|UTILITIES HOME || GAS|| WATER|| SEWER|
|ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION || ELECTRIC GENERATION |

Utility - Electric Department

Electric Distribution

The City of Fulton established a municipal electric department owned by the citizens of Fulton in the year 1895. Since then the electric distribution department has spent over a century of supplying safe, reliable electricity for our customers. The fact that Fulton has a municipal electric department allows our customers to enjoy some of the lowest electric rates in the Midwest.

In 1998 the City completed an upgrade of the entire electrical distribution system by converting the electric system from a 4,160/2,400 volt system to a 13,800/7,960 volt system. As a direct result from this system wide upgrade customers see a more reliable electric system with fewer electric outages.

The City owns and maintains 28 miles of 69KV (69,000 Volts) transmission lines. The 28 miles includes a 12-mile 69KV loop running around the perimeter of the City and connecting 4 electric distribution sub stations. The City currently has 41 miles of 13.8KV (13,800 Volts) three phase overhead electric lines, and 23 miles of 7.9KV (7,900 Volts) single-phase overhead electric lines. In addition to the City’s overhead electric lines, the City also has 6 miles of 13.8KV three phase underground electric lines and 14 miles of 7.9KV single-phase underground electric lines.

The City of Fulton currently serves approximately 5,000 electric customers, with annual revenue of approximately $10 million. The Electric Distribution Department is available 7 days a week 24 hours a day for response to emergency situations. Monday thru Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm call (573) 592-3170, after normal working hours and holidays call (573) 592-3180. The Electric Department is located at the City’s warehouse facility at 1024 Westminster Ave.

Electric Generation

The original City of Fulton Power Plant was built in and was a coal-fired steam plant located at the corner of 8th and Vine Streets. The plant contained 4 steam turbines with a total generating capacity of 14,400 KW (kilowatt) or 14.4 MW (megawatt) of electric power. Due to growth and increasing electrical demand in the early 1960’s the City decided to build the existing Power Plant located at 2101 Power Lane in the north section of the City. Dedicated in 1966, the Power Plant consisted of 2 Nordberg dual fuel diesel engines driving Westinghouse generators, each capable of producing 4,125 KW or 4.125 MW of electrical power. With the continued electrical demand and growth of the City additional units were installed at the Power Plant. In 1971, a Pratt & Whitney Combustion Turbine driving an Electric Machinery generator capable of producing 19,600 KW or 19.6 MW of electrical power was installed. In 1973 a 3rd Nordberg dual fuel diesel engine driving a General Electric generator capable of producing 6,125 KW or 6.25 MW of electrical power was installed. The Power Plant currently has a total of 33,975 KW or 33.975 MW generating capacity to supply the electrical power needs of the City in emergency conditions or to reduce the City’s exposure in times of high market prices.

The City of Fulton has 3 primary sources of electrical power:

Southwest Power Administration:
Which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy. The agency is responsible for the marketing of hydroelectric power produced at 23 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers multipurpose dams. By law, the power and associated energy are marketed to publicly held entities such as rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. Over 100 of these entities ultimately serve over 7 million end use customers.

Sikeston Power Plant:
Board of Municipal Utilities of Sikeston has a 235 MW coal-fired steam electric power plant that began operation in 1981. The City of Fulton receives 10 MW of electrical power around the clock from the plant as part of a power purchase agreement for the life of the plant.

Springfield:
City Utilities of Springfield operates several peaking gas turbines and 2 major coal-fired steam electric power plants, the James River Power Plant (295MW) and the Southwest Power Plant (200MW). The City of Fulton has a contract with City Utilities of Springfield to purchase electrical power from them.

Purchasing power from several sources as well as having peaking or emergency generation at the Power Plant gives the City of Fulton a diverse portfolio of energy resources.

As the City of Fulton continues to grow so does the City’s need for electrical power. In 1997 the City provided approximately 120 million kWhr’s (kilowatt-hours) of electrical power. Today the City is providing 160 million kWhr’s of electrical power.

The City of Fulton Power Plant is staffed 24 hours a day 7 days a week. In addition to monitoring and scheduling electrical power for the City, the power plant control room also serves as the emergency center for the City after normal working hours, weekends and holidays. For any emergency call (573) 592-3180.