Jack Suggs
Submitted
As we go about daily life in Oak Ridge, we don’t ordinarily think about where wastewater goes or where the electricity we use comes from. When the monthly utility bill arrives from the City of Oak Ridge, the cost of electricity, water, and sewer may surprise us and make us wonder about the cost and changes in rates.
Gary Cinder, director of Oak Ridge Public Works, and Jack Suggs, Oak Ridge Electric Department director, will be the guest speakers at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, February 3, and they will provide insights into their departments’ activities and responsibilities. The program will be held at noon Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church’s new location at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
On September 27, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency issued an administrative order that directed the City of Oak Ridge to take action to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.
Cinder will report on the work that has been completed and the work that is under construction, as well as project costs.
Oak Ridge has historically been identified with energy, and in 2014, the city became the Southeast’s first EPA Green Power Community. In addition, the city is recognized as a Tennessee Valley Authority Platinum Community with the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
The operation and maintenance of the city electric grid is a complex process. Suggs will discuss current and future projects and how they will impact electric rates.
Lunch with the League is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, and it open to the public. There is no cost to attend, and reservations are not needed. Box lunches will be available starting at 11:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis for $8, or you may bring your own. Coffee and tea are provided.
For more information, visit lwvoakridge.org.
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