The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is taking comments through Dec. 17 on an Idaho Power Co. application to enter into 20-year sales agreements with six wind projects near Mountain Home, Idaho. The San Francisco-based developer is the same for six projects, with Maurice Miller and Glenn Ikemoto listed as project managers.
All six projects, if approved, would qualify for the PUC's posted avoided-cost rate under the provisions of the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act.
The rate proposed for these projects is a non-levelized rate that increases through the 20-year life of the contract. In 2011, the rate for normal load hours during normal seasons of the year is $55.26/MWh, escalating to $117.77/ MWh in 2021. The rate varies to account for heavy and light load hours of the day and heavy and light load seasons of the year.
The six projects are proposed to be online by Dec. 31, 2011, and in full operation by Dec. 31, 2012. Should the projects exceed 10 MW per month, Idaho Power may accept the energy, but is not required to pay for it.
The projects all include mechanical availability guarantees stating they will generate at full output during at least 85% of hours in the month. Failure to do so could result in the payment of liquidated damages by the developer.
The developer agrees to work with Idaho Power's delivery business unit to ensure enough time and resources for the utility to build any necessary interconnection and transmission upgrades if necessary. The agreements state that all projects will interconnect with the same 230 kV line in Elmore County.
SOURCE: Idaho Public Utilities Commission
