Alabama Industrial Energy Consumers

AIEC holds 9th annual spring meeting

Capital City is host site for AIEC gathering

The membership of AIEC held its annual spring meeting in Montgomery, Alabama April 21-22, 2014.  Guests included Mark Crosswhite, the new President of Alabama Power Co., and the three commissioners of the Alabama Public Service Commission – President Twinkle Cavanaugh, Jeremy Oden, and Terry Dunn.

The event began Monday night when the group gathered in the suite of Capell Howard to enjoy double-A baseball featuring the Montgomery Biscuits battling the Mississippi Braves.  It was a perfect spring evening at beautiful Riverwalk Stadium, where the Biscuits won 6-2.

Biscuits

Alabama Power shares its forecast

On Tuesday, the group reviewed the regulatory activities of the past year.  At midmorning, the Alabama Power Co. presented matters of interest to AIEC, particularly an overview of the status of all rates, the effect of the two polar vortexes in January and its impact on fuel costs, the status of MATS environmental compliance, revenue and cost projections, and an outlook for 2015.  Mark Crosswhite, familiar to the group from his former position as APCo general counsel, outlined his vision for the company and affirmed the course set by his predecessor Charles McCrary – controlling costs and keeping Alabama a competitive place for industry.

PSC Commissioners welcome AIEC

President Twinkle Cavanaugh commended the group for its participation in the RSE rate review sessions and pledged to keep the PSC focused on reasonable rates, and encouraging the use of lowest-cost available fuel sources – including coal. John Free, the director for the PSC Electricity division, gave an update on current issues. Commissioners Terry Dunn and Jeremy Oden joined the group for a robust roundtable discussion during the lunch session. The discussion focused on various methodologies to control costs, in particular reviewing how demand response programs can effectively combat unexpected cost pressures like those presented by the two polar vortexes in January. They encouraged the AIEC’s continued dialogue to address increasing cost concerns

AIEC spring meeting

The group concluded by identifying specific objectives and action items through 2014, and plans to convene again this fall in Birmingham.

 

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