Meet the LLP Generation Superintendent

Now that Lowell Light & Power has two operational combustion turbines, it needs someone who can maintain and run them. That person is Casey Mier.

Mier was brought on in July to serve as the generation superintendent. It’s his job to make sure the turbines are in peak condition to safely provide power to the community. “It’s basically my dream job,” he says.

In addition to maintaining the turbines, Lowell Light & Power has other work lined up for Mier. “We have a lot of projects for Casey,” says general manager Steve Donkersloot. “We’ll take a lot more of our engineering in-house.”

With duties that encompass everything from fire safety to mapping software, Mier will provide critical services that should prove him a valuable member of the Lowell Light & Power team.

Keeping Machinery Running Like New

Originally from the Bay City area, Mier says he’s always been interested in electricity. He studied electrical engineering at Michigan Technological University and was working in Lansing when he moved to Lowell with his wife five years ago. The couple have two children, and Lowell made sense geographically based on their jobs.

As the generation superintendent at Lowell Light & Power, Mier’s main task will be the maintenance and operation of the utility’s combustion turbines. The turbines were initially built in the 1980s, and Mier has spent the last few months getting acquainted with the equipment and making needed updates.

“It’s really a challenge to understand the different systems,” he says. While the job makes use of his electrical engineering expertise, it also draws upon other engineering fields. It’s that dynamic that makes the position so appealing to Mier. He relishes the prospect of working to improve efficiencies which can benefit Lowell Light & Power customers with better service and potentially lower rates.

Turbines Could Keep Costs Down

Lowell Light & Power purchased the combustion turbines to ensure the utility would be able to produce its own power if needed. Otherwise, all the city’s electricity is produced at outside plants with which the utility has purchased power agreements.

For now, the turbines are expected to be on standby to run during peak times or when otherwise needed. However, as energy costs trend upward, Mier thinks they may get more regular use. “I can foresee the combustion turbines being a more frequently used asset,” he says.

In Fiscal Year 2018, the utility spent $4.4 million on purchased power. While Lowell Light & Power has multi-year purchased power agreements in place, coal plants are being retired which could increase costs for future agreements. In that case, generating power via the turbines may be a cheaper – and cleaner – way for Lowell Light & Power to provide electricity to ratepayers.

As for Mier, he looks forward to helping Lowell Light & Power open this new chapter in energy production for the city. About his co-workers and his job responsibilities, he has one thing to say: “I love it.”