programming
Committee relative to these broadcast channels. Your decision on their
recommendation will be a major part of the cable rate adjustment that is also on
the agenda for this meeting.
EPB Main Office Roof Repair
 For many years EPB has done proactive management of the flat roof on the main
office building, so as to plan for the expense and timing of the maintenance
necessary on the roofing systems.
 2021 is the planned time to perform replacement of a large segment of the
roofing system on the older part of the main office building. To that end, bid
specifications were developed and bids were solicited on December 1, 2020.
 There was only one bidder. At the meeting I will recommend that you approve
that bid and give me permission to engage Gunter Roofing to perform the roofing
system maintenance and replacement.
Needed CATV Rate Adjustment
 The usual July rate adjustment was not made in July 2020, due to the pandemic
and the economic hardships attendant thereto.
 All programmers pass along automatic January 1 rate increases, and this year
the local broadcast stations in Bowling Green are also passing along dramatic
increases.
 The proposed increase can be mitigated some because of the dramatic increase
in LAN Only accounts, for which we do not have to pay programming costs.
At the meeting a proposed rate adjustment for cable television services will be
presented and recommended to the Board, such that the growing cost of
programming will be addressed.
Reports
 Metrics and Financial Review
 January 2021 FCA
 CPD Charge Reserve Fund Status
- kW demand markup was implemented two years ago, to cover TVA
wholesale cost for missed peak predictions
- Updated calculations will be presented at the meeting if available. The
fund is in acceptable shape due to overall accuracy of peak predictions,
but the problems with accuracy in 2019 and 2020 have hurt the fund.
 Retail Electric Rate Change Proposal to TVA
 TVA – EPB Flexibility Agreement Matter
Old/New Business
 Discuss Format of Future EPB Meetings
Conclusion

Please let me know if you have any questions before the meeting. 

Monday, November 23, 2020

Special Called EPB Board Meetings, November 24, 2020

 Glasgow EPB Special Board Meeting/Meetings, November 24, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, and 9:00 PM

GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD
This series of Special meetings will be held exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting, or meetings, will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at
https://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/
These Meetings Called by DT Froedge
The agenda for all of the special meetings will be the same as the agenda published for the regular meeting, which has already been posted here.
Friday, November 20, 2020

Regular EPB Meeting, November 24, 2020

   GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD Regular Meeting, 6:00 PM

This meeting will be exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at

https://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/

   1.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA

   2.  CONSIDER MINUTES OF OCTOBER 27, 2020 REGULAR MEETING

   3.  CONSIDER COVID RESPONSE, RESULTS

   4.  CONSIDER FRAUD POLICY 

   5.  CONSIDER CHANGES TO EPB RULES OF PROCEDURE

   6.  CONSIDER ENGAGEMENT OF OUTSIDE ATTORNEY TO DEFEND BOARD AGAINST            LEGAL  ACTION BY SUPERINTENDENT IN BARREN CIRCUIT COURT

   7.  CONSIDER ACTION ON THE EXPIRATION OF THE TVA FLEXIBILTY AGREEMENT    DEADLINE

   8.  SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

A. OCTOBER METRICS AND FINANCIAL METRICS REVIEW

B. DECEMBER FCA

C. CPD LEDGER

D. TVA RATE CHANGE PROPOSAL

E. REPORT ON ILT PAYMENTS

   9.  OLD/NEW BUSINESS

A. DISCUSS FORMAT OF FUTURE EPB MEETINGS

B. CONSIDER PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

   10.   ADJOURN


TO:                       Members of Glasgow Electric Plant Board                 

                                                                                               

FROM:                  William J. Ray, PE                 

                                                                                               

DATE:                  11/20/2020  

                                                                                                                  

SUBJECT:            November Board Meeting Information                                           

 

 

                                     

November Main Topics

 

Ø  EPB Operations in COVID-19 Environment and Results of Resuming Non-Payment Disconnects

Ø  EPB Fraud Policy

Ø  Discuss Changes to EPB Rules of Procedure

Ø  Engage New Defense Counsel

Ø  Potential Action Relative to TVA Flexibility Agreement

Ø  Reports

Ø  Programming Committee Recommendations

 

The November meeting has a rather short agenda, but the discussions about that agenda might be lengthy.  

We all know that the present legal status of the Board is tough due to rulings and orders issued by Barren Circuit Court. However, the EPB mission is still fixed and it is imperative that all members meet to discuss these matters on the agenda. I urge you to attend, and to approve an agenda so that we can keep moving forward.

