Effective July 1, 2023, Great Lakes Utilities (GLU) will mark a transition in management and operational services. GLU is a municipal power agency in Wisconsin currently serving 11 municipals within Wisconsin including: Bangor, Clintonville, Cornell, Kiel, Marshfield, Manitowoc, Medford, Shawano, Stratford, Trempealeau, and Wisconsin Rapids.
Since GLU’s inception in 2000, Manitowoc Public Utilities (MPU), one of GLU’s founding members, has provided contract management and operational services. That contract expires June 30, 2023; and MPU, citing a need to shift organizational focus, elected not to seek a contract renewal. This shift allows MPU to redirect resources towards organizational priorities including the Manitowoc Refuel Renewable Project, an ongoing effort to refuel two existing primarily fossil fuel-fired circulating fluidized bed (CFB) power plant boilers to run on 100% Wisconsin-recognized renewable densified fuel pellets.
After an extensive search by the GLU board, two entities have been selected to provide the services previously provided by MPU. GLU has engaged ACES, a nationwide energy management company, to provide power supply planning and operational services; and GLU has engaged Marshfield Utilities, a GLU member utility, to provide management services. Troy Adams, MPU General Manager, expressed “We are excited for this transition and believe this new beginning will be positive for both MPU and GLU allowing our organizations to establish direction for the future.” Nicolas Kumm, General Manager of Marshfield Utilities, said “We are excited to take the reins as GLU’s managing service provider and thank MPU and its staff for many years of good service. We look forward to the partnership with ACES.”
GLU has an annual budget of $76 million with 1,080 GWhs in annual energy sales. MPU serves over 18,000 electric customers in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Although no longer providing management or operational services, MPU will continue to be a member and partial power supply customer of Great Lakes Utilities.