What does having a public power utility mean to our community? Learn more through the American Public Power Association's new video, which highlights the importance of the public power business model and why communities take pride in having their own not-for-profit electric utility serving them.
http://videos.publicpower.org/pride-in-public-power
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 25, 2013—Grand Haven Board of Light & Power is one of 184 of the nation’s more than 2,000 public power utilities to earn Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3®) recognition from the American Public Power Association for providing consumers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service. Brent McKinney, manager, electric transmission and distribution at City Utilities of Springfield, Mo., and chair of APPA’s RP3 Review Panel, presented the designees on March 25 during the association’s annual Engineering & Operations Technical Conference held in Kissimmee, Fla.
The RP3 designation recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. Criteria within each category are based on sound business practices and represent a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity.
“RP3 utilities are shining examples of reliable and forward-thinking public power utilities,” said McKinney, “These 90 designees should be extremely proud of this accomplishment and what it means for their communities.”
“Receiving the RP3 designation means a great deal to us,” said Annette Allen, General Manager of the Board of Light & Power. “It’s an honor to be recognized on a national level, which is a testament to the high quality of service our employees provide to the local community.”
This is the eighth year that RP3 recognition has been offered. APPA is the national organization representing more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community and state owned electric utilities. It is located in Washington, D.C.
This holiday season, the Board of Light & Power is sponsoring Crusade for Toys. If you would also like to donate to this wonderful program, you may bring an unused/unwrapped toy to the Board of Light & Power offices at 1700 Eaton Drive. All toys need to be collected by December 14th for delivery in time for Christmas. Thank you in advance for helping Crusade for Toys brighten the holiday for our community's children!
Seasons Greetings from the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power!
This year, we are helping BLP residential customers Light Up for the Holidays with Free LED Christmas lights! How does it work? Just bring a string of regular (working) Christmas lights to our 1700 Eaton Drive office and, in exchange, we will give you a new string of white or colored LED lights…FREE! LED lights use up to 80% less energy than traditional bulbs, helping you save on your energy use while keeping money in your own pocket for the holidays.
The Christmas Light Exchange Program is open to all BLP Residential Customers and is limited to one string per household (while supplies last). The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power wishes you and your loved ones a Merry and Bright holiday season!
The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power is celebrating Public Power Week, a national event recognizing more than 130 years of service across the nation. Over 2,000 cities and towns in the United States light up their homes, businesses and streets with “public power” - electricity generated by a community-owned and operated utility.
Join us on Saturday, October 13, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM for refreshments and a historical tour of the Diesel Plant located at 518 Harbor in recognition of Public Power in our community—Grand Haven, Michigan.
11:00 am—1:00 pm Saturday, October 13, 2012
518 Harbor, Grand Haven Michigan
BLP customers who pay their electric bills with a credit or debit card, please note - our service charges have changed and are now based on the amount of your payment. In addition, there is no longer a maximum cap on the amount of your payment. Automatic payment by checking or savings account continues to have zero charge.
Please feel free to contact our customer service office at 616-846-6250 with any questions to to sign up for auto-pay through your checking or savings account.
Sending a child off to college is an exciting time - but it can also be unsettling. Parents worry about their child’s new responsibilities, academic success, new friends and about their child’s safety.
Following are some steps parents and guardians can take to make sure the dorm room or apartment of their student is up-to-snuff when it comes to electrical safety.
Grand Haven, Thursday, May 17, 2012 -- Grand Haven Board of Light & Power’s Board of Directors adopted its business plan for the next fiscal year at Thursday night’s meeting, including an average increase to its electric rates of 4.79 percent effective July 1, 2012, which is at the level we expected at last year’s budget approval. The increase will add approximately $3.13 per month to the average residential customer’s electric bill.
Due to a rise in Credit/Debit Card Processing Fees, our third party processing company has been forced to increase the BLP fee from $2.99 per transaction to $3.49 per transaction. This fee is on a per transaction basis, and only those customers who use our convenient Credit/Debit Card payment processing will be charged. This price change will become effective August 1st, 2012. The BLP would like to remind you that processing a payment through your bank account (using a routing number and account number) is still free of charge. Please contact our customer service representatives at 616-846-6250 with any questions.
Recently a Grand Haven Board of Light & Power customer was contacted by a person claiming to work for Charter Communications. This caller indicated Charter was partnering with the BLP to offer customer discounts. He then proceeded to request personal utility billing information from our customer. The BLP does not have a partner program with Charter Communications and would not have anyone contact you to request your personal account information. If you receive one of these calls, or have any questions or concerns, please contact the BLP Customer Service office at 616-846-6250.
