The agreement follows a 10-year agreement signed between Ormat Technologies, the project owner, and SCPPA to deliver electricity from Heber 1 beginning 16 December 2015.
The Ormat/SCPPA agreement calls for the supply of 46MW capacity, of which Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will receive 34MW and IID will secure the remaining 12MW.
With the receipt of 12MW power from Heber 1, IID will be able to serve approximately 7,400 homes in its service territory and curb greenhouse gas emissions by 70,500 metric tons annually. The additional geothermal power increase IID’s renewable resource mix to approximately 25% from the current 20.4%.
Additionally, it will also help IID to meet the California law, which requires utilities to generate/retail renewable electricity of 20% by 2013, 25% by 2016 and 33% by 2020.
IID interim energy manager Carl Stills said that the agreement will help IID to diversify its energy portfolio by integrating renewable energy that could create jobs in the Imperial Valley, besides supporting sustainability.
"We are thrilled to have contracted our first long-term geothermal project enabling the supply of electricity from a local resource," added Stills.
