Laramie County FairFrontier Park
Cheyenne, WyomingAugust 4-11, 2012
Weld County FairIsland Grove Regional Park
Greeley, ColoradoJuly 25-30, 2012
SparkSJULY 2012
It’s County Fair Time!Come on out to the local fairs to support area 4-H and FFA youth !
Cheyenne County Fair10955 US Hwy 30Sidney, Nebraska
July 22-28, 2012
Kimball-Banner County Fair Fairgrounds
Kimball, NebraskaAugust 8-13, 2012
High West Energy, Inc.PO Box 519
Pine Bluff s, Wy 82082-0519
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
District 11 - Troy Freeburg PH #308-673-5336 Bushnell, NEDistrict 12 - Don Wisroth PH #245-3454 Pine Bluff s, WY District 13 - Clinton Farrar PH #547-3435 Hillsdale, WY District 14 - Jerry Burnett PH #970-895-3386 Hereford, CO District 15 - Dan Acheson PH #308-235-2300 Kimball, NE District 16 - Wayne Child PH #632-5401 Cheyenne, WY District 17 - Russ Nielsen PH #308-879-4262 Potter, NE The monthly board meeting is normally held on the 4th Monday of each month.
MANAGER: Brian D. Heithoff EDITOR: Tamara McNamee
OFFICE HOURSMon-Fri - 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Open During Noon Closed Weekends - Holidays
PHONE NUMBERSOutage calls 24 hours a dayLaramie County 245-3261Toll Free 1-888-834-1657
WEBSITE INFORMATIONwww.highwestenergy.comwww.TogetherWeSave.com
www.ourenergy.comwww.touchstoneenergy.com
BILLING QUESTIONSLocal 245-3261
Toll Free 1-888-834-1657
High West EnergyYour Touchstone Energy® Partner
Have you ever noticed a “Rate Minimum Up Charge” on your bill each month? If you have, or if you pay a contract mini-mum each month, you may be affected by our new Line Extension Policy. Please call our office to inquire about our new policy.
High West Energy offices will be closedWednesday July 4th. In case of an emergency
please call 888-834-1657.
PLEASE KEEP US INFORMED......
We are noticing more and more that you, our consumers, are eliminating your land line phone service.In order for us to keep current information on file we need you to contact our office with ANY updated cell phone numbers, work phone numbers and email addresses. This communication helps us notify you in case of any emergency due to outages, planned outages or other information we feel is very important. We thank you in advance.
WE WILL NOT PUBLISH ANY INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES
Last month I reported to you that High West Energy was going to be requesting an electric franchise from the City of Cheyenne in order to maintain providing electric service in the areas certificated to us by the State of Wyoming 70 years ago. If HWE does not defend the area we currently serve, we will steadily lose business as the city limits expand. This month, please allow me to answer a few questions that have been asked of us, which may be of interest to the entire membership.
1. Question – Is High West Energy trying to expand its territory and take cus-tomers away from the existing utility serving Cheyenne?
Answer – No. In asking for a franchise, High West Energy seeks to continue serving the area that it has been serving for decades. The franchise would not expand High West’s territory – it would maintain it.
2. Question – Can electric cooperatives like High West Energy serve urban areas?
Answer – Absolutely. Almost every one of the nation’s 900 electric cooperative serve customers inside towns or cities. High West Energy has served customers in Cheyenne for many years. We also serve in Potter and Harrisburg, Nebraska, Hereford and Grover, Colorado, and the following communities in Wyoming: Albin, Carpenter, Burns, and Cheyenne. Our nearby sister cooperatives serve customers in Laramie, Fort Collins, Greeley, Brighton, Broomfield, Westminster, Thornton, Fort Morgan and Brush.
In order to provide even better service to our Cheyenne-area customers, High West Energy is building a new facility at the Archer Complex east of Cheyenne. We also maintain a team of customer service reps and line-men at our service center on South Greeley Highway.
3. Question – What’s the difference between a co-op utility and an investor-owned utility?
Answer – Unlike investor-owned utilities, electric co-ops are governed by a democratic process. Co-ops also operate at cost, which means that if revenues exceed operating costs, the extra profit is returned to co-op member owners at the end of the year.
4. Question – Will granting High West a franchise decrease competition?
Answer – No. Granting or denying the franchise has no effect on competition since the state does not allow a “free market” for electricity service, due to the need to avoid duplication of service. That said, two strong utilities operating in the area, which both have certainty of service areas, allows each to make investment in infrastructure without fear of that investment being stranded. If you have additional questions or would like to help, please call the office or email me at [email protected]. Thanks for your support.
CHEYENNE SERVICE CENTERWell our new project has started and we are EXCITED!
Phase 1 of the Cheyenne Service Center at the Archer exchange east of Cheyenne and north of High-way 30 has started. This service center will accommodate the Cheyenne based linemen, equipment, materials and eventually one or two office personnel. Being built on 20 acres, the proposed building will be 150 x 80 and the proposed office is 40 x 60. Watch for updates in the Sparks in the coming months.
