The 1980s
Here are highlights of some of the issues and projects undertaken by the Conway Corporation from 1980-1989.
1980
APRIL: Bids were being received for the construction of the Conway water supply lake impoundment and on the construction of the new cable system. The Department of Energy was encouraging entities such as Conway/Conway Corporation to seek licenses in retrofitting hydroelectric generation into existing navigation dams. A consulting firm was retained to look into the possibility.
JUNE: A settlement agreement between the Arkansas Municipal Power Association (including Conway) and AP&L was approved by the FERC. The agreement placed the current wholesale rates at the $4.7 million dollar revenue level, a $2 million reduction from the $6.7 million then being collected.
JULY: Plans were begun to decommission the now obsolete generating plant located next to the Conway Corporation office.
AUGUST: An agreement was signed between Conway Corporation and Faulkner County farmers to take irrigation water from Cadron Creek. Once their lands had been irrigated the farmers provided pumps to return the creek to normal.
DECEMBER: Crist Engineers was retained to provide an in-depth study of the Conway Water System, including an analysis of present and projected needs for both additions and improvements.
1981
JANUARY: The dedication of the wastewater treatment facility was held January 23 with Congressman Ed Bethune as guest speaker.
MARCH: Due to a shortfall of funds, caused by delivery delays and inflation, the cable department was advanced $200,000 by the electric department to be repaid in 36 installments with an interest rate of 7%.
JULY: The first triennial report, required by the 1979 Series A Electric Revenue Bond Indenture, was presented to the board of directors.
NOVEMBER: The Toadsuck Ferry Hydro Project was abandoned after research indicated that the project would not be cost effective.
1982
JANUARY: New electric rates went into effect; an increase in revenues of approximately 11.5% was expected.
MAY: Conway Corporation signed a lease agreement with AP&L, providing the land needed for the location of a 13.8 KV switching station.
JUNE: Along with the other owners in the Independence Steam Electric Station, Conway Corporation agreed to purchase (instead of lease) the coal-handling equipment used at the plant. This resulted in an annual savings of $106,860 for Conway. New water rates were established to cover the cost of the new liquid alum process being installed at the plant, the cleaning and relining of transmission mains, and to provide adequate debt service for the water revenue bond issue needed for the construction of an overhead storage tank, transmission and main extension to serve the area east of I-40.
JULY: The WOR network left the SATCOM 3-R satellite. Conway CTV's programming was in need of an additional channel, which would be recommended by the Cable Programming Committee, a panel of 16 Conway residents.
AUGUST: Work was begun to remove the contents of the city's generating plant and all its auxiliary equipment.
NOVEMBER: The Cable Programming Committee recommended that station WOR continue to be made available for viewing, even if an increase in cable rates became necessary. The 12-inch transmission main relining project for the water plant expansion had been completed, and the flow and pressure of the facility was increased substantially.
1983
MAY: Tests were being conducted on the components of the Cypress Creek Reservoir and pipeline facility. The project was expected to be declared complete and presented to the city within the next 30 days.
AUGUST: The total raw water requirements for Conway were now being taken from the Cypress Creek Reservoir. The quality of the water was good and was expected to be even better after the lake had "seasoned".
NOVEMBER: An architectural consultant was retained to study the cost-effectiveness of renovating the old power generating plant into office space.
1984
MARCH: A cost analysis of the proposed renovation of the power plant revealed that the cost of renovation would be 50% less than that of a new construction. The firm of Weaver & Hiegel was retained to prepare the plans and bid documents.
APRIL: A resolution was passed granting consent to an amendment of the Independence Steam Electric Station Ownership and Operating Agreement. The admendment provided for the joint ownership and operation of the station's coal-handling and storage equipment.
JUNE: The planned expansion of the water treatment plant was moving forward. A low head pump to increase the flow of settled water to the filters was to be installed in early July, and a high head pump to increase the flow of the finished water to the Cadron Ridge storage tank was scheduled to be installed shortly thereafter.
AUGUST: The Cable Television Programming Committee recommended that two music-oriented stations, MTV and TNN, be scheduled for viewing by subscribers.
NOVEMBER: New electric rates went into effect. The new residential rates were still twenty-three percent below those of AP&L.
1989
JANUARY: Landfill grant of $1 million dollars contributed to city of offset cost of new landfill
New substation built (Tokusen)
NOVEMBER: Gleason Plant Dedication