Stable Rates and Solar Power I Jerry Sorenson, General Manager indicated in my message in the annual report that we will have no rate increase this year and that we are continuing to work on our community solar power project. Here I will touch on those two topics in a little more detail. No Rate Increase for 2015 I’m pleased to announce that for the second year in a row, Riverland Energy will not have a rate increase. Stable wholesale power prices are the main driver to stable retail electric rates. Wholesale power is nearly 62 percent of the cooperative’s total expenses. This is the reason why rates have always increased over the years. Now, with steady power prices, rates to members can be stabilized. We know the price to generate and distribute energy is rising here in northwestern Wisconsin and throughout the country, but we’re working hard to keep your electric bills affordable. Our goal always is, and always has been, to provide you with quality electric service at a price that is very competitive with other utilities and sources of energy in this region. We place very high importance on controlling our costs and will continue to work towards our goal of rate stability as we proceed forward and work with our power supplier, Dairyland Power Cooperative, to make that happen. Thanks for your continual support. Community Solar Project A growing movement in the electric utility world is creation of community solar projects. Riverland Energy is becoming part of that movement. The idea in a nutshell: Riverland Energy builds a power generating facility that uses solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate electricity and invites its members to voluntarily participate in the project’s costs and benefits. Members who choose to become part of the project make a financial commitment. 4 • Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News Right now, Riverland Energy is trying to determine the best way that involvement can work. Currently, we are sending out requests for proposals to determine costs. We will then hold public meetings sometime this summer in hopes that members who attend can learn about the co-op’s efforts up to that point and some of the issues and challenges that have to be addressed before the project can move forward. No Recycle Drive this Year W e’re sorry to inform you that we will not host a recycle drive this spring. Recycling vendors have started charging fees, so we are unable to offer free recycling for members. For the last five years, Riverland Energy offered a recycle drive in the spring where members could drop off old TVs, computers, electronics, and appliances. This was a free service for members and was highly attended. During those years, the recycling companies did not charge the co-op or its members a fee. Unfortunately, these companies now charge for these services. As a result, we have decided not to host a recycling event this year. Our priority is holding co-op expenses down for our members. The co-op still offers $25 rebates for recycling refrigerators, freezers, and window air conditioning units, good through December 31, 2015, or until funds are depleted. Check our website at www.riverlandenergy.com for more information. Community Connection Riverland Energy Cooperative Sponsors Coulee Conference Classic F or the tenth year in a row, Riverland Energy Cooperative, along with Jackson Electric Cooperative, Vernon Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, and Dairyland Power Cooperative, sponsored the Coulee Conference Basketball Classic at the La Crosse Center. “We’re proud we have an opportunity to be a part of this great event. It’s an exciting family event that showcases great high school basketball,” said Jerry Sorenson, Riverland Energy general manager. “The classic is one way Riverland Energy reaches one of its core values — Commitment to Community.” The Coulee Conference Classic is an event organized to help raise funds to support the annual conference scholar-athlete recognition banquet held in the spring. The banquet honors scholar-athletes involved in any of the sports programs of the Coulee Conference who have exhibited extraordinary academic achievements in the classroom. All the sponsoring cooperatives are partners of Touchstone Energy®, a co-brand used by cooperatives all over the nation to market what local electric cooperatives stand for: Integrity, Accountability, Community Involvement, and Innovation. Riverland Energy Cooperative • 5 Riverland Energy Cooperative The youth ambassadors for 2015 include, l–r: Henry Hilmanowski, Julia Branger, Callie Rae Long, Rachel Hovey, Wil Loewenhagen, Whitney Rud, Michael Sonsalla, Megan Johnson, Sam Weinzierl, Emily Burton, Riley Ruehmann, Jordan Kaczorowski, Andy Dunham, Mariah Filla, and Gabe Gullicksrud. Missing from photo are Michael Bestinger and Michaela Pronschinske. The 2015 Youth Ambassador Program Begins T he Riverland Energy Cooperative youth ambassadors are a group of motivated high school juniors who meet throughout the year to learn about electric cooperatives and the cooperative business model, gain leadership skills, and more. The 2015 youth ambassadors met in February and received presentations from cooperative staff on the electric industry and renewable energy. They also had some fun playing a game of Pictionary and were treated with pizza for lunch. The Youth Ambassador Program was implemented in 1969 and is open to all high school juniors from each of the 15 schools in our service territory. This year, 10 schools are represented by 18 students. The program also offers the students a chance win a trip to Washington, D.C., attend youth leadership conferences, and scholarship opportunities. 28 • Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News Join our Evergreen Program! Tim Brown C Jackson Boehm Two Youth Ambassadors Selected for Youth Tour ongratulations to two youth ambassadors who were selected as the 2015 NRECA Youth Tour delegates. In June, Jackson Boehm, a senior at Arcadia High School, and Tim Brown, a senior at Holmen High School, will join 1,500 other students from 44 states on a trip to Washington, D.C. They will visit museums, monuments, and memorials and learn about the United States government firsthand. They were selected through an essay contest, open to REC youth ambassadors. We are honored to offer them this opportunity. Evergreen is a renewable energy (green power) program available to your home, farm, or business through our power provider, Dairyland Power Cooperative. Evergreen is for you if you are willing to pay a little bit more to purchase a portion or all of your electricity from renewable energy sources. In addition to your normal monthly electric bill, you volunteer to pay a small, additional charge each month to offset the additional cost it takes to support renewable energy. There’s no limit on the number of blocks that can be purchased. You pay $1.50 for each block of 100 kilowatt-hours monthly. The payments are used to cover the additional costs required to provide energy from renewable energy sources. You can sign up, change your participation level, or discontinue your participation at any time. Riverland Energy Cooperative Yes! I want to participate in Evergreen Renewable Energy. Your Touchstone Energy® Partner N28988 State Road 93 • P.O. Box 277 • Arcadia, WI 54612 608-323-3381 • 1-800-411-9115 www.riverlandenergy.com District Offices 1472 Hwy. 35 P.O. Box 276 Onalaska, WI 54650 608-783-2238 1-800-411-9115 1225 S. Main St. P.O. Box 248 Alma, WI 54610 608-685-4440 1-800-685-4415 Jerry Sorenson, General Manager Beth Alesch, Editor Outages & Emergencies Call 1-800-927-6206 24 hours a day Office Hours Arcadia: 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Onalaska: 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Alma: 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Officers of the Board of Directors: Mark Vinz, Onalaska, President Dan Filla, Arcadia, Vice-President David Anderson, Trempealeau, Secretary/Treasurer Please sign me up at the following level: Number of blocks of energy: o 1 block (100 kWh)................................................. $1.50 o 2 blocks(220 kWh)................................................ $3.00 o 3 blocks (300 kWh)............................................... $4.50 o 4 blocks (400 kWh)............................................... $6.00 o 5 blocks (500 kWh)............................................... $7.50 o Other: Please specify number of blocks ________. Name Address Phone Signature Acct. No. Date Return to Riverland Energy Cooperative, P.O. Box 277, Arcadia, WI 54612 Riverland Energy Cooperative • 29
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