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P. 15
Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper May 2017 Page 15
Lower Energy Costs for Emmitsburg in 2017 than in
2011
James Rada, Jr.
Energy costs for the needed to be leased,
Town of Emmitsburg will an amount was chosen
be lower at the end of to run the plant at full
FY2017 than they were capacity. Another portion
six years earlier, and that of the excess was planned
is with the addition of the for the Emmitsburg
new, larger wastewater Ambulance Company, but
treatment plant that came it was not able to come
online last year. onto the system when
Emmitsburg Town Staff originally planned. The
gave a presentation to the circumstances that caused
Board of Commissioners the delay have changed
last month, outlining the now, and it should be
town’s efforts to reduce its eligible to come on the
conventional energy costs system by the end of the
by 20 percent by 2022. year.
The town has instituted Other savings have also
a number of changes been seen as a result of the
since 2011 to achieve this Chart shows Emmitsburg’s energy costs between FY2010 and FY2017. solar energy use that isn’t
including: (1) Using LED Column A is the amount paid to Potomac Edison, Column B is the seen in the solar energy
amount paid to UGI for solar power, and Column C is the rebate amount
for unused solar power. In FY2015 and FY2016, the new wastewater
light bulbs in Emmitsburg treatment plant was being tested and brought online. This accounts numbers. For instance,
street lights; (2) Installing for the increase in total energy costs those years. Now that the plant the use of solar energy has
the PowerStar system to is functioning, the power consumption is at its normal level, and the severely reduced the cost
reduce wasted electrical projected total energy cost for FY2017 is expected to be around $167,000. of the energy being bought
power; (3) Leasing solar from Potomac Edison,
power. including fees such as
By installing energy-efficient have excess power to need to sell the distribution charge, which has
LED bulbs in the street lights, the back, though. Cole Tabler, the been reduced about 90 percent each
electricity costs for town street lights town’s accountant, said more than month.
was reduced by 40 percent. “And once during the presentation that the Overall, the use of solar
the LED bulbs cut the town’s overall excess solar power would disappear energy has saved the town money.
electrical use by 9 percent,” Town as the wastewater treatment plant According to figures from the town
Manager Cathy Willets told the was utilized more and when the office, total energy costs for the
commissioners. Emmitsburg Ambulance Company town government for FY2017 is
The Powerstar Voltage comes onto the system. projected to be $167,000. This
Optimization System, which was “When we get to a point that we includes the cost of running the new
installed at the sewer pumping don’t generate excess, that’s when larger wastewater treatment plant.
station on Creamery Road last year, the savings really come in,” said This is lower than the town’s energy
optimizes the power that station Willets. costs in FY2011 of $175,400 with a
draws. It also rejects excess power, A portion of the excess was smaller treatment plant.
which means that the town doesn’t planned for. The new wastewater The difference in opinion of
have to pay for it. The system cost treatment plant did not come board members of the value of solar
the town $17,587, and it is currently into service operating at its peak energy seems to be one of focus. The
saving the town around $2,059 a capacity. It currently operates at 65 single item of the cost of unused
year in electricity costs. percent capacity. However, when solar energy is a loss, while the
The use of solar power is the planning for how much solar energy overall energy costs show a gain.
element of energy reduction that has
become a point of contention on
the board, with Commissioner Joe a d s @ t h e c a t o c t i n b a n n e r. c o m
Ritz, III, questioning the accuracy of
town’s staff’s presentation.
“Everything we’ve seen tonight
looks like we’re saving money, but
are we really saving money?” Ritz
asked.
His concerns were based on a
media report, predicting that the
town could lose $1 million over the
life of the twenty-year contract.
The report apparently focuses on the
narrow element that the town has
leased more power than it currently
needs, and while it can sell back
excess solar power to First Energy,
it does not receive as much as it cost
to produce that excess power.
The town’s intention is not to
Lower Energy Costs for Emmitsburg in 2017 than in
2011
James Rada, Jr.
Energy costs for the needed to be leased,
Town of Emmitsburg will an amount was chosen
be lower at the end of to run the plant at full
FY2017 than they were capacity. Another portion
six years earlier, and that of the excess was planned
is with the addition of the for the Emmitsburg
new, larger wastewater Ambulance Company, but
treatment plant that came it was not able to come
online last year. onto the system when
Emmitsburg Town Staff originally planned. The
gave a presentation to the circumstances that caused
Board of Commissioners the delay have changed
last month, outlining the now, and it should be
town’s efforts to reduce its eligible to come on the
conventional energy costs system by the end of the
by 20 percent by 2022. year.
The town has instituted Other savings have also
a number of changes been seen as a result of the
since 2011 to achieve this Chart shows Emmitsburg’s energy costs between FY2010 and FY2017. solar energy use that isn’t
including: (1) Using LED Column A is the amount paid to Potomac Edison, Column B is the seen in the solar energy
amount paid to UGI for solar power, and Column C is the rebate amount
for unused solar power. In FY2015 and FY2016, the new wastewater
light bulbs in Emmitsburg treatment plant was being tested and brought online. This accounts numbers. For instance,
street lights; (2) Installing for the increase in total energy costs those years. Now that the plant the use of solar energy has
the PowerStar system to is functioning, the power consumption is at its normal level, and the severely reduced the cost
reduce wasted electrical projected total energy cost for FY2017 is expected to be around $167,000. of the energy being bought
power; (3) Leasing solar from Potomac Edison,
power. including fees such as
By installing energy-efficient have excess power to need to sell the distribution charge, which has
LED bulbs in the street lights, the back, though. Cole Tabler, the been reduced about 90 percent each
electricity costs for town street lights town’s accountant, said more than month.
was reduced by 40 percent. “And once during the presentation that the Overall, the use of solar
the LED bulbs cut the town’s overall excess solar power would disappear energy has saved the town money.
electrical use by 9 percent,” Town as the wastewater treatment plant According to figures from the town
Manager Cathy Willets told the was utilized more and when the office, total energy costs for the
commissioners. Emmitsburg Ambulance Company town government for FY2017 is
The Powerstar Voltage comes onto the system. projected to be $167,000. This
Optimization System, which was “When we get to a point that we includes the cost of running the new
installed at the sewer pumping don’t generate excess, that’s when larger wastewater treatment plant.
station on Creamery Road last year, the savings really come in,” said This is lower than the town’s energy
optimizes the power that station Willets. costs in FY2011 of $175,400 with a
draws. It also rejects excess power, A portion of the excess was smaller treatment plant.
which means that the town doesn’t planned for. The new wastewater The difference in opinion of
have to pay for it. The system cost treatment plant did not come board members of the value of solar
the town $17,587, and it is currently into service operating at its peak energy seems to be one of focus. The
saving the town around $2,059 a capacity. It currently operates at 65 single item of the cost of unused
year in electricity costs. percent capacity. However, when solar energy is a loss, while the
The use of solar power is the planning for how much solar energy overall energy costs show a gain.
element of energy reduction that has
become a point of contention on
the board, with Commissioner Joe a d s @ t h e c a t o c t i n b a n n e r. c o m
Ritz, III, questioning the accuracy of
town’s staff’s presentation.
“Everything we’ve seen tonight
looks like we’re saving money, but
are we really saving money?” Ritz
asked.
His concerns were based on a
media report, predicting that the
town could lose $1 million over the
life of the twenty-year contract.
The report apparently focuses on the
narrow element that the town has
leased more power than it currently
needs, and while it can sell back
excess solar power to First Energy,
it does not receive as much as it cost
to produce that excess power.
The town’s intention is not to
