---

The East Central Energy cooperative has sent letters to new North Branch customers in the wake of the sale closing proceeding as scheduled. ECE is now the electric distributor within the former Water & Light service territory that was North Branch’s municipal system.

According to the “news” icon at the ECE website there will be new membership packets mailed out to North Branch customers around the middle of this month.  Preliminary welcome letters went out Tuesday this week.

ECE  is providing an explanation of cooperative membership benefits and a question-answer section with frequent concerns and who to call for service explained.

ECE reportedly paid $5.3 million for the 2,025 customer base and to acquire the former Water & Light electric distribution assets, such as poles, lines, transformers, etc.

The sale was hinging on a couple of business items that North Branch needed to make happen and the city did so on a split vote by elected officials.  The changeover to Great River Energy holding the power purchaser contract was a 3-2 vote by council. Great River is ECE’s power provider and the former North Branch contract was with SMMPA.

Also, the MN Public Utilities Commission regulates areas alloted for electic service, and the PUC needed to authorize exchange of service territory boundaries.  The state municipal utilities association contested this action and requested a citizen vote be provided prior to the loss of the municipal operation.  PUC members said this is outside of the scope of what the PUC is created to regulate.

---