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PUC approves a new natural gas rate schedule

NEW ULM — The New Ulm Public Utilities Commission approved 2019 natural gas rates effective Nov. 1. The new schedule includes service rates for natural gas resale.

NUPUC was approached to supply gas to a customer outside New Ulm for resale. Currently, the utility does not have a resale rate. The new schedule would set the resale service rate at $0.7661 per centum cubic feet (CCF) for all gas used during the month, with a customer charge of $75 per month.

The commission authorized the city manager to accept a $201,700 bid from Minnesota Mechanical Solutions for the 4.5 million gallon reservoir booster station at the golf course. There were six bids for the project, with Minnesota Mechanical Solutions coming in the lowest.

This station is experiencing pump failure issues due to age.

A $13,980 quote from River Bend Business Products was accepted for new office furniture in the Water/Steam Department. This includes the installation of the furniture.

Wastewater staff was authorized to accept a bid from In Control Inc. to supply and program two supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) computers for $14,261.

These computers were last upgraded in 2013 and rebuilt in 2016. Two computers are required for backup in case the first fails.

A purchase proposal was authorized for the NOVA Power Portal from STAR Energy Services. This application allows interconnection applicants for a distributed energy resource (DER) to access all critical resources to the interconnection process.

DER is any technology that generates electricity at or near where it is used, such as solar panels.

NOVA will also help aid utilities with the process of handling applications and fees for new DER systems.

Utilities Director Kris Manderfeld said this puts the start-up process in the hands of the customers. The system provides customers with the information needed for an application before coming to the utility. The system also sends notifications and reminders to customers for application payments.

“It is a way to streamline this,” Manderfeld said, “I think we are going to be seeing more of this. I think this is good to start now.”

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