MLEA well attended

RANGELY I Close to 1,500 people turned out June 7 for Moon Lake Electric Association’s annual members meeting. The event was held for the first time in its new headquarters operations building located at 800 West Hwy. 40 in Roosevelt, Utah.
After enjoying the evening’s family-style barbecue, the company’s General Manager/CEO, Grant J. Earl, gave a report on the highlights of Moon Lake’s operations and financial condition. He reported that the cooperative continues to be financially strong, with KWH sales up more than 4 percent and revenue up more than 3 percent. Net margins for 2011 were $3.3 million and 40 miles of new power line were added during the year, as well as 192 new members. He reported that, due to Moon Lake’s favorable cash position, a refund of $2 million is being credited to member accounts during the June billing cycles.
It was pointed out that Moon Lake’s wholesale power supplier, Deseret Power, increased power rates to Moon Lake by 8 percent as of Jan. 1. The cooperative had anticipated needing to increase rates to tariff customers as a result, but have been able to absorb the increase without raising rates, marking 27 years since the last increase in tariff rates. Members received the good news that it is anticipated that an increase in rates will not be necessary this year and hopefully not next year as well because of the continuing growth of the organization and careful control of expenses. Moon Lake members are fortunate to be paying 6.7 cents per kilowatt-hour when across the nation residential electricity rates average 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Director elections were held this year in Districts 2 and 3 and resulted in incumbent Yordis Nielsen being nominated from District 2 and Dustin McGee and Stewart Olsen running on the ballot from District 3. Because Nielsen was unopposed, she will serve another 3-year term on the board. Following a count of the ballots for District 3, Stewart Olsen was elected to replace retiring director Kent Olsen who served 18 years on the board.