Watts up!
Member Owned & Operated since 2000
May 2014 - Issue 4
2014 AGM A Success!
We'd like to thank all the Members who attended the 2014 AGM on March
27th at the Thorhild Community Centre.
The information presented by the Chairman and GM was well received
with supportive & lively discussions throughout the night.
Congratulations to George Vansevenandt who was re-elected in Zone 2
for another three years.
See inside for Chairman’s Report
Why Our Members Matter
“We make every effort to
work around our Members
schedule when servicing
equipment is required.
Fostering lasting relations
Every Member has a Voice
with our Members is integral
Every spring we hold our Annual General Meeting which is hosted throughout our
communities. Director elections are held and the results announced at that time.
We look to our REA Members to tell us what you would like to see from the board.
respect. The fact that we
Your Voice matters
to developing reciprocal
know each others name is
important to me!”
By attending annual meetings, our Members have a unique opportunity to express
their concerns and to enquire about energy activities in our province that affect our
communities. We value the interest and support of the REA Members who have
helped us grow.
- Daniel Verville
NPP Power Lineman
In This Issue
NPP employee, Bill Jamieson, Augering a hole for a new service
www.npprea.ca I 1-866-398-2001

AGM Results

Chairman’s Report

Industry News

Vacant Board Seat

Know your Breaker Size
Ensuring our
sustainability
In the United States, REA members have
been encouraged by their government to
manage their own affairs, quite successfully. 99% percent of REAs in the U.S.
set their own rates and control their own
operations, without costly government
red tape and regulation.
The Coalition of REAs is adamant that
REA members in Alberta, like our counterparts in the US, continue to control
their own rates and operations. REAs
do not need government regulation,
now or ever!
Former associate Minister for electricity and renewable energy Donna Kennedy-Glans
Photo by: Lorraine Hjalte , Calgary Herald
Government holds fate of REA’s
In 2012 a market share dispute reached a tipping point that has led to a widespread breakdown in the agreements between Fortis and the REAs. The major
cause of the dispute is a lack of clarity as to which organization should serve
which consumers. Historically, REAs have served farms and rural residents while
Fortis has served larger clients in the energy, commercial and industrial markets.
Apparently not satisfied with the lion’s share of the distribution market, in the past
2 years, Fortis has decided to compete in the REA market, taking numerous new
services away from REAs through exploitation of their “investment policy”.
In the past year, representatives of various stakeholders in the province, including
all self-operating REAs and the Alberta Federation of REAs were invited to provide input to the MLA review committee through sub-committees called ‘working
groups’.
Others want control of our REA
It is proposed by Fortis and ATCO that control over REA distribution tariffs be
taken away from local REA members and given to the Alberta Utility Commission
(AUC) through a regulatory approval process.
Should this happen the regulatory red tape involved would significantly increase
your distribution tariffs and effectively take decision making and control away from
you, the members & owners of the REA. This is an outrageous proposal that
would place the remaining REAs at risk of elimination through government overregulation.
On the other hand, it is no secret that the primary motive of investor owned utilities
such as Fortis, is to take profits from their consumers and funnel that money into
the pockets of their shareholders. Therefore the watchdog role that the AUC performs over Fortis Alberta is essential to protect consumers.
www.npprea.ca I 1-866-398-2001
The US Government provides $4.2
billion in loans annually to REAs as
the organizations of choice for rural
development.
In Alberta, discussion is now underway
with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural
Development Services to explore how
Alberta REAs can partner with the
Alberta Government in rural
development initiatives.
Gas Co-op Model
The REAS formed a Coalition to address
the threat to our market share with a
united front, and have proposed the
following model;
 The conflict would be resolved by
defining market share on the basis
of service size. REAs would serve all
consumers, regardless of type (farm,
residential, commercial, energy and
industrial), up to that service size.
REAs and Fortis would compete for
consumers who exceeded the specified service size.
 The Gas Co-op Model would support
long term sustainability of REAs in
Alberta by providing a stronger revenue base in the electric distribution
industry. Access to growth markets,
such as energy and industrial, would
guarantee a sustainable future for our
REA.
 The legislation for the Gas Co-op
Model is already in place and being
used effectively by the Gas Co-ops in
Alberta. It simply needs to be applied
to REAs.
Moving Farm
Equipment
In an effort to ensure we have
a safe summer, here are a few
things to keep in mind.
 Maintain at least 3 meters
or 10 feet between power
lines. Be extra careful when
moving grain augers, tractors and sprayers, and while
moving bales or grainaries.
 Watch for raised truck
boxes & tractor loaders,