GIVE BACK. GET BACK.
Saturday, June 2, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to noon
County parking lot across from Ottawa County Courthouse
Save energy and the environment.
Help your community and your wallet.
Recycle your old, working window air conditioners and dehumidifiers and receive a $15 incentive for each appliance.*
Working refrigerators and freezers are accepted and also qualify for incentives (or call 877.270.3519 to schedule a pick-up).*
*Residential electric customers of the following utilities are eligible to participate: Holland Board of Public Works, Zeeland Board of Public Works, Grand Haven Board of Light & Power, and Consumers Energy. Customers will receive a $15 check for each operable small appliance they turn in. Incentive forms will be available the day of the event. The maximum is two space conditioning units and two refrigeration units for a total of four units per customer account. Bring your electric utility account number or a bill statement with you.
Did you know? It is estimated that every person in America will be touched by cancer during his or her lifetime. It’s true, you, a family member, friend or relative will be diagnosed with cancer.
For this reason, the BLP is participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event, held at White Pines Middle School May 12 and 13. If you would also like to support 'Team BLP' in the fight against cancer, visit our team page @ http://bit.ly/Hs4ffj. Together, we can make an impact!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012, Grand Haven, MI – Grand Haven Board of Light & Power distribution crews are responding to a call for aid from Traverse City Light & Power and Cherryland Electric Cooperative in response to the weekend’s storm that dumped approximately 24 inches of wet, heavy snow in the Traverse City area, knocking out power to thousands of customers across six counties.
Are you considering the purchase of a new computer or Intelligent Surge Protector? How about replacing an old refrigerator or freezer with an Energy Star model? Do you need to replace your heating and cooling system this year? The BLP can help! We offer several incentive opportunities designed to help reduce your energy consumption and save dollars on your electric bill while offsetting the cost of some of those major energy efficient purchases. For more information on BLP residential incentive and rebate programs, click the link below.
Like the BLP's Facebook Page @ http://on.fb.me/ypKuoR to be entered in a drawing to WIN an Intelligent Surge Protector and save dollars on your energy bill! By "Liking" the BLP's Facebook Page, you will receive information about upcoming community events, energy saving tips, electrical safety information, future opportunities to win great gifts and more! Grand Haven Board of Light & Power. Community-owned. Locally-controlled. Not-for-profit. Environmentally Responsible.
Protecting your pet from electrical hazards can keep your family safe, too!
(Grand Haven, MI) -- Puppies and kittens are naturally curious and tend to turn unexpected household items into play or chew toys. A frisky dog or curious cat can cause an electrical hazard or fire in ways you may not have thought about, says veterinarian Dr. Bill VanAlstine, who offers the safety checklist below:
Our homes are a lot like us. They age just like we do. They begin to creak and moan. They begin to show their age. They like us have aging systems, some that can be seen and some that cannot. Just as we need to get checkups from time to time, our homes also need checkups. When it comes to the electrical system in our homes it is important to have the doctor do a house call when any of the following warning signs are noticed. If you notice any of these signs you should immediately call a licensed electrical contractor and have an electrician give your home a checkup.
BLP Customer Service employees hear and understand the needs of struggling families right here within our community. This holiday season, those employees are looking to make sure Christmas is special for families in need and asked Annette Allen, General Manager, if the BLP could partner with Lakeshore Toys for Tots to become a collection location.
"We have a very generous and giving group of employees at the BLP and we are pleased to support their efforts by partnering with Lakeshore Toys for Tots so we may help make Christmas special for our community's children in need," stated Allen.
Lakeshore Toys for Tots depend on the generosity of the community for success in their mission. They believe West Michigan people understand hardship, and know the need to support those that are struggling financially during the Christmas season.
The BLP collection box is located at our Administrative Service Center located at 1700 Eaton Drive in Grand Haven, Michigan. If you would like to help make Christmas special for needy children within our community, simply drop off an unwrapped toy for any age or gender child at our Administrative Services Center located at 1700 Eaton Drive in Grand Haven. For more information on Lakeshore Toys for Tots, visit http://lakeshoretoys4tots.org/whoweare.html.
Replacing one incandescent light bulb with an energy saving CFL bulb would reduce carbon monoxide emissions to the atmosphere by 1,000 pounds? Find more information about CFL's @ http://cflknowhow.org/home.html.