 

Action Items

December 1 FCA

Ø  The December 2020 TVA FCA will decrease to 1.483 cents per kWh. This is a sizable month-to-month decrease. In fact, this is the lowest December FCA in TVA history. COVID influenced October sales were in line with projections, and hydro generation was unusually high. Those factors allowed more load to be served with hydro power, which reduced fuel costs.    

Ø  On December 1, the energy component of our retail rates will adjust to reflect this decrease passed on by TVA.

  

COVID 19 Impact on EPB and Results of Resumption of Disconnects

Ø  Service disconnections for non-payment on essential services have now been resumed, using the guidelines you approved last month. At the meeting we will have some metrics on how that resumption has impacted our finances and those of the Community Relief Fund.

Ø  We closed the EPB lobby to the public on Wednesday, March 18, and it is still closed. While we are anxious to reopen the lobby, Barren County’s infection rates are now far higher than they were when we closed the lobby. That means it would still be risky to invite the public into the lobby. We are still in contact with GWC, FRECC, and SCRTC regarding their lobby opening decisions, but we have the smallest team, and thus the most vulnerable to a spread of the virus within our ranks. Right now, we are planning to continue our present safety policies indefinitely.  

Ø  As reported at the last meeting, City of Glasgow was lucky to receive over $1 million in CARES Act funding from the Federal Government. We have asked City of Glasgow to pass a resolution which would authorize our customers, who are in arrears on their accounts with us, to apply for a portion of that funding to help them get back to even. We trust that the City will comply with this request, but as of this writing, we still have gotten no response to our formal letter of request.

EPB Fraud Policy

Ø  Since Lanny White commented on this policy as a deficiency of EPB Internal Control during his report last month, it is on the agenda again for the Board’s consideration.

Ø  Attached to this narrative is a copy of the policy we first proposed over two years ago. Frankly, I have forgotten what problem the Board had with the policy that resulted in it not being approved, but I trust you will review it so that we can consider adopting it at the November meeting.

Ø  In 2018, after the Board declined to adopt the policy, I adapted it to use in our Human Resources policy administration, and I informed each EPB employee that this policy would be part of my administration. We also had each member of the EPB team sign the document, just to make it clear that the policy does apply to them. So, the only remaining step is for the Board to adopt the policy, which will make it also applicable to the Board.

Engagement of New Outside Counsel

Ø  This matter was added by Chairman Froedge, and I have nothing to add in the way of explanation.

TVA Flexibility Agreement Discussion

Ø  This matter was added by Chairman Froedge, and I have nothing to add in the way of explanation.

Possible Changes to EPB Rules of Procedure

Ø  Chairman Froedge has expressed his desire to alter the EPB Rules of Procedure in such a way as to make the Chairman solely responsible for setting the agenda for Board meetings.

Ø  The section of the EPB Rules of Procedure that deals with meeting agendas follows:

o   The Superintendent shall propose the AGENDA to the Board, at least five (5) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting, and ask the members for additional AGENDA items they might want added.  After a reasonable period, the Superintendent shall publish the AGENDA, with all items proposed by the Superintendent and all Board members.  This shall become the AGENDA for the meeting, absent any action in the meeting to add or delete items. 

Ø  This section will have to be altered to put the Board Chairman in complete control of the agenda, and it is not at all clear to me how to do that. This language will be presented at the meeting so that the Board can consider specific changes to the language that will accomplish the procedure change that they desire.

 

Reports

Ø  October Metrics and Financial Review

Ø  December FCA

Ø  CPD Charge Reserve Fund Status

-       kW demand markup was implemented two years ago, to cover TVA wholesale cost for missed peak predictions

-       Updated calculations will be presented at the meeting. We are beginning a new year of this reporting, and so far, the fund is in acceptable shape due to overall accuracy of peak predictions.

Ø  Retail Rate Change Proposal Submitted to TVA – Progress

Ø  Report of 2020 In Lieu-of-Tax Payments to Local Agencies


Old/New Business

 I put the matter of deciding whether to go back to a more normal meeting format on the agenda again. We have done some research and will have a clear set of guidelines we would need to follow, should you wish to go back to a face-to-face format for our meetings. You will also need to consider ratifying recent recommendations from the Cable Television Programming Committee.

 Conclusion

 

Please let me know if you have any questions before the meeting. Prepare for another meeting experience using Zoom.


Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Special EPB Meeting, November 19, 4:00 PM

 GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD

This meeting will be exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at
https://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/
Meeting Called by DT Froedge
AGENDA:
Agenda Item 1
Consider engagement of outside attorney to defend Board against legal action by Superintendent in Barren County Circuit Court.
Agenda Item 2
Consider action on the expiration of the TVA Flexibility Agreement deadline.


Friday, October 23, 2020

October 27, 2020 Glasgow EPB Regular Meeting, 6:00 PM

 GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD

This meeting will be exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at https://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/ This meets the newest requirements for open meetings during the Covid-19 State Emergency.This meeting will be exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page athttps://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/
TENTATIVE AGENDA,
6:00 PM, On EPB Cable 6 and EPB You Tube Channel
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
2. CONSIDER MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 REGULAR MEETING AND OCTOBER 20, 2020 SPECIAL MEETING
3. CONSIDER ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT FROM CRI
4. DISCUSS EPB COVID-19 RESPONSE, RESULTS, AND CITY’S $1M+ CARES ACT FUNDING AND CONSIDER EPB PLAN TO RESUME DISCONNECTION FOR NON- PAYMENT
5. CONSIDER TVA RESPONSE TO RATE PROPOSAL AND NEXT STEPS ON RETAIL ELECTRIC RATES
6. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
A. SEPEMBER METRICS AND FINANCIAL METRICS REVIEW
B. NOVEMBER FCA
C. CPD LEDGER
7. OLD/NEW BUSINESS
A. DISCUSS FORMAT OF FUTURE EPB MEETINGS
B. DT Froedge Agenda Items
Agenda Item 1
Election of Officers
Agenda Item 2
Amending the procedures of the GEPB such that the Chairman of Board shall compose the Board meeting agenda
Agenda Item 3
Suspend Billy Ray’s position as Superintendent and direct his removal from the building effective at 7:59 AM CDT on October 28, 2020 for the reasons described in the attached Notice of Employment Action and of Hearing. The suspension will be with pay, until a termination hearing that must be requested by him within 30 days of receipt of the attached Notice of Employment Action and of Hearing. Failure to request the hearing before that date will result in termination.
Agenda Item 4
Authorize current CFO to assume administrative duties and function as acting Superintendent at 8:00AM CDT on October 28, 2020 until an interim or permanent Superintendent is appointed by the Board.
Agenda Item 5
Authorize the Chairman to engage a personnel search firm to find and provide to GEPB qualified candidates for the position for an interim or permanent Superintendent for the GEPB.
8. ADJOURN

