EQC Meeting Date: January 17th, 2023
To: Members of the Environmental Quality Commission
From: Risi Karim, Assistant to the City Administrator / Staff Liaison
Title
Staff Update
Body
Action Requested:
The EQC receives updates from staff
Summary Report:
This update includes items not included as agenda items for this meeting.
• Staff has submitted a comment to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) opposing Xcel’s proposal to place all ARR Community Solar Gardens on the 2017 Value-of-Solar (VOS) vintage year bill credit rate. This would significantly affect community solar garden contracts if the proposal were to be approved by the PUC. The City of Northfield agreed to CSG contracts and rates based on the ARR credit rate structure as it existed at the time. Savings and benefits were projected using those same numbers. The sudden and unexpected change to these contracts, several years into their 25-year lifespan could be a significant detriment to the city’s operations. It will likely also impact the willingness of the organization to participate in long-term energy related contracts in the future, due to changes occurring midway through what was anticipated to be stable, long-term contracts and savings plans.
• Cannon River Working Group met on Monday January 8th. Chair Petri, Commissioner Provancha and several City staff members were in attendance. The attendees brought a wide variety of expertise in community development and planning, river ecology, dam specific research, biodiversity & terrestrial ecology. 2 additional sessions are being planned to take place in February and March.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
N/A