Moving Los Angeles another step closer to achieving 100% clean energy, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has extended a power sales agreement with the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) for approximately 262 MW of renewable energy from a major wind farm in the Pacific Northwest.
LADWP’s action will support upgrading the existing wind turbines to extend their lifespan at a reduced price that is expected to save about $72.3 million over four years.
Since 2010, the Windy Point Project, also known as Windy Flats, located in Goldendale, Wash., has been a part of LADWP’s renewable energy portfolio, which was estimated to be more than 40% of total retail power sales in 2022. Under the amended agreement, the wind farm will provide LADWP with about 700,000 MWh per year of wind power for four more years – from 2030 through 2034 – serving more than 116,000 Los Angeles homes.
“This agreement is an important part of achieving our accelerated goal of 80% renewable energy by 2030 and to ultimately become 100% carbon-free,” says Martin L. Adams, LADWP general manager and chief engineer. “LA will continue receiving high-quality wind power at a significantly reduced price while optimizing a key transmission line connecting the Pacific Northwest to Los Angeles,” adds Adams.
As the only recipient of energy from the Windy Point Project, LADWP will continue to administer and oversee the amended agreement, under which the utility will receive energy from Windy Point at a new price of $56.46 per MWh for the extended four-year term.
