Idaho Public
Utilities Commission
Case
No. IPC-E-10-16, -17, -18
June
9, 2010
Contact:
Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339, 890-2712
Website:
www.puc.idaho.gov
Anaerobic digester projects proposed
in Magic Valley
The
Idaho Public Utilities Commission is taking public comment through June 23 on a
request by Idaho Power Company to enter into power sales agreements with the
developer of three Magic Valley anaerobic digester power projects.
The
15-year contracts are all with a Middleton-based developer. Two of the projects are in Twin Falls County.
They are the 4-megawatt Rock Creek Dairy project near Filer and the 2-megawatt
Swager Farms Dairy project near Buhl. The 2-megawatt Double B Dairy project is
near Murtaugh in Cassia County.
All
three projects are qualifying facilities under the provisions of PURPA, the
federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. PURPA requires electric
utilities to offer to buy power produced by qualifying small power producers or
cogenerators. The rate to be paid PURPA project developers, called an “avoided
cost rate,” is determined and published by state commissions. The avoided cost
rate is to be equal to the cost the electric utility avoids if it would have
had to generate the power itself or purchase it from another source.
For
all three of these proposed projects, the rate in the first year is $75.65 per
megawatt-hour. The rate gradually increases over the 15 years of the contracts
to $128.31 per MWh. That rate is adjusted for heavy- and light-load seasons as
well as heavy- and light-load hours. The proposed Rock Creek Dairy project
intends to deliver 1,296 megawatt-hours per month, while the Swager Farms and
Double B project are anticipating an output of 648 MWh per month.
The
commission plans to handle this request in a modified procedure that uses
written comments rather than conducting a hearing, unless customer comments can
demonstrate a need for a public hearing. Comments are accepted via e-mail through
June 23 by accessing the commission’s homepage at www.puc.idaho.gov and clicking on
"Comments & Questions." Fill in the case numbers (IPC-E-10-16.
-17 and -18) and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to P.O. Box
83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762.
A full text of the
commission’s order, along with other documents related to this case, is
available on the commission’s Web site at www.puc.idaho.gov.
Click on “File Room” and then on “Electric Cases” and scroll down to the above
case numbers.