Manitowoc Public Utilities is explaining a plan that will help keep power in the city for the next two decades.
MPU General Manager Troy Adams was on WOMT’s Be My Guest Program last week, where he explained that the utilities’ Integrated Resource Plan has been developed over the last year to evaluate their generation and look at power in the future.
The plan discusses the age of the equipment in MPU and its current resources.
Adams noted that everything MPU has on hand is paid for, so right now, they need to make sure it’s preserved.
“The world has changed. There have been so many coal plants that have shut down and other baseload generation that have shut down over the last decade,” he explained. “And then load growth has happened with data centers and onshoring and other things, so there is a shortage of generation.”
Not only does the plan affirm what MPU has done so far to change fuel sources, but it also addresses the availability of other materials.
Adams says anything can be burned for power, including coal, which was used before.
Within the last year, the utility has switched to special fuel pellets made of varied materials.
He also reminded customers that having a public utility keeps decision-making in town and helps keep property taxes lower.
The plan could be approved at the MPU’s Commission meeting tonight.
More information from Adams can be found with the full episode of Be My Guest available at seehaferpodcasts.com.
