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Show Board votes again to join cooperative Following a discussion of future power possibilities and the problems involved with changing to a muncipally-owned electric system, the Cedar City Electric Utility Board voted to again urge the city to join the In-termountain In-termountain Consumer Power Association. The vote, however, showed slightly more reservation than previous similar motions. Stating that coal-fired generating plants are the only practical electrical power sources for the future, ICPA consulatant George Ward told the Utility Board there was a "possible" municipal energy source on the horizon. Not acting what could be termed optomistic, Ward said, "There is quite - possibly an ICPA source of power if your city should go municipal. "There is that possibility but the cost of that power won't be like BOR (Bureau of Reclamation ) power." Ward was referring to the present "cheap" rates offered preference customers by BOR. Ward also said that joining ICPA at a cost of $500 a year would not likely only bring Cedar City "moral support and answers to a couple of questions." He also said the ICPA could do a "very preliminary study to find out how much an engineering study would cost and to help with an inventory of the present system." Cost of this preliminary study, he said, would be an additional $750-$1,000, or possibly less. "But," he said, "ICPA is not able to help an awful lot in a situation like this." ICPA is planning a massive coal-fired coal-fired generating plant in Wayne County, using Wayne and Emery County coal, to be utilized by 1985, if all goes well, Ward said. The energy consultant said he is optomistic about the plant's chances of survival. "But everyone was optomistic about Kapairowits, too," he stated. "The only real advantage to belonging to ICPA is that we dictate all the power from that source. There could be power available there if Cedar City was moving ahead with municipal power.' Ward said the estimated cost of power from the Wayne County plant "in today's dollars" would be 16.2 mills at the plant ana zv.i ai a rarowan suu-station. suu-station. In escalated, inflated dollars, that cost would most likely be 40 mills per killowatt in Iron County, he said. Ward said he would normally be embarrassed to talk about power rates of 40 mills, but the noted last month's Utah Power and Light wholesale rate request of 44 mills per killowatt. 50 Percent Stays Ward said legislation passed this year requires 50 percent of the energy produced at the Wayne County ICPA plant to go to Utah customers. But, he said, those Utah customers with municipal operations as of May 10, 1977, get first options at the power, according to the law. Those existing municipal power operating communities would not be obligated to take the power, but must be offered it first, he said. After that, other communities could make application. ap-plication. The majority of the rest of the power would go to California cities that are funding, partly the plant, he said. Ward also warned of the problems involved with change to a municipal system. Tough to Leave He said it is considerably more difficult to acquire a system now as compared to the past. One reason, he said, was there is not as much power I available now, "we are in a shortage period." He also said large utilities are ; i toughter to deal with now in letting go : of their customers. ' "You have to realize," he ex- J plained," Cal-Pac has spent a lot of , money here establishing an electrical system. You've given them to un- , derstand they had a long time to , operate. It is a tough situation to sell , out and break up. They will try desperately to stay in business." j He also said UP&L would be hostile ( to deal with due to their associations , with Cal-Pac. '. Ward also echoed numerous other , energy experts as he stated, "The days ( of low cost power are gone forever." ( |