City of Bainbridge Island to form task force for utility issue

Published 11:31 am Saturday, December 19, 2015

Bainbridge Island City Manager Doug Schulze is creating a task force to help with a study of the feasibility of starting a Bainbridge owned-and-operated electric utility.

Islanders have been gathering signatures for a petition in recent months to gauge support for an island-based power company that would replace Puget Sound Energy.

City officials said Schulze is looking for volunteers to assist with the development of a “request for proposals,” consultant selection, and report review for a study that will consider the viability of a city-run electric utility.

The task force would be comprised of eight to 10 members of the community, with volunteers preferably having backgrounds in utility finance, management, engineering or utility law.

The task force will meet one to two times per month for approximately seven months.

Interested individuals should send an email with resume to Schulze no later than Friday, Jan. 8.

During its meeting on Nov. 17, the city council directed the city manager to draft a request for proposals for the completion of a study analyzing the viability of forming a municipally operated utility on Bainbridge Island.

The discussion regarding creation of a publicly-owned electric utility was initiated by Island Power, a local organization formed for the purpose of promoting the creation of a publicly-owned power company.

In response to the input received from Island Power and many community members, the council initially discussed the topic during its Oct. 6 meeting, where they asked for a plan that would provide the council and community with comprehensive information to help make a decision on electric power service on Bainbridge Island.

City officials said that following the October meeting, information was gathered through discussions with electric utility general managers, legal counsel specializing in electric utility issues, Puget Sound Energy and consultants.

Based on these conversations, the city said, it was determined that there are three general areas of study or assessment recommended: financial acquisition cost (including funding options, cost of service, and a rate study), engineering capacity (including transmission, energy efficiency and renewable resources plan, conservation potential assessment), and legal process for acquisition of the system.