Power hungry: Small towns look to shape energy destiny

By Elna Seabrooks
Special to the Pioneer Times
    With the high cost of fuel challenging most Americans and also partially shaping the race to the White House, some residents in southern Aroostook County are seeking out affordable alternatives. Representatives of Amity, Cary Plantation, Orient and Weston will be meeting later this month to discuss the possible formation of their own local energy co-op.
    Steve Martin, a self-described concerned citizen of Amity, says he has been doing research into ways to reduce the cost per kilowatt hour for the four towns. Discussions with local leaders, industry representatives and interested residents have led up to an initial meeting to take place later this month about renewable energy sources. Martin acknowledges that their current electric service is reasonably good but, he says, Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative (EMEC) is at the mercy of its suppliers which caused, “a jump in our electric rates this year of about 25 percent or more.”
    “The only problem is that the rates are just higher than a lot of people can afford now. So we are just trying to see what alternatives we might be able to come up with to help people who are struggling not only to try to buy heating oil at $4 plus a gallon, but struggling also with much higher property taxes.” Martin says de-regulation has not provided relief and in the current tough economy, “all those factors combined are pressing peoples’ back to the wall.”
Community, consultants
and concerns
    Consultants will address the group via telephone hookup about producing electricity using wind or wood. Both methods may be needed to keep costs down and maintain an uninterrupted stream of power.
    Milton Fyre, president of Resource Management Associates in Portland, Ore., specializes in the refurbishment and re-purposing of industrial buildings to produce electricity. Sue Jones of Community Energy Partners in Freeport, an expert on wind power generation, has also agreed to address the group.
    It’s still uncertain if a co-op can supplement or replace the existing electric service or even become a reality. But, Martin says, “I think it’s at the point now that the way oil prices have gone and the way real estate taxes around here have gone that we really have no option other than to try to at least examine ways to cut some of our living expenses. And, electric is a major one.” He says if electricity can get down to nine or 10 cents per kilowatt hour, people would have the option of buying space heaters and still come in below the cost of heating with oil.
    Martin says he uses wood exclusively to heat his own home and it comes in at about one third the price of oil. But, he warns, it takes a substantial amount of work, making it prohibitive for many elderly homeowners due to the physical demands of feeding a wood burner.
The power brokers
    Scott Hallowell, head of EMEC, says his co-op only provides the transmission wires and power actually comes from Integrys Energy Services. He adds that the Sept. 24 meeting of the four towns is a good process for people to understand what’s involved in the pricing of electricity. Hallowell does say one possibility for the Aroostook towns’ co-op is to become a licensed competitive energy provider like Integrys. However, he also says Integrys submitted a low bid to provide power which the towns would have to review and beat to make it worthwhile.
    Mike Welch, marketing manager for Integrys, says the company encourages any consumer to try to actively manage their energy supply process to get the greatest value for themselves and their community. But to get that greatest value, someone needs to actively manage the operation and meet all the local requirements. “When you start thinking about wind generation or operating wood generation and the all the related environmental things, there’s a lot to be managed.”
    Harvard Business School professor, George Baker, who is on the board of the Swan’s Island Electric Cooperative said, “Aroostook County has a great wind resource and generating electricity from the wind holds real promise for that part of the state.”
    The first meeting for all interested parties will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in the Little Red Schoolhouse on U.S. Route 1 in Amity. Steve Martin can be reached for more information at 532-3635.