January 13, 2012
Idaho

Idaho Power, wind developer reach agreement

By Statesman staff - Idaho Statesman, www.idahostatesman.com 12 January 2012

Idaho Power Co. asked the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to approve a 20-year sales agreement with High Mesa Energy LLC, a 40-megawatt wind project near Bliss.

Iowa-based High Mesa Energy said the project will be operating by Dec. 28.

The developer would be paid a 20-year price of $56.43 per megawatt-hour under the agreement. But the pricing stream would vary throughout the year and even throughout the day, depending on when the energy is delivered to Idaho Power.

The rate that Idaho Power negotiated is equal to the cost the utility avoids by not generating the power itself or buying it from another source.

Idaho Power and High Mesa Energy would share the value of renewable-energy certificates – tradeable commodities that represent the environmental attributes of renewable-energy power, but are sold separate from the commodity electricity – generated over the 20-year contract.

The project is a qualifying facility under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, which requires electric utilities to offer to buy power from small power producers or co-generators.

To comment on the proposed sales agreement, go to www.puc.idaho.gov, call 334-3762 or mail comments to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0074 by Jan. 26.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/13/idaho-power-wind-developer-reach-agreement/