Sustainability
Gunni CARES 2030 Traducción Española
2023 Electric Rates
Collaboration over the last several years between the City Electric Department, the previous City Manager and the City’s power supplier, Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN), has gotten the City closer than ever to achieving it's goal of reducing emissions and becoming carbon neutral. MEAN offers a Green Energy program that increases the fixed amount of energy that comes from wind from 6,986,098 kWh to 10,119,000 kWh, and the City is now eligible to participate. The program also includes a Variable Green Energy clause to provide additional wind, landfill gas, solar, and hydro energy that will help us meet our 100% carbon free goal.
In order to be eligible for MEAN’s Green Energy program, the City recently approved a 3% increase in its residential electric rates. 1.6% of that increase will cover the costs of the carbon-free and renewable energy from MEAN, and 1.4% will be used to offset a portion of the overall material cost increases for transformers, poles, wire and other necessary items.
Even with this 3% increase, the City is proud to note that its residential electric rate will remain one of the lowest in Colorado.
Despite this, the City understands the fact that these electric rate increases affect the cost of living for residents, some of whom may already be struggling to make ends meet. However, MEAN’s renewable or Green Energy resources are limited due to excessive demand, and the City has been on a waiting list to access them for several years. If the City had not taken advantage of this opportunity now, it could have been another several years before MEAN’s existing renewable energy pools were high enough to provide them to the City again.
Additionally, only a handful of cities in Colorado can state that their energy supply is carbon neutral, and Gunnison is honored to be included in that list.