Columbia Water and Light Fact Sheet

Columbia Water & Light was formed by voter approval in 1904. Since that time, the utility has been furnishing Columbians with low cost, reliable electricity and high quality water. Every customer is an owner of the utility and has a say in how the utility is run. Operational recommendations are made to the Council by the Water and Light Advisory Board. Final decisions concerning Columbia Water & Light are made by the City Council. The utility is run as a department of the City of Columbia. Contributions are made to city government in the form of a gross receipts tax, property tax and to the general fund for city services.

Electric System

Customers: 45,532 (March 2011)

Peak electric load: 272 MW (July 20, 2006)

2009 electric sources & percent supplied: 53.1% Ameren Energy, 26.5% Sikeston, 10.3% Nearman, 5.6% Columbia Power Plant (coal/wood), 1.9% Ameresco (biogas), 1.6% Associated Electric (wind), 1.0% Columbia Landfill (biogas)

Renewable energy for 2010: Renewable energy total was 56,705 megawatt hours or 4.8% of the electric portfolio. These sources contributed: Bluegrass Ridge wind energy: 1.5%, Columbia biogas: 0.9%, waste wood: 0.6%, Jefferson City biogas: 1.8%.

Columbia solar energy data: See the Columbia Career Center data from a photovoltaic panel.

Reliability factor: Customer Average Interruption Duration Index of 55.97 and a System Average Interruption Duration Index of 18.27

Average residential usage: 824 kilowatt hours (kWh) a month

Electric territory: Territorial agreement with Boone Electric for the Columbia/Boone County area. Download the electric service territory map in a .pdf file.

Miles of overhead lines: 364.32 (October 2008)

Miles of underground lines: 480.08 (October 2008)

Street lights: Total of 13,136 (October 2008)

Dusk to dawn lights: Total of 2,494 (October 2008)

Water System

Customers: 45,082 (March 2011)

Source of water: Groundwater from an alluvial aquifer

Water Quality Report: 2009 Consumer Confidence Report required by the EPA

Water testing results: Complete listing of all tests from 2009

Peak water use day: 23.8 million gallons (August 15, 2007)

Average daily pumping rate: 13.67 million gallons (Oct. 2008)

Average water use: 7 cubic hundred feet (CCF) for the year, average winter use is 6 CCF and summer is 9 CCF.

Water Territory: 89.18 miles of service area, both inside and outside of the city limits

Water supply mains: 660.94 miles (Oct. 2008)

Fire hydrants: 5,470 (Oct. 2008)

ISO rating: 3

Energy Efficiency Facts

Home Performance with Energy Star

2008: 53 pre-evaluations, 8 post evaluations, 9 heat pump rebates, 9 other rebates
2009: 305 pre-evaluations, 180 post evaluations, 53 heat pump rebates, 150 other rebates, total of $56,641 in rebates
Estimated average customer savings is 30% although some are as high as 60%

Super Saver Loans:

Established in 1981
2008: 62 loans totaling $476,108
2009: 183 loans totaling $1,673,974 (79 regular loans totaling $608,385 and 104 Home Performance with Energy Star loans totaling $1,065,589)
Average savings for a residential customer during the cooling season is 2,338 kilowatt hours for the year

Rebates for Energy Efficiency Projects

2008: 112 air conditioner/heat pump rebates totaling $37,600
2009: 192 air conditioner/heat pump rebates totaling $69,800

Energy Audits:

Established in 1979
Residential
- 2008: 311 in home visits, 2,322 phone calls
- 2009: 350 in home visits, 1,764 phone calls
Commercial

2008: 15
2009: 28

Load Management:

2008: 1,028 installed
2009: 1,554 installed, 9,000 service checks, $332,454 were given in customer discounts.
TOTAL: 18,837 switches installed

Tree Power

Established in 1992
2008: 475 landscape audits, 272 redeemed Tree Power coupons
2009: 314 landscape audits, 164 redeemed Tree Power coupons