Coldwater presentation quantifies municipal utility's local economic and reliability benefits
March 05, 2026 | Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan
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Rudy Veil, director of Coldwater's Board of Public Utilities, presented a "Value to the Citizens of Coldwater" briefing, outlining the utility's electric, water, wastewater and telecommunications assets and quantifying financial and reliability benefits of local public power.
Veil said Coldwater's electric system includes multiple transmission and distribution substations, local diesel and natural-gas generation (including recent Caterpillar/CAP units), a 1.8-megawatt solar field and a peak load near 105 megawatts. He said the combined utility budget is roughly $60 million and that the utility's distribution to the city general fund totaled about $3.7 million for fiscal 2024.
On reliability, Veil cited system metrics used in the ICE (incidence interruption) calculator developed by Lawrence Berkeley Labs and said Coldwater's average customer sees fewer outages and shorter restoration times than nearby investor-owned utilities; he said that residential rates are roughly 25% lower than Consumers Energy's winter (non-peak) rate and that overall public-power savings can be substantial on a lifetime basis.
Veil also outlined water and wastewater program details: roughly 117 miles of water main, production of about 3 million gallons per day, approximately 600 remaining lead service lines and a three-year DWSRF grant for $3,000,000 (50% of which the transcript states will be the city's share, with 50% paid back). He said wastewater expansion and reconstruction work is planned, with larger phases estimated in the $30'$35 million range and design/bidding expected over the coming year.
On telecommunications, Veil described 132 miles of fiber and roughly 2,200 internet customers, with a goal to transition cable customers fully to fiber. Veil highlighted community benefits including sponsorships, volunteer hours and an estimated local economic contribution of about $12 million from utility operations.
Board members thanked Veil for the review; no substantive policy changes were made at the meeting.
The board moved to the director's report afterward, and Veil noted personnel changes, truck updates and community events in the director's report.
Veil said Coldwater's electric system includes multiple transmission and distribution substations, local diesel and natural-gas generation (including recent Caterpillar/CAP units), a 1.8-megawatt solar field and a peak load near 105 megawatts. He said the combined utility budget is roughly $60 million and that the utility's distribution to the city general fund totaled about $3.7 million for fiscal 2024.
On reliability, Veil cited system metrics used in the ICE (incidence interruption) calculator developed by Lawrence Berkeley Labs and said Coldwater's average customer sees fewer outages and shorter restoration times than nearby investor-owned utilities; he said that residential rates are roughly 25% lower than Consumers Energy's winter (non-peak) rate and that overall public-power savings can be substantial on a lifetime basis.
Veil also outlined water and wastewater program details: roughly 117 miles of water main, production of about 3 million gallons per day, approximately 600 remaining lead service lines and a three-year DWSRF grant for $3,000,000 (50% of which the transcript states will be the city's share, with 50% paid back). He said wastewater expansion and reconstruction work is planned, with larger phases estimated in the $30'$35 million range and design/bidding expected over the coming year.
On telecommunications, Veil described 132 miles of fiber and roughly 2,200 internet customers, with a goal to transition cable customers fully to fiber. Veil highlighted community benefits including sponsorships, volunteer hours and an estimated local economic contribution of about $12 million from utility operations.
Board members thanked Veil for the review; no substantive policy changes were made at the meeting.
The board moved to the director's report afterward, and Veil noted personnel changes, truck updates and community events in the director's report.
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