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Electric rates will go up about 10 percent, beginning May 1
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Electric rates will be going up for Caledonia residents, as well as all wholesale customers of Tri-County Electric Cooperative. The Caledonia City Council reviewed a rate increase notice provided by Tri-County during the May 11 council meeting.
Because some charges will be going up, while several others will be reduced, the city council decided to enlist the help of the consulting firm of Power Plus to review the complicated wholesale rate notice and make a recommendation as to just how much of a rate increase will be required.
According to Tri-County President Brian Krambeer, when everything is said and done, the wholesale increase to Caledonia is roughly 10 percent.
Krambeer stated the local coop is passing on rate increases prompted by Dairyland Power cost adjustments beginning in January and wholesale rate increases that went into effect earlier this spring.
Krambeer explained that Tri-County provides wholesale electricity to eight different area municipalities. The other cities are Eitzen, Harmony, Mabel, Peterson, Rushford, Spring Grove and Whalan. The average, across-the-board increase, which was effective May 1, 2009, was 9.5 percent. The wholesale rates are adjusted each year on May 1.
“This rate increase just continues to send the message out that everyone needs to conserve energy,” Krambeer said. “Tri-County has many energy-conserving programs and incentives out there to help our customers become more energy efficient.”
He mentioned incentives to purchase energy-efficient appliances, load controls for water heaters and air conditioners during peak hours, and the “wait until 8” program. The “wait until 8” program encourages customers to cut back on electric usage on very hot days during peak hours, which are from 3 to 7 p.m.
“Peak hourly rates are much higher than off-peak rates. So the more Caledonia residents can cut their electric usage during those hours, the better the rates are for the city,” Krambeer added.
Besides supplying wholesale electricity to the eight cities mentioned, Tri-County also has approximately 13,000 metered customers in the area. Those customers will be experiencing a rate increase of approximately 10 percent as well.
The council plans to review the recommendations made by Power Plus at the May 26 council meeting and approve the necessary rate hikes at that time.
“We’ve got to get moving on this now,” Mayor Bob Burns said. “Tri-County’s new rates went into effect May 1. We are already behind.”
The city had been notified earlier this year by Tri-County of an impending rate hike, but until Dairyland Power finalized their rate increases, Tri-County had to wait, and in turn the city had to wait as well.
In other council action:
Wood burners discussed
The council spent about 15 minutes discussing a number of issues with free-standing wood furnaces and recreational fire pits.
According to Administrative Coordinator Mike Gerardy, the city has received a number of complaints from persons who live next to free-standing wood furnaces. During the winter months, there isn’t a real issue with smoke emitted by the furnaces getting into neighboring homes. But once spring arrives and windows are opened, more than one resident has complained about smoke in their homes.
Gerardy asked the council how they wanted to handle this issue.
“Do you want to ban them, set certain requirements as to when they can be operated or grandfather in the existing ones and prohibit any new ones?” he asked the council.
Councilmembers agreed the smoke emitted can be an issue. Several communities in the area have banned wood furnaces. The council wasn’t sure which avenue it should take and asked Gerardy to check with other cities to see how they handle this issue.
The issue of recreational fires was also breached. Just like the wood furnaces, fire pits and other recreational fires can pose a smoke nuisance. After discussing recreational fires, as well as in-home wood-burners (fire places and wood stoves), Gerardy was instructed to include these potential problems when checking with other cities and report back to the council.
CUP approved
The council approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for Emily Schroeder to operate a day care facility at 519 Old Highway Drive, which is in a limited industry zoning district.
Schroeder plans to build a 6,000 square foot “stick built” facility on the lot right next to Brad’s Electric on Old Highway Drive near Bissen Street.
The business plans call for it to be licensed for 42 children- eight infants, 14 toddlers, and 20 pre-schoolers. Schroeder indicated she could expand the business to 101 kids with the size building she is proposing.
After reviewing her plans, and receiving no negative comments on the plans during a public hearing, the council unanimously approved the request.
Variance request approved
The council approved an 18-foot setback variance for Chris Frank, 211 West Grove Street to construct an 8 by 20 foot open wooden deck with a roof. Because the deck would be located approximately 12 feet from the north (front) property line, Frank needed an 18-foot variance.
After reviewing the plans and receiving no negative comments from neighboring property owners, the council unanimously approved the request.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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