FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 6, 2017
CONTACT: Public Affairs, mediarelations@wapa.gov, 720.962.7411
LAKEWOOD, Colorado – Western Area Power Administration's Colorado River Storage Project Management Center's firm electric service rate for the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects, or SLCA/IP, will remain unchanged for the ninth consecutive year. The Fiscal Year 2018 rate was confirmed during the annual customer meeting in Salt Lake City on May 23.
The SLCA/IP is mainly comprised of hydroelectric generating facilities on the Upper Colorado River, such as Glen Canyon Dam, as well as some smaller hydroelectric power projects that have been integrated for marketing purposes with the larger CRSP units. The firm electric service rate has held steady since October 2009 and will remain steady through September 2018.
"We carefully manage costs, working with our customers and our partners at the Bureau of Reclamation to provide value from federal hydropower," said Senior VP and CRSP Manager Lynn Jeka. "Providing a stable cost-based rate for the ninth year in a row provides consistency for our customers and helps keep rates affordable for the consumers they serve."
The consistent rate is a result of tight management of operation and maintenance costs, as well as reduced purchase power needs due to higher water releases from Glen Canyon Dam for the past three years. Maintaining the rate provides WAPA customers with more predictable planning and budgeting for future years.
The firm electric service is contracted to more than 130 public power customers, including 44 in Arizona who benefit from WAPA's commitment to provide power at the lowest possible rates consistent with sound business principles.
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About WAPA: Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 25,000 gigawatt hours of clean, renewable power from 57 federal hydroelectric power plants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 western and central states. It is part of the Department of Energy. Follow us on Twitter @WesternAreaPowr or visit the website at www.wapa.gov.
