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Bedford renews 20-year franchise with Encore Electric; city staff say revenue will continue
Summary
Council approved a 20-year franchise ordinance granting Encore Electric Delivery Company LLC continued use of city rights-of-way; staff said the renewal updates language but does not set electric retail rates and that the franchise generates about $1.5 million annually for the city.
The Bedford City Council approved a 20-year franchise ordinance with Encore Electric Delivery Company LLC that renews the company's rights to use the city's streets, alleys and rights-of-way for electric distribution infrastructure. City Manager Andrea Roy told the council the text primarily updates and modernizes the agreement, removes obsolete language and clarifies responsibilities for work in the right-of-way; it does not set customer retail electricity rates.
"This is not an agreement where rates are set or established," Roy said. "It is a 20 year deal with some extensions ... negotiations for rates and things like that happen outside this." Scott, Encore's representative, said he would provide landscaping guidelines to the city to help beautify areas under Encore easements. Roy also told the council the franchise generates about $1,500,000 for the city annually and that the renewal represents a continuation of existing payments. The ordinance passed unanimously.