TO: Members of Glasgow Electric Plant Board
FROM: William J. Ray, PE
DATE: 10/23/2020
SUBJECT: October Board Meeting Information
October Main Topics
Ø Annual Audit Report
Ø EPB Operations in COVID-19 Environment and Plan to Resume Disconnects for Non-Payment
Ø Discuss ramifications of TVA Response to Rate Framework
Ø Reports
Ø Variety of Officer Elections, Board Policy Changes, and Superintendent Employment Action
The October meeting has a rather short agenda, but the discussions about that agenda might be lengthy.
We all know that the present legal status of the Board is tough due to rulings and orders issued by Barren Circuit Court. However, the EPB mission is still fixed and it is imperative that all members meet to discuss these matters on the agenda. I urge you to attend, and to approve an agenda so that we can keep moving forward.
Action Items
📷
November 1 FCA
Ø The November 2020 TVA FCA will increase to 1.544 cents per kWh. This is a sizable month-to-month increase. COVID influenced September sales were surprisingly high, and hydro generation was unusually low, while there were outages to combined cycle gas units. Those factors put upward pressure on the FCA.
Ø On November 1, the energy component of our retail rates will adjust to reflect this increase passed on by TVA.
Annual Audit Report for Glasgow EPB
Ø Lanny White, from Carr, Riggs & Ingram, will deliver the annual report on findings by the team of auditors who examined all EPB finances and methods of operating the business, for Fiscal 2020.
Ø This is the final year of a three-year engagement of CRI. Soon after January 1, we will need to issue an RFP for the consideration of the Board and the Glasgow Common Council, for audit services going forward.
Ø A copy of the audit report is attached to this narrative, since Lanny will not be able to hand them out during the Zoom meeting.
Ø Copies of the report will be shared with the City of Glasgow, and I will appear before City Council, perhaps in November, or maybe December (whenever I can get on the agenda) to discuss the audit and other 2020 activities of Glasgow EPB.
COVID 19 Impact on EPB and Proposed Plan for Resumption of Disconnects
Ø Service disconnections for non-payment on essential services have been discontinued since March, pending relaxation of the order by the Governor. Since that order has now been rescinded, the Superintendent will present a recommendation for returning to semi-normal collections policy. An outline of the recommended steps to return to some level of normalcy relative to collections, and, at the same time, help EPB customers who have fallen into arrears on their accounts, recover in an orderly fashion, is attached to this narrative. At the meeting we will discuss and seek Board approval for the plan before any customer notifications begin.
Ø We closed the EPB lobby to the public on Wednesday, March 18, and it is still closed. While we are anxious to reopen the lobby, our area infection rates are still peaking. That means it would still be risky to invite the public into the lobby. We are still in contact with GWC, FRECC, and SCRTC regarding their lobby opening decisions, but we have the smallest team, and thus the most vulnerable to a spread of the virus within our ranks. Right now, we are planning to continue our present safety policies indefinitely.
Ø As reported at the last meeting, City of Glasgow was lucky to receive over $1 million in CARES Act funding from the Federal Government. We have asked City of Glasgow to pass a resolution which would authorize our customers, who are in arrears on their accounts with us, to apply for a portion of that funding to help them get back to even. We trust that the City will comply with this request, but as of this writing, we have gotten zero response to our formal letter of request.
Retail Rates Review
Ø We made a commitment to an Advisory Committee, and to the City of Glasgow, to conduct annual analysis of our retail electric rates. This is a sound business practice that should be followed, regardless of our commitments, and that preliminary review took place in the August meeting, with discussion continuing in the September meeting.
Ø Instead of pursuing our historic course of refining, updating, and progressing the retail rate architecture which presently works so well for EPB and the overwhelming majority of EPB customers, a rate architecture was proposed by the Board. The Board’s proposed architecture includes a return to historic volumetric rates, a system which is not recommended by EPB management.
Ø The Board proposal was submitted to TVA for their comments, and those comments have been provided to the Board.
Ø At the meeting we will consider TVA’s response, and any direction the Board can give us on next steps. The pursuit of the Board-derived architecture will include a lot of work that will consume a lot of time. If that is the approach desired, we need to get rolling on it.
Various Agenda Items Submitted by DT Froedge
Ø Election of Board Officers
Ø Alter Board Policy to Give Chairman Complete and Exclusive Authority Over Agenda
Ø Suspend Billy Ray’s position as Superintendent and direct his removal from the building effective at 7:59 AM CDT on October 28, 2020
Ø Authorize current CFO to assume administrative duties and function as acting Superintendent at 8:00AM CDT on October 28, 2020 until an interim or permanent Superintendent is appointed by the Board.
Ø Authorize the Chairman to engage a personnel search firm to find and provide to GEPB qualified candidates for the position for an interim or permanent Superintendent for the GEPB.
Reports
Ø September Metrics and Financial Review
Ø November FCA
Ø CPD Charge Reserve Fund Status
- kW demand markup was implemented two years ago, to cover TVA wholesale cost for missed peak predictions
- Updated calculations will be presented at the meeting. We are beginning a new year of this reporting, and so far, the fund is in acceptable shape due to overall accuracy of peak predictions.
Old/New Business
I put the matter of deciding whether to go back to a more normal meeting format on the agenda again. We have done some research and will have a clear set of guidelines we would need to follow, should you wish to go back to a face-to-face format for our meetings.
Conclusion
Please let me know if you have any questions before the meeting. Prepare for another meeting experience using Zoom.
Friday, October 16, 2020

Special EPB Meeting, October 20, 2020, 10:00 AM

 This meeting will be in person for members of the Board and their attorneys only. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the portion of the meeting in open session will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at https://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/ This meets the newest requirements for open meetings during the Covid-19 State Emergency.

In order to legally facilitate the court ordered Mediation Session, planned for October 20, a Special Meeting of Glasgow EPB will be held. The meeting will convene at the EPB Board Room, 100 Mallory Drive, Glasgow, KY, at 10:00 am. I will call the meeting to order and the following agenda items will be considered:
  1. Consider approval of agenda
  2. Consider a motion to enter Executive Session to conduct mediation as an alternative to litigation. This Executive Session can be held under KRS 68.810 1.(C).
  3. Consider return to open session to vote on any agreements reached during mediation.
  4. Adjourn
Friday, September 18, 2020

September 22, 2020 Regular EPB Board Meeting

 GLASGOW ELECTRIC PLANT BOARD

This meeting will be exclusively via teleconference, with no members physically present and with no physical access available to the public. To provide access in compliance with all applicable laws and rulings, the meeting will be televised on EPB Cable6, and on Facebook (on the Glasgow EPB page at
https://www.facebook.com/glasgowepb/
)and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyGfIohxwECtiY9M28IX6EQ). This meets the newest requirements for open meetings during the Covid-19 State Emergency.

