Flathead Electric
Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees
meets on the fourth
Wednesday of each month
- subject to change to
accommodate schedules. All
Co-op members are welcome to attend, but please call to
confirm meeting date and
time. Agenda items must be
submitted one week before
the meeting date.

Ken Sugden
General Manager

July 2007

Meeting Energy Challenges

Flathead Electric Takes a Multi-Pronged Approach

The big holiday in July for Americans is, of course, Independence Day. While we celebrate and honor our "red, white and blue", it is interesting that another color appears to be uniting our nation: green. More than ever before the headlines are stressing global warming and climate change. Policymakers and regulators are reacting. Utilities and other industries are taking note.

Solar Panels

Utilities seem to be an easy "target" to address climate change. Do energy producers and distributors need to make some changes? Absolutely! But, it is important for policymakers to consider all of the industries that may be able do things differently to meet the challenges ahead. Research and development are critical at this phase. Quick solutions and promising the "be-all and end-all" with unrealistic mandates may cause more problems. It is imperative to invest in technology to move forward with thoughtful actions that make sense in the long run. Cooperatives across the state and nation will continue to work together to address these important issues. What is happening at your Co-op? The bottom line is: we aren't just doing one thing. There are several things to consider and we still need to make sure we provide reliable power at reasonable rates. At Flathead Electric, we are taking a multi-pronged approach to the future.
Renewable Energy

Judith Gap, MT Wind Farm

Supporting the environment is nothing new at Flathead Electric Cooperative. In addition to distributing electricity from the Bonneville Power Administration's clean hydropower system, we started purchasing one megawatt of environmentally friendly power (EFP) from BPA in 1999. This power is supplied from sources like wind, solar and endorsed hydrosystems. Over the last 12 months we purchased an additional megawatt of EFP from BPA. We also purchased Green Energy Tags from Basin Electric Cooperative. These green tags are the foundation of our new Renewable Energy Program and give members the option to help us support energy produced at wind farms. Members can participate by paying an additional $5/month on their electric bills. Visit our website at www.flatheadelectric.com or give us a call at 751-4483 if you are interested in participating.
Interconnectivity/Net Metering

Compact Fluorescent Bulb

Flathead Electric also continues to research and strategize other forms of renewable energy that are viable in our service area. We are currently working with members on projects that involve net metering and interconnectivity options. Options that may appear relatively easy and low-cost on the surface are often complex. Our geographic location provides us with many wonderful attributes. Unfortunately, constant wind and sun don't fall into our service area's list of characteristics. We understand we need to support the technology for development of wind and solar projects even if they are not in our territory. We will also continue to invest resources to research alternative renewable energy production.
Conservation

Let's face it, we are one of the only, if not the only, game in town who tries to sell less of what we have to offer! We really try to stress the importance of conserving energy to our members. Smart energy use and conservation are two of the most cost-effective methods to

Continued on Page 3