2016
ELECTRICAL DEVELOPMENTS SECTION K
PROGRESS
Wednesday, March 30
A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE MINING JOURNAL ALSO INSIDE
PAGE 2K Coal quandary PAGE 3K Addressing energy needs
PAGE 7K Sun power Searching solutions
Marquette Board of Light and Power officials are running a second unit at the Shiras Steam Plant, pictured here. Using a second unit helps ensure power reliability during frigid weather conditions. (Journal file photo)
PAUL KITTI
Power plan
BLP proposing new megawatt electrical generating facility By LISA BOWERS Journal Ishpeming Bureau MARQUETTE — Marquette Board of Light and Power’s plans to build a new 50 megawatt electrical generating facility near its offices on Wright Street are taking shape. Construction can be accomplished over the next 20 to 24 months with an estimated completion date of March 2017. Earlier this year the BLP signed contracts with Northern Natural Gas and Semco Energy for service and construction of a pipeline extension to transport natural gas to the new facility. “It seems clear to us when looking at this that the Semco alternative beats the BLP build and own alternative by considerable margins and dollars, plus the risk management standpoint that we enter into when we own and build,” BLP Executive Director Paul Kitti said. On Feb. 11, the BLP awarded a $60,000 two-year contract to Fellon McCord of Louisville, Kenucky, to manage the BLP’s natural gas service for the new facility. The $65 milion facility will contain three Wartsila quick-start engines to burn gas or fuel oil to provide a total of 50 megawatts of new generation to assure power availablity. The BLP, which has been generating electrical power needed by homes and businesses in Marquette for 100 years, has been purchasing power via transmission lines from companies hundreds of
miles south of Marquette since the 1990s, preventing blackouts or rolling partial blackouts. In October 2014, MISO, the grid operator told BLP that the lines had become so congested or clogged from other companies using it that power availability could no longer be assured. In recent years Shiras Unit No. 2 (producing up to 22 megawatts) and Shiras Unit No. 3 (producing up to 44 megawatts) plus the hydros (2-3 MW) must often run simultaneously in order to supply the electricity needed. If unit No. 2 breaks down then the BLP's combustion turbine can fill in because it can generate up to 22 megawatts, but if No. 3 were to break down or both units were to break down, the BLP would be searching for power. BLP officials said MISO wanted them to pay more than $99 million over the next 33 years to help build a new transmission line. Erik Booth, BLP manager of planning and utility compliance, said over the last three years the BLP has spent close to $500,000 and conducted several studies as part of its Integrated Resource Planning, concluding a new energy center is needed to provide electric service to the Marquette Area. In the fall, the Marquette City Commission approved a 30 percent increase for Marquette Board of Light and Power customers to pay for the project.
Booth said the increase will mean about 14 cents per kilowatt hour. The new rates will become effective in October and are expected to increase the average monthly bill for residential BLP customers from $58 to $76. BLP officials said the construction of the new generating facility, which is set to be built near the utility's offices on Wright Street, is expected to cost about $65 million. An additional $7.7 million will be needed as a bond reserve, while $4.3 million will be used on various capital improvements. Another $2.7 million will go toward paying off outstanding debt associated with the Tourist Park Dam replacement project, which was completed in 2012. Under state law, the BLP established and published a not-to-exceed bond limit of $79.9 million. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the bond underwriter for the Marquette Energy Center Project. “They're going to underwrite the transaction, which means they're taking on the risk associated with selling the bonds in the market,” said Brian Reilly, senior financial adviser with Ehlers and Associates, the BLP's financial consulting firm. Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906486-4401. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.
Business
PAGE 7K Camera upgrade
PAGE 8K H2-OH!
