News of the week

San Diego's push for a municipal electric utility

San Diego contends with the nation's highest electricity rates at 47.5 cents per kilowatt hour, prompting Power San Diego's call for change. This grassroots non-profit advocates for a municipal utility to replace San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE), aiming to alleviate the burden of high rates and unreliable service.

Power San Diego proposes a municipal utility that would take out a municipal revenue bond to pay SDGE for the assessed value of about $2.3 Billion for utility assets. The bond would then be paid back by the rate-payers at a cost of about 2 cents per kilowatt hour over 30 years. The organization suggests it would " save $20 billion by 2042 on the avoided profits to SDGE alone, assuming the historic rate of SDGE profit growth over the last decade."

Community discussions in various neighborhoods highlight growing support, despite SDGE's efforts to discourage the initiative. As a feasibility study progresses, Power San Diego must collect more than 80,000 signatures by May to get the proposal on the November 2024 ballot. The petition represents a pivotal step towards creating a locally-owned and community-driven alternative to address the city's soaring electricity rates. The upcoming months will involve a signature drive and an expanding public awareness campaign, with Power San Diego aiming to garner widespread support and shape a future where San Diegans have a direct say in their energy choices. Other communities in California will be watching San Diego closely as they too consider municipalization.

To read more, click here.

NuScale's cancellation casts shadow on nuclear SMR industry's future

In a blow to the nuclear renaissance, Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) and NuScale mutually terminated their pioneering small modular reactor (SMR) project this month. The ambitious venture, aimed at providing clean energy for 300,000 homes, succumbed to financial challenges after a decade of collaborative effort and high hopes for a safer, more scalable way to revive the nuclear industry as the world searches for more carbon free generation alternatives.

NuScale, a frontrunner in the SMR space with the only US government-certified design, now stands at a crossroads. The $9.3 billion setback raises concerns about the broader SMR industry's viability, given NuScale's prominent role. Critics argue the cancellation not only signifies financial mismanagement but also raises doubts about the feasibility of SMR technology going forward.

Despite the setback, NuScale emphasizes lessons learned in design and regulatory advancements, but the SMR industry now grapples with uncertainty. The cancellation both opens opportunities for competitors like X-Energy and TerraPower and underscores challenges in gaining industry traction.

To read more, click here.

MMUA again supports Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

As we do annually, MMUA has signed a letter to the US House and Senate appropriations committees urging legislators to support the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The letter, produced by the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC), asked Congress to maximize funding for LIHEAP in 2025, "in order to to protect access to energy and fuel for families struggling with kitchen table budgets that are increasingly difficult to balance."

LIHEAP has existed for more than 40 years to help vulnerable families with utility costs. More than 33 million household were eligible for LIHEAP assistance in 2020, but only 16.79% of those households received funding. Funding for LIHEAP also decreased from 2010 to 2020 by 18.26%. To ensure that low income households do not need to choose between keeping the heat on and purchasing food or medicine, MMUA joins with more than 100 organizations to urge Congress to maximize funding for LIHEAP.

If you would like to learn more about the work of NEUAC or would like to sign the letter as well, please click here.

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse compliance date looms

The second compliance date under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse final rule (Clearinghouse-II) —November 18, 2024— is less than a year away. As part of these new Federal requirements, motorists holding a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) who have open violations in the Clearinghouse will soon lose their commercial driving privileges.

As established in the first Clearinghouse final rule (81 FR 87686), drivers with a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status are barred from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). The second Clearinghouse final rule (Clearinghouse-II) further supports this by ensuring that drivers with a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status do not continue to hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial learner’s permit (CLP).

The Clearinghouse-II final rule (86 FR 55718) requires that, beginning November 18, 2024, State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) must remove the commercial driving privileges from the driver's license of an individual subject to the CMV driving prohibition. The loss in these privileges would result in a downgrade of the license until the driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process. This means that, beginning November 18, 2024, having a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status will result in losing or being denied a CDL or CLP.

The requirement to downgrade the CDLs of drivers in a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status rests on the safety-critical premise that drivers who cannot lawfully operate a CMV because they engaged in prohibited use of drugs or alcohol or refused a drug or alcohol test should not hold a valid CDL or CDP. The Clearinghouse-II final rule (86 FR 55718) supports FMCSA’s goal of ensuring that only qualified drivers are eligible to receive and retain a CDL. This is expected to ultimately reduce the number and severity of CMV crashes.

To read more and access additional resources, click here.

Registration is open for the 2024 Emergency Preparedness and Restoration Conference

Join other municipal utility and city professionals at the 2024 Emergency Preparedness and Restoration Conference in St. Cloud from February 21-22, 2024.

Planning, exercising, and training can help enhance your emergency response plan to better identify gaps and proactively address potential consequences. This interactive conference will include a tabletop exercise to increase your understanding of the mutual aid process that is activated during a national event.

In addition, you'll hear timely presentations to enhance your knowledge on topics including:

• Mitigation planning
• Roles and responsibilities
• Process coordination and monitoring
• Infrastructure protection
• Utilizing a physical security checklist
• Public relations and working with the media
• And more!

Please click here to register or to learn more about this worthwhile conference. For best rate register before January 23; the deadline to register online is January 31, 2024.

Looking ahead

Transformer School

Registration is open for Transformer School, which will be held from January 23-26. This school has been rescheduled from December due to instructor availability.

Transformer School will cover three-phase transformer connections. Click here for more information and registration. The pre-conference session will cover basic single-phase transformer connections and theory. Please note: separate registration is required for the pre-conference. Register by December 21 for the best rate.

Meter School

Meter School registration is open. The school, held from February 6-9 at the MMUA Training Center in Marshall, is your once-a-year opportunity to obtain electric metering instruction and hands-on application, installation, and troubleshooting. Participants select from two course options, dependent upon skill/work experience: Basic/intermediate or Advanced.

• Basic/intermediate: ideal for those with little metering experience. This track builds on the concepts covered in the pre-conference session.
• Advanced: intended for those who steadily work with meters and wiring meter installations.

This course will cover a wide range of topics including why we have electric meters and the core principles behind single and three-phase metering, mounting and wiring meter sockets on a variety of set ups, voltage transformers, testing procedures, metering hazards, safety procedures and precautions, and more.

A pre-conference learning session is also held in conjunction with the school. The pre-conference is an ideal introductory course for those with little metering experience or as a "refresher" on basic metering. Separate registration is required for the pre-conference.

Register before January 5 for the best rate.

As always, thank you for your association with MMUA and your commitment to delivering excellent service through locally owned utility assets in your community. Have a great week!

Christian Glanville

Marketing and Member Relations Manager

Direct: 763.746.0727 / Cell: 612.655.0598

Fax: 763.551.0459

cglanville@mmua.org | www.mmua.org

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