INVESTMENT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS WHAT SETS US APART.

Infrastructure & Economic Development

Infrastructure plays a critical role in economic and community development activities. Utility offerings, reliability, pricing and conditions have direct influence on a person’s or business’ ability to thrive. But keeping the lights on and water running is just the start. From each utility pole to pipe in the ground we look to make sure that when you need them, your utilities are there for you. Additionally, helping you understand what to expect when it comes to utility costs is a priority of our Infrastructure Department. We are happy to work proactively with residential and commercial customers alike to make sure you know what to expect when your bill arrives.

Sustainability Built In

Hamilton has long been a leader in renewable energy, focused on the development of environmentally conscious power supply for our system. As early as the 1840’s, hydroelectric power generated from the Hamilton Hydraulic System was fueling manufacturing in Hamilton. Today, more than 50% of the city’s power is sourced from renewable energy. Hamilton operates and maintains a majority stake in both the Meldahl and Greenup Hydroelectric Power Plants on the Ohio River and owns generation rights to a number of other carbon-free assets. These hydroelectric resources provide our customers a reliable source of energy and long term price stability.

For our every day customers the renewable energy certificates (RECs) associated with our hydroelectric plants are sold to the market helping save on power costs. Once the RECs are sold, that energy is not considered to be “renewable”. While the value of those credits changes with the energy market, as of this writing the practice is saving our average customer more than 2% on electric costs.

For customers who want renewable energy there is our EcoSmart Choice program. Commercial and industrial customers can opt into the program, run through American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP), that supports renewable energy development from a variety of sources, such as hydroelectric, landfill gas, solar and wind facilities. EcoSmart Choice allows Hamilton customers to add an allocation of their electricity usage to renewable energy certificates (RECs) to receive up to 100% green energy.

Our Crews and Our Talent are Local.

Not only is Hamilton unique in that we have these public utilities, we are also fortunate to have local talent managing them. Our crews do not have a territory that crosses multiple cities as is the case with many investor-owned utility companies. Our crews work exclusively in this city – their city – the one they know so well. Our teams are often nearby, able to respond quickly to issues when needed. Additionally our ‘local advantage’ goes even farther with our team’s knowledge of our infrastructure, given that they are dealing with the same equipment they maintain everyday. We are in a uniquely powerful position to respond to almost any situation with a wide variety of expertise. This enhances reliability and reduces downtime across the board.

Our Systems Are Built To Last

On all fronts, Hamilton’s infrastructure is set up for the long term. Anticipated service life and long term operating costs are a top priority when planning projects. Annually we focus on efforts that ensure the longevity of our systems with programs like tree trimming and water valve exercising, (See pages 10 and 16)

On a system capacity front we have the ability to meet our electric, water, wastewater and gas needs for years to come.

System Capacities

Electric

Avg. Daily Use: 100 MW

Generating Capacity: 173 MW

Water

Avg. Daily Use: 15 MG

Max Daily Production: 46M Gallons

Wastewater

Avg. Daily Flow: 8.5 MG

Designed System Capacity: 32M Gallons Per Day

About the Electric Department

Currently, Hamilton’s Electric system is the second largest municipally owned system in Ohio. It is also fully integrated, which means that the Hamilton Electric Department handles electric generation, transmission and distribution of the power it creates. Hamilton’s power is created through a diverse portfolio of both thermal and hydroelectric generation facilities. When it comes to sustainable energy we are well ahead of the curve with our