NEWS INFORMATION

ALAMEDA UTILITY JOINS IN INNOVATIVE HYBRID TRUCK R&D

ALAMEDA, Calif., August 21, 2007 —At its meeting Monday evening, the City of Alamedas Public Utilities Board discussed participating in development of an innovative plug-in hybrid utility service truck. Earlier this year, the Board approved support for policies that promote the development and commercialization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as a participant in the Plug-In Partners National Campaign.

Alameda Power & Telecom, the municipal electricity and telecommunications provider serving residents and businesses in Alameda, is well known in the region as a leader in providing clean, renewable power and in promoting end-user efficiency. According to Public Utilities Board President Ann L. McCormick, The plug-in hybrid truck project is another unique illustration of our commitment to efficiency in all aspects of utility operations.

A PHEV combines an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and lithium-ion batteries in a power train that allows short to moderate trips without using the gas engine. Personal and commercial use of PHEVs will provide many benefits to the Alameda community and the region such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, increasing off-peak electric revenue and flattening the electric load profile, reducing operating costs of fleet vehicles, reducing dependence on foreign oil, and potentially acting as electric storage by charging at night and providing power to the grid during daytime peak energy use.

Alameda Power & Telecom is joining an alliance with the Electric Power Research Institute, American Public Power Association (APPA), other utilities, Eaton Corporation, and Ford Motor Company to develop a PHEV utility trouble truck. Alameda Power & Telecom has three trouble trucks that are driven thousands of miles per year by line crews and spend considerable time idling to run the bucket, power tools, and other accessories.

Board President McCormick added, PHEVs offer double their environmental benefits here in Alameda, where over 85% of our power is generated using clean, renewable resources. Power from Alameda Power & Telecom is a major reason that the City of Alameda is the lowest greenhouse-gas-emitting community in Alameda County and one of the lowest in the State.

For its investment in the research and development project, Alameda Power & Telecom will have access to documented test results, trouble truck specifications, performance data, and first refusal rights on one of 50 Ford F-550 PHEV trouble trucks. Utility General Manager Girish Balachandran explained, Staff expects to propose purchasing one of the 50 Ford PHEVs to Alamedas Public Utilities Board when the vehicles are available sometime in 2009.  We know that the F-550 PHEV trouble truck meets our specifications and our needs in terms of retiring an existing trouble truck.  This is a nominal investment with an enormous payback.

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