Four dealers submitted bids to supply Richmond Power & Light with a new dump truck.
Tony Foster, RP&L’s general manager, opened the bids during the March 2 meeting of RP&L’s board, which is composed of Richmond Common Council members. The dump truck was budgeted for 2026, and RP&L could trade in a 2011 International dump truck, although Foster said the utility has had previous success selling vehicles in online auctions rather than providing them in trade.
Wetzel Ford of Richmond bid $156,815 and offered $11,000 if RP&L decides to trade in the 2011 dump truck. Stoops Freightligher of Anderson bid $155,000 for the new truck and offered $4,500 if there’s a trade. Selking International of Fort Wayne bid $160,265.80 and offered $8,000 for a trade. Altec Industries of St. Joseph’s, Missouri, submitted a bid of $156,175 and will not take the older truck.
The board unanimously approved Foster taking the bids under advisement and returning with a recommendation. It also unanimously approved the utility seeking bids for a 70-foot bucket truck that the line department would use. The utility has a 2015 Altec bucket truck it could offer in trade.
Second quarter ECA
The residential rate energy cost adjustment for the second quarter will be $0.001309 per kilowatt hour after the board approved the utility’s second-quarter ECAs.
The ECA, which permits RP&L to adjust its rates based on what it’s paying for power, will be $0.014351 per kilowatt hour. That’s less than 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour.
Although the residential ECA has risen each of the year’s first two quarters, it remains lower than during 2024.
The average ECA increase for all of RP&L’s rates is $0.001153 per kilowatt hour.
D.C. trip
Foster spoke briefly about attending the America Public Power Association Legislative Rally in Washington, D.C. Board members Jane Bumbalough, Justin Burkhardt and Jerry Purcell also attended.
The group listened to a presentation from Alex Fitzsimmons, director of the office of cybersecurity, energy security and emergency response, about future demand growth after 20 years of demand stability. The growth is expected just as production reductions are planned through 2030.
While in Washington, the RP&L contingent met with Sen. Jim Banks, Sen. Todd Young and Rep. Jefferson Shreve, the 6th District congressman. Burkhardt said it was good to share challenges with them, including the ongoing issue of coal combustion residue mitigation.
A version of this article appeared in the March 11 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.