Beaver Island Michigan

There is a short artical in the current Beaver Beacon about the GLE base rate. While it is correct it is a little misleading in that it says we will be paying $14.00 more with the new base rate. Presently when the 10.25 surcharge is included in the present rate we are paying $28.53 per meter per month. The new base rate will be $32.21 per month and would have been $42.46 per month with the surcharge added. Because we got them to take off the surcharge we will only be paying $3.68 more per month and will have lower per KW hour rates. This all starts Sept 1.

There is a push by some mainland GLE customers to put GLE back under the control of the Michigan Regulatory Commission instead of the self regulation of the GLE board. The guy to contact for more information and to get on his mailing list contact Fred Sittel at clamlake@frontier.com

Don Seelye

I think we need to do something. We pay twice as much on the island for electricity as we do down state because of the added charges and that's not including our geothermal system. I wonder if buying electricity from another source is an option.

Brad

Beaver Island is an ideal place for community owned solar and wind cooperative.
Stop importing power from the mainland. Start exporting it off and create real Island independence.

This is just one example, but there are many community owned solar coops taking off around the world. Great lakes energy is not a true co op model. There needs to be an Island based co op that Island residents own and manage. A cooperative is a VERY viable business model, not just for granola shops and salad bars.

http://www.communitysolarcoops.com/

what a great peek into the future.
years ago, when the main land cord was cut, i asked at a dual township meeting, with great lakes giving their sales pitch, if anyone had investigated any alternatives to g.l.e. and i was immediately shot down.
personally i think wind is more in our future then solar, especially after this winter of such little sunshine. any way thanks nathan for looking toward the future of beaver island.