SeeJune 15, 2018 SOLAR ALERT

From members of the Cherryland Electric Cooperative “Member Advisory Committee”; Tom Gallery, Peter Wolcott, Steve Smiley ([email protected])

IT IS URGENT TO CONTACT YOUR CHERRY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE BOARD MEMBERS AND MANAGER NOW TO DEMAND THEY VOTE TO SUPPORT SOLAR ENERGY BY CUSTOMERS / MEMBERS.


At this MONDAY’S June 18, 9 AM, Cherryland Electric Cooperative Board of Director’s meeting the board will be making decisions on the fate of solar energy for members by voting on proposals that basically kill solar energy for member installations. Of the seven board members, four board members can IMMEDIATELY propose policies to advance solar energy in our community and reject the solar killing resolutions.


We recommend:

• VOTE TO RE-INSTATE “FULL NET METERING”, from the modified net metering program that was established to pay 5.6 cents/kW-hour, in contrast to 12 cents/kW-hour with full net metering. Cherryland recently cancelled the net metering program arguing they (and our generation cooperative) met their 10 MW – 1% solar goal!). In reauthorizing full net-metering the 20-kW capacity cap per member should be removed. The board should make a motion to re-instate full net metering at this June 18, meeting, AND NOT DELAY ANY APPLICATIONS FOR SOLAR PROJECTS—SOME THAT HAVE BEEN PLANNED AND/OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

• VOTE TO Re-instate 10 cents/kW-hr, with guaranteed allotments for small and medium size member solar projects. REJECT THE 6.5 cents/kW-hour Solar “Buy All / Sell All” (BASA) proposal by Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative (our “generation” cooperative) that reduces the price from 10 cents/kW-hour to 6.5 cents/kW-hour.


Benefits:

• Solar energy installed by Cherryland Electric members is a great benefit, enriching our and community.

• When a member installs solar on their property the excess clean energy goes right to their neighbors at no added expense to the grid, providing cheap, clean, high quality energy.

• Solar system owners provide a free source of capital to our cooperative, free financing for clean energy.

• Outside studies place the value of solar to a utility at over 14 cents/kW-hour, exceeding the retail price paid by members. Solar systems do not increase member or the cooperative costs, they provide clean, affordable energy. Anything less than the retail full net meter price is cheating our members.

• When we members install solar systems, we keep our money at home, improving our local economy and the environment with multiplied community economic benefits? Two-thirds of our money paid to our cooperative is sent out-of-state for coal, gas and atomic energy.

We salute the excellent operations and service staff at our cooperative, while demanding that the board and management advance policies the make solar work for members. Contact our cooperative board immediately.

Come to the Monday, June 18, meeting at 9 AM in Grawn and voice your concerns.

Contact our board and management to express your opinions: Terry Lautner, President, ([email protected] Ph: 231-946-4623), Tom Van Pelt ([email protected] Ph: 231 386-5234), Melinda Lautner ([email protected] Ph: 231-947-2509), David Schweitzer ([email protected] Ph: 231 883-5860), John Olson ([email protected] Ph: 231 938-1228), Gabe Schneider ([email protected] Ph: 517 449-6453), Jon Zickert ([email protected] Ph: 231 631-1337) and Tony Anderson, Mgr. ([email protected] Ph: 231 486-9200).

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