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Pedernales Electric’s Energy Conservation and Renewable Generation Programs Committee approved at its Sept. 11 public meeting in Johnson City the formation of a membership advisory panel on conservation and renewable energy. The six-member panel will be asked to bring members’ ideas forward and advise the committee on issues related to energy efficiency and green energy.

Members interested in serving on the panel should submit their names and qualifications to PEC at: PEC Membership Panel, P.O. Box 1, Johnson City, Texas, 78636, or e-mail them to membership_panel@peci.com. The committee will review all submissions and select panel members.

At its July meeting, PEC’s Board of Directors gave committee chairs the latitude to appoint PEC members and other individuals to serve as volunteer advisors. The Energy Conservation and Renewable Generation Programs Committee is chaired by PEC Board President and District 6 Director Larry Landaker and includes District 2 Director James E. Williams and District 7 Director Dr. Patrick Cox. PEC’s full Board in August referred the Cooperative’s energy efficiency and renewable energy goals to this committee.

In other business, the committee:

·Received reports from PEC staff about the Cooperative’s current position in the areas of conservation and renewable energy. The reports prompted discussions on the costs, marketing efforts, effectiveness and public perception of PEC’s programs and initiatives in these areas, including its interconnection policy, home energy audit process and rebate programs for air conditioning units and commercial lighting.

·Learned from PEC Deputy General Manager Paul Hilgers that the Cooperative is working with the Lower Colorado River Authority, PEC’s primary wholesale power supplier, on an energy conservation and efficiency study.

·Directed PEC staff to develop a report on what the Cooperative is currently spending on, as well as what funding is set aside in future budgets for conservation-related programs.

The next meeting for this committee will be Oct. 12, at 1:30 p.m., at PEC’s Johnson City headquarters building. The next regular meeting of the entire Board will be Sept. 21, at 10 a.m., also at PEC headquarters.