1. Please describe your top priorities for the PEC that you would pursue if you are elected or re-elected to the board

1. Please describe your top priorities for the PEC that you would pursue if you are elected or re-elected to the board. Comments: My focus remains on ...
2 downloads 2 Views 38KB Size
1. Please describe your top priorities for the PEC that you would pursue if you are elected or re-elected to the board. Comments: My focus remains on PEC’s primary purpose in this 21st century is to serve our communities by providing excellent member services, safe and reliable energy services at competitive prices. All of our efforts go toward one aspect or another of our purpose. As a result of reform efforts, our financial and forecasting management systems can identify opportunities for potential rate reduction. We have had three such reductions in recent months with the May 1, 2015 reduction moving PEC slightly below the state average rate of 11.78. Rates will always be on the radar, as we can act quickly to pass on savings to members when feasible. Rates are #1 priority. I am interested in seeing more robust educational opportunities for PEC’s members in understanding how their coop can help them better manage their consumption, costs and exercise their members’ rights. Too many PEC members are not engaged or understand what a coop is. We need to have an ongoing effort of member education. 2. The PEC's current policy is to reduce annual electric demand growth by 20 percent, using energy efficiency and demand management programs. Do you support this policy? Yes _Y___ No ____ Comments: I believe that reduced demand can be one of our most cost effective ways to lower rates for all. Our Energy Efficiency program soon will be enhanced with more emphasis on more aggressive energy audits, better tips on do-it-yourself weatherization projects and will be a great way to engage our members. This is a great way to engage our members and there is “something in it for me—the member” 3. Most experts project that Central Texas will receive less rainfall in the coming decades even as our population continues to grow. Most forms of energy production (such as coal, nuclear and natural gas plants), require a large and reliable supply of water to function, and much of the water they use is lost to evaporation. Do you support 'water proofing'

our energy sources by prioritizing less water intensive forms of energy, such as wind, distributed solar, and energy efficiency? Yes _Y___ No ____ Comments: I believe it is imperative to consider the energy/water nexus and reduce the billion gallons of water our PEC members consume just by using the amount of 500,000,000 kWhs we purchase. See comments below at 4. We must have a diverse energy portfolio and we are fortunate to have access to Texas wind supplies. 4. What is your opinion on global warming? Do you believe it is happening? What do you think is causing it? I do believe that climate change, global warming, is happening; the evidence is all around us. I believe there are both natural and manmade causes. The science community has long supported the belief that activities of humans contribute to our changing environment. I believe in science. Our challenge is to rethink some of our beliefs, habits and take positive action for the good, whenever we can. We have long believed that many of our resources were infinite. Now we know that our precious water in the Lower Colorado River is not to be taken for granted. Who would have thought or cared that the 500,000,000 kWh power PEC buys each year, and our members use, has consumed almost a billion gallons of water! We must become better stewards of our resources for future generations. 5. The PEC board voted recently to adopt a strategy to begin development of a broad range of programs to help PEC reach its renewables goal and respond to requests from members who wish to invest in solar. Do you support the implementation of a distributed available for member subscription, and including the development of commercial-scale arrays? Yes __Y__ No ____ Comments: I believe the time has come for renewables, particularly solar, to play a bigger role in our energy strategy. Solar cost has plummeted. The

Board passed a renewable resolution at our March 2015 meeting that described the way ahead for rooftop solar initiatives and community or utility scale solar programs. One of the concepts launched is an on bill financing feature for members who want to install their own system on their home. PEC access to low-cost capital will be available to members in coming months. Another aspect will be the opportunity for members to join community solar projects. The specifics are still in development. The resolution gave the green light for management to move forward on projects that proved to be feasible and that have been in work in recent months. 6. Do you support on-bill financing to provide convenient access to lowinterest rates to residential and commercial members deploying distributed generation systems? Yes _Y___ No ____ Comments: PEC has access to low-cost interest money through our CoBank and Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) financial partners. PEC can be the catalyst to offer the advantage to members who want to invest in home solar or wind systems. The program is underdevelopment and member feedback thus far is extremely high. Specifics coming soon. 7. Do you support the PEC encouraging its primary power supplier, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), to continue to diversify its energy portfolio by providing cost-beneficial wholesale wind and solar resources? Yes __Y__ No ____ Comments: Certainly. The PEC/LCRA relationship is long-standing. PEC is the largest LCRA wholesale customer. LCRA is sensitive to PECs contractual ability to buy load from sources other than LCRA. I strongly support PEC’s strategy to develop a diverse energy portfolio with and without LCRA. PEC can benefit from the volume buying advantage that LCRA has in the market. Finding win-win situations for us both should be maximized. 8. A recent survey of PEC members shows that over 70% of respondents are either "very interested" or "interested" in a time-

differentiated rate program that would reward members who use energy during non-peak times when the price PEC pays its wholesale power providers are lower. Do you support such a program? Yes __Y__ No ____ Comments: Absolutely! Rewarding conservation with a good price signal is something that we have not been able to do in our current flat rate structure. The time has come for members to have more rate choices. We do have to carefully consider how some members who have low consumption but use at a level load, such as a senior in a small residential setting but dependent on life saving medical devices. We will have to consider how our rate plans could still reward otherwise low consumption members. 9. The same recent survey of PEC members shows that about 70% of respondents are either "very interested" or interested" in a three-tiered rate structure that would reward households with lower energy use, to encourage and reward conservation. Do you support such a program? Yes _Y___ No ____ Comments: I was pleasantly surprised at the high level of interest that members expressed. I believe our members are cost conscious to the degree they are willing to modify their personal schedules. That is a strong message. Inclining block rates may soon be part of our rates structure along with more traditional structure. I believe members should be able to select another rate program if the initial choice does not work out for them. It’s all about choices. 10. Rank in order your choice of energy resource options. Explain your ranking below if you wish. _1__energy efficiency _5__natural gas __7_coal __6_nuclear __3_wind __4_large-scale solar __2_small-scale solar

__ other (explain) Cheapest energy is that which we never buy so energy efficiency is low hanging fruit. Small scale solar and wind is relatively faster to accelerate now Taking advantage of low cost natural gas is in the immediate market now but given the historic price volatility, may not stay at current low for many more months/years. BRIEF BIO First Elected in 2009, re-elected in 2012. Have served as board officer since initial elections. I served +24 years as U.S. Air Force civilian Contracting Officer in support of aerospace programs and facilities infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe. I held a higher than Top Secret security clearance. Prior to my Air Force career, I spent 13 years as systems analyst/programmer for Union Equity Cooperative Exchange, a six-state regional commodities cooperative involved in international trading and grain exports. B.A degree with honors from University of Oklahoma M.A. with honors, Procurement/Acquisition Management Webster University, St. Louis. Earned the Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) designation and the Advanced Board Leadership Certificate (BLC). Reside in Marble Falls with my husband, Doug Moore. We have been PEC members for almost 15 years. More information see: www.cristiclement.com.

Suggest Documents