TENTATIVE AGENDA,
6:00 PM, On EPB Cable 6 and EPB You Tube Channel

1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 2. CONSIDER MINUTES OF AUGUST 25, 2020 REGULAR MEETING 3. DISCUSS EPB COVID-19 RESPONSE, RESULTS, AND CITY’S $1M+ CARES ACT         FUNDING
4. CONSIDER MEDIATION COSTS AND ANY OTHER ORDERS FROM CIRCUIT COURT 5. 2020 RETAIL RATE EFFECTIVENESS REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF                      PROPOSED CHANGES Consideration of evaluating a rate structure based of the following: Flat base rate of $10.00 for residential customers. Flat base rate of $20 for all commercial customers (excluding industrial) Kilowatt costs are to be volumetric & flat with no peak, and no time-of-use based                   charges. Price per kilowatt hour determined by, the ratio of sum of all residential and                             commercial costs divided by the sum of the kilowatt hours used by commercial and                 residential customers. The monthly rate is to be set and stabilized by a running average over three or four                 months. There should be no net increase in total costs, Industrial kilowatt power costs are not to be subsidized by commercial or residential costs. 6. CONSIDER TVA BOARD ACTION REGARDING COMMUNITY CARE FUND 7. CONSIDER PURCHASE OF NEW CISCO ROUTER FOR JMYTC 8. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT A. AUGUST METRICS AND FINANCIAL METRICS REVIEW B. OCTOBER FCA C. CPD LEDGER D. RESULTS ON DISCONNECTION OF NON-ESSENTIAL SERVICES E. LARGE OUTAGE REPORT 9. OLD/NEW BUSINESS A. DISCUSS FORMAT OF FUTURE EPB MEETINGS 10. ADJOURN

September Main Topics

EPB Operations in COVID-19 Environment and Temporary Changes

Ø    Financial Impacts of COVID-19

Ø    Discuss ramifications of Circuit Court Rulings and Issues relative to upcoming mediation

Ø   Review of 2020 retail electric rate effectiveness, with new rate option for consideration

Ø   TVA Community Care Fund

 

The September meeting has a rather long agenda due to the inclusion of rather complicated rate discussion.  

We all know that the present legal status of the Board is tough due to rulings and orders issued by Barren Circuit Court. However, the EPB mission is still fixed and it is imperative that all members meet to discuss these matters on the agenda. I urge you to attend, and to approve an agenda so that we can keep moving forward.

Action Items

October 1 FCA

Ø  The October 2020 TVA FCA will increase sharply, to 1.428 cents per kWh. This is a sizable month-to-month increase.  COVID influenced August sales were surprisingly high, and hydro generation was unusually low, and those factors put upward pressure on the FCA.    

Ø  On October 1, the energy component of our retail rates will adjust to reflect this increase passed on by TVA.

COVID-19 and Glasgow EPB

Ø  Service disconnections for non-payment on essential services have been discontinued pending Board direction, and TVA/PSC directions on same. We have also temporarily waived the fee for call-in credit card payments. The matter became much more complicated a couple of months ago when Governor Beshear issued an order, which forbids utilities (and mentions municipal utilities, like ours, specifically) from resuming normal non-payment disconnects until after he lifts his Emergency Declaration for the state. Obviously, for a non-profit like EPB, the additional losses will have to be borne by all customers. This matter also has federal sovereignty implications since the Governor is usurping TVA’s regulatory role. This matter is very complicated. I will show you some results of this order and it is becoming quite clear that we have several customers who are amassing a debt that they will have a lot of trouble repaying.

Ø  We closed the EPB lobby to the public on Wednesday, March 18, and it is still closed. At the same time, we announced the cessation of services to broadband wiring inside customer premises. Since the number of Barren County COVID-19 cases is growing sharply, we do not see an end to these changes. We have been in contact with GWC, FRECC, and SCRTC regarding their lobby opening decisions. Right now, pending Board approval, we are planning to continue our present safety policies indefinitely.   

Ø  While TVA is giving us considerable latitude on how long this disconnect forbearance should last, they are determined for us to ultimately collect on all balances owed. Further, as mentioned above, they are carefully considering how long to cooperate with the Governor’s directive before they take action to re-establish themselves as the sole LPC regulator.

