Associated Power Gets New Contract

The Springfield, Ore., Utility Board has hired a new Spokane company to take over day-to-day management of power services.

The contract with Associated Power Services Inc. is the first between an independent power marketer and a municipal utility, President Paula Rosbut said.

Associated will oversee the Oregon community’s existing power contracts, power scheduling and contract administration.

Spokeswoman Mary Ann Rhodes said Springfield, Oregon’s second-largest municipal utility, had received all its power and services from the Bonneville Power Administration until Oct. 1.

Since then, she said, the utility has taken 25 percent of the 100 megawatts of electricity used to cover its base load from PacifiCorp.

Associated will be responsible for finding as much as 100 megawatts more to cover winter needs.

Rhodes noted Associated already has arranged the purchase of a one-month block of power from BPA at significantly less cost than other energy supplied by the federal agency.

She estimated the contracts with PacifiCorp and Associated will save Springfield between $350,000 and $1.2 million a year.

Part of Associated’s compensation will depend on the amount of savings, she said.

Also, Springfield employees will receive training that will enable the utility to take responsibility for power services in the future, said Lloyd Reed, Associated’s manager of power operations. , DataTimes