Niles agrees to join energy consortium

By JORDAN COHEN

news@vindy.com

NILES

The city’s light department superintendent said he does not believe that Niles’ agreement to join the new Efficiency Smart Power Plant program will result in higher electric bills for residents.

Jim Newbrough made the comments after council approved participation in the program Wednesday. The program has been set up by the American Municipal Power consortium representing 128 municipal electric companies in Ohio and five other states. The program includes a pool of $15 million for green energy projects, the costs of which will be split among 48 consortium members including Niles to find more energy efficient methods of producing and distributing electric power.

“We can absorb the costs without passing them onto consumers, but we’ll have to look at it month by month,” Newbrough said.

Newbrough said Niles will have to absorb other costs as well. The consortium was fined $850,000 in a consent decree for environmental violations at the Gorsuch Generating Plant, a coal-fired facility near Marietta, dating back to 1991. Newbrough said Niles’ share of the fine will be $20,000, which the city will pay back in increments over three years. Niles was among the 48 consortium members who purchased power from the plant in contracts dating back to the 1980s according to Newbrough.

Gorsuch is scheduled to close in December, much to the relief of council members unhappy with costs and environmental issues associated with coal.

“That’s the most expensive energy we get, so going green should be cheaper and save us some money,” said Councilman Edward McCormick, D-4th.

Newbrough said AMP has already negotiated contracts to buy less expensive and cleaner energy on the open market.

In other business, council approved a new three-year wage freeze agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees representing more than 90 workers in the street, light, water and parks departments. As was the case with other city employees including safety forces who accepted the same wage freeze, the contract with AFSCME retains all employee benefits.

Council also approved placing a five-year, one- mill renewal levy for the Parks and Recreation Department on the November ballot. City Auditor Charles Nader says the levy generates approximately $160,000 annually.