Ø  City of Glasgow was lucky to receive over $1 million in CARES Act funding from the Federal Government. We have asked City of Glasgow to pass a resolution which would authorize our customers, who are in arrears on their accounts with us, to apply for a portion of that funding to help them get back to even. We trust that the City will comply with this request.  

Ø  “Social distancing” steps have already been taken by the EPB team along with additional cleaning of the EPB office.  Personal protective equipment has been provided to EPB team members who interact directly with the public. The team has returned to normal shifts.

Ø  We look forward to reversing all these steps and moving back toward our normal operations when officials advise us of the safety of that action.

Mediation Costs and other Court Orders

Ø  Though this matter has gotten some discussion and opinions have been rendered, the Board has yet to act on certain issues. For example, since the Court ordered all parties to enter mediation (presently scheduled for October 20), there is a matter to be considered relative to the cost of legal counsel relative to the mediation process.

Ø  There is also the matter of outstanding issues that the Court is presently considering. Since new orders can be issued at any time, this matter should be on the agenda so that the Board can respond, if such orders are issued, at the upcoming meeting.

Retail Rates Review

Ø  We made a commitment to an Advisory Committee, and to the City of Glasgow, to conduct annual analysis of our retail electric rates. This is a sound business practice that should be followed, regardless of our commitments, and that preliminary review took place in the August meeting.

Ø  I had planned to start off with a brief review of the presentation on the history of the EPB rate evolution, which ought to get everyone on the same page as to where we have been and where previous boards have set our course to follow. However, other matters took a lot of the wind out of our sails, and no one seemed ready to spend that much time on the issue. I stand at the ready to conduct that review when, and if, the Board is ready.

Ø  I got some valuable feedback during the August meeting, regarding strong opinions on the retail rate architecture. In response, my team has spent a lot of time since the August meeting, developing a radical new rate option that might be more attractive to the present Board.

Ø  At the meeting we will have an analysis and a couple of recommended approaches to each of our six consumer retail rate tariffs. There are a lot of numbers you might want to consider, but we’ve prepared a pared down presentation for each tariff, one that you might find sufficient to approve.

Ø  As the reader can see from the modified agenda, Mr. Froedge has proposed his own version of rate design, and that will be considered in relation to the above.  

Ø  It will be the Board’s decision on how we should proceed, but if we hope to implement a change by January 1, it will be critical for you to render a decision this month.

New TVA Community Care Fund Grants

Ø  The TVA Board has approved another round of Community Care Grants in the amount of $2 million. This amount is equal to what they previously approved in April 2020.

Ø  As before, Glasgow EPB’s allotment of this money amounts to $10,000. To get that funding for one of our local non-profit agencies, EPB must put up a matching $10,000.

Ø  As before, TVA is willing to count the money we have already committed to Community Relief as our matching money. So, while you can elect to give this allotment to another non-profit agency, doing so would mean a new $10,000 expenditure of EPB funds.

Ø  At the meeting I will recommend that you authorize me to complete the agreement with TVA to apply for the $10,000 and award it to Community Relief when TVA grants our application.

Consideration of Recommended Hardware Upgrade to EPB NOC

Ø  Rampant growth in internet traffic has resulted from the pandemic and the changes to how we work and educate our children. Trying to keep the capacity of the Glasgow broadband network ahead of the demand has totally changed the pace at which we normally consider and execute improvements.

Ø  At the meeting Josh Francis will present his plan to add another Cisco Router to enhance our ability to survive the loss of one of our circuits to AT&T, Windstream, and/or Level 3.

Ø  The cost of this proposed addition is sizable, a bit over $100K, but the need is even more sizable as we continue to be the only link to normalcy that so many of our customers have during this pandemic.

Reports

Ø  August Metrics and Financial Review

Ø  October FCA

Ø  CPD Charge Reserve Fund Status

-       kW demand markup was implemented two years ago, to cover TVA wholesale cost for missed peak predictions

-       Updated calculations will be presented at the meeting. We are beginning a new year of this reporting, and so far, the fund is in acceptable shape due to overall accuracy of peak predictions.

Ø  Results from Board Authorization to disconnect non-essential services to accounts in arrears

Ø  Large Outage Report

 

Old/New Business

I put the matter of deciding whether to go back to a more normal meeting format on the agenda again. We have done some research and will have a clear set of guidelines we would need to follow, should you wish to go back to a face-to-face format for our meetings.

Conclusion

Please let me know if you have any questions before the meeting. Prepare for another meeting experience using Zoom.