The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has approved a sales agreement with Idaho Winds LLC for a wind project located six miles northwest of Glenns Ferry in Elmore County, Idaho.
Meridian-based Idaho Winds LLC will construct and operate the 21 MW Sawtooth Wind Project. Though its optimum capacity is 21 MW, under normal conditions, it will not exceed 10 MW on a monthly basis. The wind project is scheduled to be in operation by Dec. 31, 2012.
The project will operate as a qualifying facility under the provisions of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, which requires electric utilities to offer to buy power produced by qualifying small-power producers or co-generators.
Under the 20-year contract, Idaho Power will pay the posted rate of $75.45/MWh during months of normal demand in the first full-year of the contract, anticipated to be 2013. Under the agreement, the price gradually increases through the 20-year life of the contract.
In the same order, the commission accepted a letter agreement between Idaho Power and the Alkali Wind Project that was originally to be built on the same site. Due to a transmission study delay and escalating costs during that delay, the Alkali project was terminated.
SOURCE: The Idaho Public Utilities Commission
