NORWICH – In light of the 100th anniversary of Sherburne Municipal Electric, the village-owned utility is looking to the future and examining ways of becoming more energy efficient.
“This is the right thing to do,” Sherburne Mayor William Acee said of the village’s energy efficiency plan. “Electricity is a valuable resource, and we need to not waste it.”
Currently the village is in the process of soliciting requests for proposals (RFPs) for an automatic meter reading program. The automatic meter reading would make the meters more flexible to work with, because it would be possible to take meter readings remotely instead of physically going to each individual meter.
In addition, the automatic meters would make servicing easier, since diagnostic checks would also be able to take place from a remote location.
Acee explained that while the village is looking at several possibilities for becoming more energy efficient, nothing has been cast in stone as of yet.
“We’re tentatively looking at things like using compact fluorescent bulbs, insulating, variable speed drives, rebates on Energy Star appliances, tree planting for shade cooling, and the remote meter reading,” Acee said.
The mayor explained that while many of the steps the village is considering to become more energy efficient would be left up to individual home owners, he feels the project could work to reduce the amount of energy that is used. “We’re trying to create a program that everybody can get a piece of,” Acee said.
Sherburne Electric is hoping to role out their new energy efficiency program by year’s end. The program will first have to be approved by the Public Service Commission.
The municipal utility also hopes to include upgrades allowing for a fiber optic background that would back-haul information to the office.
A celebration of the 100th anniversary of Sherburne Municipal Electric will be held Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. at Champ Park. A free luncheon will follow, beginning at 11:30 at Gaines Park.