But officials say the difference between the amount of energy Signature is projected to use and that used by the site-s previous occupant, Darby Drugs, is negligible.
According to the village, the 14.6 percent rate hike, if approved, will be used to meet increased expenses and fund the development of a new substation at the electric plant on Maple Avenue. It is the first proposed rate hike since 1994. A public hearing on the village-s rate case will be held at the Rec Center, 111 North Oceanside Road, on Wednesday, March 24, at 7 p.m.
The Signature Apartments project is not a factor in the rate case, said Paul Pallas, superintendent of the RVC Electric Department.
There are two ways of considering the impact of a project on the utility: peak load and total energy sales. In terms of peak load, Darby Drugs, a drug-distribution center formerly located at the 80-100 Banks Ave. site, used 919 kilowatts. Signature is expected to use 1,026 kilowatts.
Darby-s annual energy use was 2.52 million kilowatt hours. Signature-s annual energy use is predicted to be 2.63 million kilowatt hours.
The village said the actual numbers are most likely to be lower. The estimates were produced by the electric department in October 2002, based on a total of 374 proposed apartments, not the current 349, meaning that the actual peak and annual usage will almost certainly be lower than the estimates, according to the village.
