| ***Urgent Information--Please Read*** |
|
POSSIBLE POWER SHORTAGES The Fennimore Electric Utility would like to encourage customers to use electricity wisely throughout the summer by taking simple, safe and voluntary actions such as using air conditioning only when necessary, turning off unneeded lights and doing certain tasks including washing and drying of clothes, baking and canning during the nighttime hours, or on weekends, rather than during the high peak daytime hours. Currently the most critical months are expected to be July through September. Blackouts (total power outages) may occur if hot weather results in such high demand for electricity that the utility is forced to cut off power in some areas to fully serve others. The potential for a major regional power shortage exists and curtailment of interruptible loads has already occurred in the eastern part of Wisconsin. Wisconsin imports about 15 percent of its power from other states, including Illinois, which also is expecting shortages of their own. This will reduce the amount of energy available to Wisconsin |
| Customers with critical medical needs should contact the Utility Office at 822-6110 immediately so arrangements can be made to accommodate the need for electric power. A certificate from your doctor explaining the critical medical need for electric power is needed for the Utility's file. Customers with critical medical needs are defined as those whose safety and well-being will be jeopardized by not having electricity available to them. |
| Notice To Electric Utility Customers | |
| Electric utility customers will soon see a new charge on their monthly bills. This charge is mandated by the State through Wisconsin Act 9. This "public benefits" fee is to be used to develop and provide low-income emergency assistance and weatherization services and energy conservation/efficiency programs for non-low income persons. Some of the requirements of the mandate are: | |
 | Must collect fees that average $16 per electric meter per year. The funds collected must be used equally for low-income and energy efficiency program efforts. |
| The Utility has the option to either develop their own programs or to participate in programs developed and administered by the State. |
| The council will be taking action in September to establish the structure that will appear on customer billings starting November 1st 2001. More information will be provided to customers at that time. | |
