Manitowoc Public Utilities

Manitowoc Public Utilities (MPU) is a municipally owned and managed electric and water utility in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

History
The city bought the local electric utility, what is now the Manitowoc Power Plant, in 1911 and water in 1914, becoming Manitowoc Public Utilities. Plant power outages in the late 1950s heightened interest in possible interconnection with the state's electric grid to improve reliability. By the spring of 1961 necessary substations and transmissions lines were completed, and interconnection was achieved with Wisconsin Public Service. That same year MPU sought additional capacity and the state Public Service Commission approved the plan to purchase another 22-megawatt (MW) generator from General Electric, originally slated for Cuba but canceled after Fidel Castro took power.

Existing Coal Plants
The plant is fueled by a combination of resources including coal, petroleum coke, natural gas, fuel oil, and waste paper pellets. Fuel is brought in by lake vessel or by rail car, and in some cases by truck. Originally designed to burn stoker coal, MPU has invested in pollution control and fuel handling capabilities to burn lower cost western fuels. Coal storage is located on the Manitowoc River, near the car ferry dock, and just east of the power plant.

Contact Information
Manitowoc Public Utilities 1303 S 8th St Manitowoc, WI 54220-5313 Phone: (920) 683-4600 Website: http://www.mpu.org

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