The Borough purchases nearly all of our power, but we generate a small amount of power as a financial tool to help control the cost of power. By making and selling power, Chambersburg realizes lower net power costs than communities that buy all of their power. Chambersburg is the only one of the thirty-five Pennsylvania boroughs with electric utilities to also generate power.

The Borough currently has a contract with DTEET to acquire all the power our system requires. In essence, the Borough acts as an aggregator buying energy on behalf of our citizens and businesses and delivering it to your electric meters.

Only Master Electricians, licensed by the Borough, are allowed to do electric work inside the Borough limits.

This depends upon the type of work that is to be done. For exact guidance on this, please contact the Borough at 261-3231.

The number one cost effective way to lower residential power costs is to increased insulation and weather stripping, air seal the house, turn off unneeded lights, disconnect energy hogging appliances such as computers and flat screen televisions; home energy audits are available. In addition, commercial and industrial customers have other flexibility to shave some of their load at opportune times. For more information call Ron Pezon at 261-3238.

Call Ron Pezon at 261-3238.

Call 911 as quickly as possible. A downed electric wire is an extremely hazardous situation-especially if it is lying on a car or in the roadway. Do not, under any circumstances, go near a wire in this condition. Occupants of a vehicle that has come in contact with a downed conductor or witnesses are advised not to touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. A fatal shock may result.

Yes, a citizen's phone call in this situation can be very helpful to Borough personnel in more quickly locating and fixing any power shortage. In this case, call the Borough service center at 263-4111.

The Electric Department provides or arranges for other services such as street lighting and traffic light maintenance. In addition, Department employees perform other jobs which would normally have to be contracted out at further expense to the residents. For specific question about the borough's electrical distribution system contact the Electric Utility Department Ron Pezon at 261-3238.

For billing information, contact the Borough Finance Department at 264-5151.

As you may know, in 1996 and more specifically in 2002 for the Borough, the State legislature deregulated the electricity industry. As such, the Borough is not under any artificial rate cap like all of the major Investor Owned Utilities that serve neighboring communities. The lifting of these rate caps does not affect the Borough or our customers; Chambersburg is already buying electricity in the deregulated marketplace. We very much appreciate the involvement and concern of our customers. As a local home-town enterprise, it is the impact of our customers on these decisions, which as much as anything makes Chambersburg's public power system a benefit for our community.

Chambersburg has a municipal electric utility operating for the benefit of all our customers and the citizens of the community. Town Council sets the policies in an attempt to fairly and appropriately pass through the Borough's power supply costs necessary for the sound fiscal management of the operation. In 1996 and more specifically in 2002 for the Borough, the State legislature deregulated the electricity industry. At the end of 2007, Town Council entered into a new electric power supply agreement with a 5-year term. That agreement saw our power supply costs rise about 80%; this was anticipated when the agreement was executed. However, two additional aspects of our business plan were not anticipated.

As you may recall, in 2007, the futures market prices for gasoline, natural gas, oil, and electricity (energy) were nearly at their extreme worldwide. We did not predict nor did we guess that the world-wide financial crisis would so dramatically lower energy demand (and prices). Further, we did not predict that our other investment, in so-called cost mitigation tools, would stop generating income for the Borough to offset the cost of our power supply; as has happened in 2008-2009.

Only so much however is within our control to improve the situation. The Borough has been managing to temporarily (yet only partially) absorb this dramatic change in a way as to shelter customers from the full cost impact of the power supply agreement. It is our attempt to buy time in which the cost mitigation tools might return to their predicted value thereby allowing us a way to offset increased electricity costs. The Borough has deferred many non-critical capital projects and continues to aggressively limit operating and administrative expenses. In a year-to-year comparison the 2009 cost increases represent an average of about 20% higher costs over calendar year 2008 for all electric customer classes. Within the 2010 operating budget, the forward-looking financial model is forecasting two smaller adjustments in 2010 of 5% each (Apr 1, Oct 1). However, if these adjustments can be deferred or eliminated, staff will not implement the change.

The calendar year 2010 average retail cost increase over calendar year 2009 is expected to be from 5% to 15% depending on many economic variables impacting the Borough electric power supply costs. If the electricity market and economic indicators stabilize at nearly where they are presently, then we anticipate that for planning years 2010/11 Chambersburg will be at or very near the high water mark for electricity prices. From 2011 to 2012, and beyond, there appears to be a reason to believe that our power costs will become stable and possibly even reduced electricity costs for our customers.

Further, Chambersburg is committed to doing whatever is fiscally practical to weather this storm with our customers; deferring projects, making tough operation and administrative decisions, and exploring any and all alternatives that may provide us short term relief or long term improvements. We very much appreciate the involvement and concern of our customers. As a local home-town enterprise, it is the impact of our customers on these decisions, which as much as anything makes Chambersburg's public power system a benefit for our community. If you have any questions about this plan, call Ron Pezon at 261-3238.