2K -— The Mining Journal, Wednesday, March 30
PROGRESS2016
Coal quandary
Presque Isle Power Plant
Plans to replace Presque Isle power Plant underway
By LISA BOWERS Journal Staff Writers MARQUETTE — Plans are moving forward on schedule to replace the aging coal-fired Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette with a new natural gas-fueled cogeneration facility in Marquette County, according to officials involved with the project. Cliffs Natural Resources and Chicagobased Invenergy Thermal Development LLC announced a plan in early 2015 to construct the new facility on Cliffs’ property in Marquette County. Mary Ryan, Invenergy’s senior manager of public affairs, declined to comment on the cost of construction and said an exact location is still being determined. However, somewhere near the city of Palmer was listed as a possible site, according to a mid-December press release on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s website, which also announced the award of a $500,000 performancebased grant to Invenergy to assist with funding the project. Pat Persico, Cliffs’ direc-
tor of global communications, said in a statement in February, the mining company is continuing to move toward establishing definitive agreements with Invenergy to develop the combined heat and electric power facility. “The plan being contemplated by the parties calls for a cogeneration facility to service a portion of ... Cliffs' future needs while also providing the residents of the Upper Peninsula with a reliable energy solution following the retirement of the Presque Isle Power Plant at the end of 2019,” Persico said in an email in early February. “Negotiations are proceeding on-schedule in terms of the deadlines established in the March 2015 energy settlement agreement.” Under that agreement, Invenergy could build, own and operate the facility to provide Cliffs with electric power, steam for heat and some excess energy available to local utilities, though many details are still being determined. The facility would need to be in operation prior to the Presque Isle plant closure. “Cliffs will continue to work with Invenergy in the near-term to address a
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number of outstanding issues and business terms that require resolution,” Persico said. “We cannot provide additional specifics regarding project negotiations at this time due to our confidentiality agreement with Invenergy.” While the Presque Isle plant generates roughly 344 megawatts of power, the new cogeneration facility could have a generating capacity of 280 megawatts, according to documents from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which oversees the electric grid in the Upper Midwest and part of Canada. The closure of the Presque Isle plant re-
quires new generation be built or an expansion of the region’s transmission system to ensure electric reliability in the area or a combination of both. In December, MISO approved plans for a $114 million transmission expansion project proposed by the American Transmission Co., which owns some of the transmission lines in the Upper Peninsula. That project calls for construction of a new 57mile 138-kilovolt line from ATC’s Plains Substation near Quinnesec to National Mine. Cliffs and Invenergy officials declined to specifically address whether
construction of the new generating facility would be feasible considering the potential closure of Cliffs’ Empire Mine in Marquette County. According to officials, Cliffs has a partnership agreement in place that calls for the Empire Mine to continue operations through 2016, with a separate commercial agreement that calls for the life of the mine being planned through January 2017. While MISO approval isn’t required for new generating facilities, it does look at necessary transmission system upgrades related to new generators that intercon-
nect to the grid. “It's probably early to say what impact the plant will have on transmission planning in the region,” said Andy Schonert, corporate spokesman for MISO. “That information may be better understood later this year.” Schonert said new generating facilities are typically not considered in MISO’s planning process until a Generator Interconnection Agreement is signed. “MISO is actively working with everyone directly involved to move this project to the Generator Intercon-
See Coal
Continued on 7K
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The Mining Journal, Wednesday, March 30 — 3K
PROGRESS2016
Addressing energy needs
Transmission expansion project underway for the American Transmission Co.
By LISA BOWERS Journal Ishpeming Bureau NATIONAL MINE — Plans for a $114 million transmission expansion project proposed by the American Transmission Co., which owns some of the transmission lines in the Upper Peninsula, are moving forward. Jackie Olson, corporate spokeswoman for ATC, said the proposed project, approved in December by the grid operator Midcontinent Independent System Operator, calls for construction of a new 57-mile, 138-kilovolt line from ATC’s Plains Substation near Quinnesec to National Mine. Olson said the proposed transmission line is still in a conceptual planning stage as a potential option to address the energy needs of the Upper Peninsula. “We are continuing to discuss the need for the project with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and other stakeholders as we look for the best energy solutions,” Olson said in an email. ATC, whose customers include electricity producers and electric distribution companies, provides electric transmission ser-
vice in an area from the U.P., to the eastern half of Wisconsin and into portions of Illinois. Olson said the PlainsNational project is anticipated to be in operation by 2020. “It was one of several projects ATC studied over the last several years as part of our Northern Area Reliability Study, designed to anticipate the transmission needs of the Upper Peninsula,” Olson said. “Plains-National was identified as the appropriate solution to meet reliability needs if the Presque Isle Power Plant is retired and no replacement generation is planned.” MISO is working with
ATC, Cliffs Natural Resources, Ivenergy, and other entities to devise a sustainable energy solution for the Upper Peninsula with or without a new source of power generation, according to a December Presque Isle Power Plant Retirement Planning Update from the organization. “MISO will continue to evaluate alternatives with stakeholders to identify a long-term solution that will allow Presque Isle to retire,” the report states.
