The electric utility has advanced significantly since it was founded in ___. 100% of the electric utility’s distribution and wiring is now underground. The Electric Department is run by five journeyman linemen. Their responsibilities include operation and maintenance of the entire distribution system, monitoring load on the system to maintain reliability, installing services for residential, commercial and industrial customers, maintaining the redundancy of the system, tree trimming, and repairing of the street lights.

Orange City’s power comes from many sources. Orange City purchases power from Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and Missouri River Energy Services (MRES). At this time Orange City purchases its power from WAPA, which is electricity produced from the hydro-electric dams along the Missouri River. The remaining power is purchased from MRES, which includes electricity from coal, natural gas, and wind generation.

These resources include:

• Laramie River Station, coal-fired generation producing 281 MegaWatts (MW)
• Exira Power Plant, combustion gas generation producing 140 MW
• Watertown, MN Power Plant, combustion gas generation producing 52 MW
• Worthington, MN Wind Farm, producing 3.7 MW
• Marshall, MN Wind Farm, producing 18.7 MW
• Odin, MN Wind Farm, producing 20 MW

 For more information contact Bryan Gerritson, Public Works Director, at 712-707-4885 or publicworks@orangecityiowa.com.