LADWP Seeks Green Transmission

The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power is considering 16 proposed renewable power projects that would meet between 18 percent and 20 percent of its total energy needs. Department officials revealed their evaluation effort at a June 19 meeting of the muni's board, as well as their strategy to favor projects along existing transmission lines with idle capacity. The muni has pledged to meet the state's 20 percent renewable energy portfolio standard by 2010. Renewable power projects now provide 8 percent of the utility?s power. The 16 prospective projects were among 55 submitted in April in response to the utility's latest request for renewable power project proposals, according to Brian Koch, LADWP resources development manager. They include 1,280 GWh/year of wind power projects, 1,860 GWh/year of solar projects, 1,490 GWh/year of geothermal capacity, and 50 GWh/year of biomass power. "We're trying to fill up all our transmission lines," said Koch. To help do that, the muni is considering projects in widely scattered geographic locations along its lines, including some areas that are out of state, he explained. While Koch did not reveal the exact locations or developers of the proposed projects, which still are under preliminary consideration, muni officials said that one key transmission line is the El Dorado system. That line runs from near Lake Mead to the closed down 1,580 MW Mohave coal power plant near Laughlin, Nevada, in the southern end of the state. The U.S. Department of Energy rates many areas in Nevada's southern tip as "outstanding" for developing wind power. The desert area also has abundant sunshine for solar power developers. "The El Dorado system can be a very valuable asset for LADWP to support its renewable energy endeavor by providing transmission capability for any renewable resources to be developed or acquired in the area," according to Henry Martinez, muni chief power system officer. Building transmission lines has been a key hurdle in developing renewable energy, so placing them along existing lines with slack capacity can help speed the way for green energy, according to muni board members. The El Dorado transmission facility is controlled by the California Independent System Operator and owned jointly by LADWP, Southern California Edison, Nevada Power, and Arizona?s Salt River Project. "The El Dorado line is still an important part of the overall western network," said Gregg Fishman, grid operator spokesperson. "It is not just a radial line that runs from the Mohave plant to California - it's interconnected with other lines in Nevada - so the network connection is still important to the overall grid." However, the line does have some slack capacity that could accommodate development of new resources in the area, Fishman noted. A significant number of renewable project developers have asked to interconnect at the Mohave substation, according to Gary Tarpley, Edison director of electric system planning. Both Edison and the muni, he said, are interested in tapping renewable energy in Southern Nevada and the California desert along the transmission system. Between the Mohave and Lugo substations near Victorville California, he said, there have been more than 10,000 MW of interconnection requests from a mix of solar and wind energy developers. Meanwhile, the joint owners of El Dorado are negotiating a new operational agreement for the line following the closure of the Mohave plant.

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LADWP Seeks Green Transmission

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