which can come into contact
with power lines. Always
lower equipment before
moving.
 Take your time going under
power lines. Move slowly
and carefully, constantly
checking the clearance of
overhead power lines. Never
allow anyone to ride on top
of moving farm equipment.
Make it a habit to survey the
area before you begin any job.
If an accident does occur,
please don’t take it lightly!
Contact with an overhead
power line can be serious
or even fatal.
SAFETY FIRST!
Notify us immediately if your
equipment touches a power
line or a pole that has
affected the power line.
1-866-398-2001
Charles Newell Presents Chairman’s Report
Chairman’s Board Report
Over the last few years the board has been fortunate to have a stable and capable group of front
line and field staff to operate the day to day work of the REA, which has allowed your board to
concentrate on improving policy, government advocacy, and business development.
Most members are not aware of the provincial government’s initiative to review the entire electricity
retail market as well as the roles and responsibilities of electrical distribution system operators,
which includes REA's. Several board members, as well as our General Manager, have been very
involved in this process from the onset, and as a result a number of reports were created, most of
which will be sent to the Minister of Energy and Agriculture and Rural Development in the next few
months. We are optimistic that the regulatory changes will give REA's and investor owned Utilities
a clear set of rules to work from going forward, eliminating a lot of confusion about what class of
service we are each responsible to serve.
On the business development front, your board intends to continue exploring partnerships with
other REA's, to include billing engines and mapping programs, and the possibility of small power
generation projects, along with the expansion of retail power sales through Northern Lights Energy
and Power. We continued to see a return of profit back to North Parkland Power this year.
Our REA has been fortunate to have had a considerable amount of revenue gained from outside
work contracts, for example, extra under-ground work on major high-load corridors within our
service area, as well as favorable power purchases, which have added to our bottom line. We
are very conscious that these projects are the exception and not the rule that as a board we must
be vigilant in making sure that our operating and maintenance align with the true cost of running
the REA.
In 2014 we will continue to make your REA as efficient as well as profitable with the goal of keeping
costs as low as possible, which in turn should help to offset the increased cost of Fortis and ATCO
transmission that will continue to rise over the next few years .
The good news story here is that we continue to add thirty to forty new services each year, supporting local economy through purchasing goods and services as well as solid employment opportunities for the communities in which we operate.
On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank our staff for their efforts over the past year
as well as the support of you the member/owners of North Parkland Power REA.
Regards,
Charles Newell
CHAIRMAN
North Parkland Power REA Ltd.
www.npprea.ca I 1-866-398-2001
Vacant Board Seat
Contact Us
Message from the Chairman on behalf of the NPP Board;
Give us a call for information about our
services or if you have any questions.
In addition to the association election results at the recent AGM which confirmed
the re-election of George Vansevenandt in Zone 2 (Bon Accord-GibbonsMorinville), there is also a vacant Director opening in Zone 2, as a result of a
Director resignation.
Local
Toll Free
Email
Hours
Following association and Rural Utilities by-laws, the NPP Board would like to fill
that vacancy with an ‘appointed’ Director to serve for a one year term at which
point that Director would need to stand for election (if desired) at the next AGM in
March of 2015.
To assist in this process, the Board is asking interested individuals from Zone 2
to submit their name, if interested in becoming a Director. The NPP Nominations
Review Committee will review and contact qualified individuals in follow-up.
(780) 398-2000
1-866-398-2001
[email protected]
Monday-Friday
8:00am-4:30pm
Visit us on the web @ www.npprea.ca
Keep up-to-date on the latest news by
following us on Facebook.
To express your interest, please contact us;
By email to:
By fax:
By mail:
[email protected]
(780) 398-2025
PO Box 501
Thorhild, AB T0A 3J0
Understanding your breaker size
Board of Directors
George Brodniansky - Zone 1
780-576-2144
Orest Penchuk - Zone 1
780-576-2401
Wes Kirk - Zone 1
780-576-2280
George Vansevenandt-Zone 2
Vice Chairman
780-939-6913
Richard Filipchuk - Zone 3
780-656-0522
Charles Newell-Zone 3
Chairman
780-809-2247
Harvey Yoder - Zone 4
780-623-0556
Carl Beniuk - Zone 4
780-689-6430
Your zone, your Board of Directors…
If you have recently reduced your energy consumption due to a change in
your lifestyle or from downsizing, you may not need as big of a breaker.
Contact us to help you determine the best breaker size for your energy
load and to ensure you have the most economical breaker size.
You could be saving money!
Feel free to contact them if you have
any questions!
North Parkland Power REA Ltd.
600 - 2 Avenue Box
501 Thorhild,
Alberta T0A 3J0
Report a Power Outage
1-866-398-2001