Although originally expected to set the 2015 irrigation season on Tuesday, the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors will now consider allowing TID to negotiate a 20-year renewable energy agreement.
Staff projects that TID needs to procure additional renewable power by within the next four years to meet current renewable energy procurement requirements (RPS), approximately 33 percent, as prescribed the by California law.
TID currently receives a 30 percent investment tax credit (ITC) for solar projects, however that number will drop 10 percent after Dec. 31, 2016 unless extended.
Based on renewable procurements by other utilities and feedback from renewable energy suppliers, TID staff believes it is currently a “buyer’s market” for renewable energy and thus the right time to negotiate a purchase.
The Board of Directors will not be voting to agree on specific terms for a renewable energy purchase, but will instead be voting to authorize the General Manager and Assistant General Manager of Power Supply Administration to negotiate, execute and administer a 20-year purchase agreement.
The agreement, according to the staff report, would be for up to 200,000 megawatt hours (MWh) per year of renewable energy.
It is unknown why the Board will not be setting the irrigation season on Tuesday, however Tou Her, Assistant General Manager of Water Resources for TID, will give an irrigation report at the meeting that may explain the delay.
TID staff is expecting record-low water available for irrigation this season — even lower than the record-low 20 inches last year.
TID Board of Directors will meeting 9 a.m. on Tuesday in the Board Room of the TID Main Office Building, 333 E. Canal Dr.