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The Mining Journal, Wednesday, March 30 — 5K
PROGRESS2016
Our Businesses, Our People, All Local 1959
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6K — The Mining Journal, Wednesday, March 30
PROGRESS2016
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The Mining Journal, Wednesday, March 30 — 7K
PROGRESS2016
Searching solutions MISO researchs ways to replace coal operations By LISA BOWERS Journal Ishpeming Bureau MARQUETTE — It’s business as usual at the Presque Isle Power Plant even as the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc (MISO), the grid operator, continues to work toward solutions to retire and replace the coal operating facility. Officials say the plant, which employs 150 people, is operating five steam units, with two diesel generators for auxiliary power, generating roughly 344 megawatts of power. It has been about a year since Cliffs Natural Resources returned to using the Presque Isle Power plant to provide energy to its Tilden and Empire mines. According to a March 2015 statement from Gov. Snyder’s office, under the current agreement between Cliffs and We Energies, the mines will continue to get power from the plant until Dec 31, 2019, or until an alternative source of power has been achieved, whichever comes first. All customers benefitted from the deal, according to Snyder’s office, because it keeps We Energies from assessing rate-payer-funded System Support Resource subsidy payments. In 2013, Cliffs — then We Energies largest U.P. customer — changed electric providers, causing the power provider to lose 85 percent of its to-
tal energy demand in Michigan. We Energies sought to idle and later shut down the Presque Isle plant, but the grid operator refused to allow the plant’s closure citing grid reliability purposes. Since then several solutions to the problem have been proposed, including an Upper Peninsula Power Company attempt to purchase the plant. Gov. Snyder’s office said Cliffs and UPPCO could not reach an agreement and the deal fell through in March 2015. Cliffs and Chicago based Invenergy Thermal Development, LLC are working on a power generation solution to build a natural gas fired plant that would replace the Presque Isle plant prior to its intended closure in 2020. Pat Persico, Cliff’s director of global communications, said in a February statement that the mining company is continuing to move toward establishing definitive agreements with Invenergy to develop the combined heat and electric power facility. “Negotiations are proceeding on-schedule in terms of the deadlines established in the March 2015 energy settlement agreement,” Persico said Under that agreement, Invenergy could build, own, and operate the facility to provide Cliffs with electric power, steam for heat and some excess energy available for local utilities. Persico said Cliffs could not provide
specifics regarding project negotiations at this time due to a confidentiality agreement with Invenergy. In the meantime, the grid operator continues to look for ways to gradually ease the U.P.’s dependence on the Presque Isle Plant. MISO states that combined generation and transmission solutions would minimize continuing dependence on existing as well as local area generation in its Presque Isle Power Plant Retirement Planning Update report is Dec. 2015. “It would be highly optimistic to assume new generation and any associated transmission upgrades will be constructed by 2017,” the report states. The report also stipulates that any generation-only solutions, in other words a facility to replace the plant in Marquette, would require equivalent availability as Presque Isle to meet the North American Electric Reliability Corporation criteria. Cathy Shulze, from We Energies Media relations said operations at the plant for now are status quo. “It continues to operate at normal levels, and will continue to operate until a new generation source is built in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,” Schulze said. Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-4864401. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.
Camera upgrade New machine benefits Downtown EyeCare patients
Sun power BLP solar garden is pushing forward By LISA BOWERS Journal Ishpeming Bureau MARQUETTE — The Marquette Board of Light and Power solar garden is making progress as community interest continues to grow. David Lynch, assistant director of Utility Operations, said 200 people have shown interest in purchasing a panel in the garden, 50 people signed up at the builders show the first weekend of March. Lynch said that the roughly 8,000-squarefoot site is clear of trees and BLP will be doing some additional work this spring to relocate the overhead lines underground. Lynch said BLP is currently in negotiations with the low bidder to install the panels on the site. While the installation of the panels and the panels factor into the cost, there are other things to consider when trying to determine cost per panel, Lynch said. “It’s not only cost of installation, it is also the cost of security fencing and maintainence,” Lynch said. Lynch said the BLP is still deciding whether customers will outright purchase or lease the panels. “We are not tax advisors, but we will structure that in a way that more easily allows customers to take advantage of en-
ergy tax credits,” Lynch said. At the end of January, the BLP awarded the nearly $17,900 contract to MEO to provide website development, marketing and sales, legal services and community presentations. Lynch said MEO has provided the same services for other Michigan utilities and is currently working with the city of Lansing on a similar solar project. “They’ve got experience in doing this and rolling it out, and the legal contractual document is very important to allow our customers the tax benefits that are available to them,” Lynch said. “The goal here is to get the all-in cost to bevery attractive to our customers,” Lynch said. The BLP is working with the Michigan Energy Optimization program to allow for rebates on the solar panels for residents, further reducing the cost. “We want to get the cost per watt as low as possible,” Lynch said. At its meeting Jan. 12, the BLP board, with a 3-1 vote, awarded a $6,500 contract to Utility Financial Solutions to design a community solar rate structure and to review and develop appropriate net metering rates that apply to rate-payers with renewable energy systems at their businesses or residences.
