Information presented at a meeting of the Trenton Utility Committee shows TMU has a year-to-date overall increase in cash balances of $1,122,844. In this case, year-to-date is the portion of the city’s fiscal year running from May through January – a nine-month period.
TMU’s total cash and investments top $12,774,155 as of January 31st. That’s an increase of $256,000 from the December 31st report. The cash and investments are for all the funds of TMU, electric, water, and wastewater (sewer).
In those departments, figures show the electric fund has $4,184,476 in unrestricted funds. The water department has $3,330,733 in unrestricted funds. And wastewater has $4,549,199 in unrestricted funds.
Trenton Utility Committee member Duane Urich said the balance in the electric department allows TMU to absorb additional costs when it was asked to operate generators to supplement purchased power. He noted the utility will not be passing on the increased expense to customers.
Utility director Ron Urton indicated the expense was an estimated $150,000 more than usual for December. Trenton’s electric plant generators were operated during the cold snap right before Christmas. That’s the second time in less than two years, the other involved extreme cold for several days in February of 2021.
Urich explained the cost for purchased-power flexes often. But the income for Trenton Municipal relies more on increased usage than it does on the rates. He noted the more electricity used by a customer, increases the amount of their bill.
Urton said he anticipates the city will be getting more frequent calls from the Missouri Public Utility Alliance requesting TMU start operating their generators. Urich called it critical to keep the generators available to be operated when needed.
When the city generates during an “energy emergency”, the city is billed at the Missouri Public Energy Pool (MoPEP) price. During the four days in December 2022, the city was billed at approximately $62 per megawatt hour. That compares to $48 per megawatt hour for the previous month, November 2022. The city receives capacity credits from the pool to help with costs of generation, diesel fuel, and labor.
Among other information shared at the Trenton Utility Committee meeting, Urton said the contractor on Monday had begun a project at the water plant reservoir pumping station when an issue with piping was discovered. Urton said the city and All-State Engineering company will evaluate the issue.
Bids were opened Thursday for a proposed TMU warehouse that would allow for equipment to be stored indoors. The warehouse has been proposed for a vacant lot near 26th Street and Oklahoma Avenue. Bids are being evaluated and will be presented to the Trenton City Council.
Trenton Municipal Utility department heads Bob Hutchinson, Steve Reid, Kenny Ricketts, and Brad Griffin discussed work in their areas.
