(Atlantic) Atlantic Municipal Utilities General Manager Steve Tjepkes presented AMU’s 2024 budget to the City Council on Wednesday. AMU was recently awarded the National Excellence in Reliability for reliable electric service compared to electric companies throughout the country.
Atlantic City Councilman Gerald Brink…
According to the American Public Power Association, out of 181 electric utilities operating in Iowa, AMU ranks 2nd lowest overall average electric rate charged to customers in the state. Tjepkes says 50 percent of Atlantic’s power is provided by the ownership of W/S#3 coal plant and 50 percent from purchase contracts. He says 20 percent of the power supply is renewable energy.
Tjepkes says the 2024 capital budget is $1.9 million, with most of that capital spent locally making system improvements and converting more overhead lines to underground, beginning with rear lots in Olive to Oak Street and 17th to 22nd Street.
Tjepkes noted the electric and the water departments are debt-free, and there will be NO rate increases in electricity or water.
Tjepkes says they plan to replace all water meters with remote read meters next year. All electrical meters were previously converted. He says engineering and planning to replace an underground water storage tank with an above-ground tank. The estimated cost is around $1.8 million, and AMU will apply for a $600,000 CDBG grant to offset part of the expense.