Lynch said this move resolves the problem of how to get kilowatt hours that are generated by the portion of panels that the customer owns to appear on the customer’s bill. Lynch said that a website is in the works that will allow customers to see the amount of watts their panel or panels are generating in real time. Customers will not be purchasing or leasing a specific panel in the solar garden. Lynch said one panel would be equal to one share of the electric output of the whole garden. The site could hold around 500 panels, Lynch said, though additional locations have been identified if more panels are purchased and extra space is needed. “We’re trying to find spots that we have facilities close by so the interconnection cost will be as low as possible,” Lynch said earlier this month. The locations include a small area directly to the east of the BLP office and one to the north of the office near the Dead River. Another larger site is to the west of the river and north of Marquette County Road 550 near the Tourist Park Basin.
Energy Regulatory Commission),” he said. Lisa Bowers can be
reached at 906-486-4401. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.
Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-4864401. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.
Coal
Continued from 2K nection Agreement, it just has not been executed at this time at (the Federal
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MARQUETTE BUILDERS EXCHANGE Downtown Eye Care Lab Technician and Optical Dispenser Kelly Hodgins, left, shows the results of the new machine, Optos, which takes a 200 degree photo of the back of the eye in high definition. Optician Ashley Luukkonen was the tester. (Journal photo by Elizabeth Bailey)
By CRAIG REMSBURG Senior Sports Writer MARQUETTE — Long committed to providing quality eye care, Downtown EyeCare of Marquette has acquired new equipment that will aid in that effort. Co-owner Jenny Webb said the business has added an Optos Retinal Camera to better serve its patients. “It’s definitely going to allow us to treat patients better,” she said. “We now can get a broader view of the back of the eye.” Staff member Dr. Anna Baumgartner said the machine — a camera manufactured by a company in Massachusetts — takes wide-angle photos of the retina. “A traditional camera can take photos up to just 45-50 degrees,” the Iron River native said. “This camera can cover 200 degrees. It allows us to evaluate /examine most of the retina.”
That enables Baumgartner and other doctors on the Downtown EyeCare staff to look for systemic diseases in the eye. “We’re more easily able to take photos of any peripheral retinal changes in the eye,” she said. “I’ve been impressed with the quality of the images.” Every patient receives the retinal pictures for each eye during an office visit, she said. Dr. Baumgartner added the new camera allows the business to keep photo documentation for future patient visits and moving forward with any treatment options. It’s particularly helpful in cases involving macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, she said. There’s another benefit to using the new camera, Dr. Baumgartner said: “We can take photos without having to dilate
the pupil. Many patients prefer not to have that done,” she said. Downtown EyeCare, located at 131 W. Washington St. in Marquette since 2005, is a full service eye care facility. Besides high-definition photography, the business offers a laserbased system for diagnosis and monitoring of specific eye conditions; and visual field testing and B Scan Ultrasonography, where sound waves are used to scan the inside of the eye. Downtown EyeCare is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday; from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Its telephone number is 226-2020. Craig Remsburg can be reached at 906228-2500, ext. 251. His email address is cremsburg@miningjournal.nett.
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8K — The Mining Journal, Wednesday, March 30
H2-OH! White Water Associates helps with your water needs A technician conducts tests in a lab at White Water Associates in Amasa, a small community in northern Iron County. (Photo courtesy Bette J. Premo, White Water Associates)
By RYAN STIEG Journal Staff Writer AMASA — If a person, city or business needs to have their water looked at, White Water Associates is the place to go. Based north of Crystal Falls in Iron County, White Water does analytical laboratory work for drinking and surface water as well as environmental consulting services. The company has been doing this type of work for a long time. “We started this about 31 years ago in 1985,” White Water owner and founder Bette Premo said. “Dean (her husband) and I had just moved up here and we are both trained in sciences. At that point, we were kind of looking at what kind of work we could do up here and we saw that there was a need for these services, so we started small and just grew into it.” Premo said that the business began with just her and Dean, but now has a staff of 24. White Water started off doing analysis for some wastewater treatment lagoon systems in various communities as well as paper mills, and now they do analysis in many areas. “We analyze drinking water and surface water like lakes, streams and ponds,” she said. “We analyze groundwater
people with their problems. “I think one of the things that helps us in this region is that we kind of know what people are dealing with in terms of groundwater and in terms of surface water,” Premo said. “We’re very familiar with the naturaloccurring levels of all these components and we can advise people on whether it is a natural-occurring component or unnatural like a contaminant of some kind. “We really do try to help people quite a bit with their issues and their concerns and lead them into some sort of direction even when it’s not with our company."
that’s not drinking water, like monitoring wells that surround landfills or are surrounding an impacted site to monitor the movement of contamination. We analyze soil and we analyze waste to determine if it is hazardous or not hazardous. So lots of things like that.” White Water also performs analysis for professors and students at Michigan Tech University as well as places all around the country, some for large government organizations such as the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. When asked what sets White Water apart from other analysis and consulting companies, Premo says they understand the water situations in the Upper Peninsula and their willingness to help
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