This year, the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power is sponsoring a team to walk in Relay for Life at White Pines Middle School on Saturday, October 1st. We have set a minimum fundraising goal of $2,000 to help raise cancer awareness and donations for much needed cancer research. The BLP Team is registered on line to provide easy access for those wishing to support our fundraising efforts. If you would like to help with a donation, please go to http://tinyurl.com/4y239pf and search for Grand Haven BLP to donate. You may also purchase a Luminaria bag in honor of a survivor or loved one you lost to cancer. Thank you for supporting this great cause!
Through our Energy Smart program, the BLP and Louis Padnos Iron & Metal partnered to hold a recycle event for BLP customers on Saturday, October 8. This event will be held at the Ottawa County Parking Lot on Franklin Street from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Bring your working window air conditioners and dehumidifiers (limited to two of each appliance) and you will receive a $15 rebate per appliance, which will be mailed to the customer name and address listed on your electric utility account. All appliances will be tested on-site to ensure they are in working order.
On October 6, 2008, Public Act 295 (MCL 460.1001) was signed into law by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. This Act, known as the Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy Act, established an Energy Optimization Standard for the State of Michigan.
On October 6, 2008, Public Act 295 (MCL 460.1001) was signed into law by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. This Act, known as the Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy Act, established a Renewable Energy Standard for the State of Michigan.
Friday, July 1, 2011, Grand Haven -- Grand Haven Board of Light & Power's Board officials conducted their annual performance evaluation of Annette Allen, General Manager at Thursday's special board meeting.
Thursday, June 30, 2011, Grand Haven -- The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power's Director of Production, Dan Bush retired from his position at the J.B. Sims Generation Station on June 30, 2011.
Thirty votes for "Dewey" earns the winning name for the BLP's 31st Peregrine Falcon Chick. We appreciate your participation in our first Facebook "Name the Peregrine Falcon" contest and look forward to many more in the future!
Wednesday, May 25, 2010, Grand Haven -- On a rainy spring morning, MDNR Wildlife Biologist's Nik Kalejs and Grand Haven Board of Light and Power employee's Matt McKee and Paul Cederquist climbed 240 feet up the chimney at the J.B. Sims Generating Facility for the annual banding of the Peregrine Falcon brood. The BLP reports their eleventh consecutive brood raised by a pair of rare wild Peregrine Falcons that began nesting on the Grand Haven power plant's chimney in 2001.
Grand Haven, Thursday, May 26, 2011 -- The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power reported an increase in residential sales, mostly due to last year's hot summer months. The BLP is also seeing improvements in wholesale sales due to their January switch from MPPA's Power Pool to the Energy Services Market, which provides the utility opportunities for additional wholesale sales.
Grand Haven, Monday, April 4, 2011 -- Thanks to an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power (BLP) has been able to contract with Muskegon Based Alternative Energy Solutions (AES) to produce and test an Organic Diesel created from local sources such as restaurant waste oils, soy, canola and algae. The final run on the BLP’s #5 engine, a 1954 10-Cylindar Nordberg, using this vegetable derived fuel resulted in a stack opacity of less than 5% and an engine output of 3 megawatts. If that engine were to run 40 hours per week it would provide enough energy for 500 homes each month.
Grand Haven, Friday, January 21, 2011 -- The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power approved their energy efficient street light program at last nights Board meeting. The BLP began testing various energy efficient street light technologies in fall 2009, including LED and Magnetic Induction to replace the standard 175 Watt Mercury Vapor light.
Grand Haven, Friday, December 17, 2010 -- The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power’s Chief Engineer will be retiring after a 45 year career with our local utility the end of this December. The BLP celebrated his many years of service to the utility at a special luncheon on Friday, December 17 at their Administrative Offices located on Eaton Drive. In special recognition of his many contributions to the utility, the Board voted to name their Sternberg substation the James Vincent Morford Substation at their Thursday evening meeting. Gerald Witherell, Board Vice Chairperson presented Mr. Morford with the honor at Friday’s luncheon.
Grand Haven, Thursday, December 9, 2010. At November’s Early Bird Breakfast, the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power presented a $10,000 commemorative check to Grand Haven Area Public Schools from the BLP’s Energy Optimization Program. The school district used their award to leverage Bond dollars for energy efficiency improvements at Griffin Elementary School.
Friday, May 21, 2010, Grand Haven -- On a drizzly Friday morning, MDNR Wildlife Biologist's Nik Kalejs and Ernie Kafcas accompanied by Grand Haven Board of Light and Power employee’s John Harloff and Matt McKee climbed 240 feet up the 360 foot chimney at the J.B. Sims Generating Facility for the annual banding of the Peregrine Falcon brood. The BLP reports their tenth consecutive brood raised by a pair of rare wild Peregrine Falcons that began nesting on the Grand Haven power plant’s chimney in 2001.