Most new preference customers to WAPA's LAP region since 2004
The Western Area Power Administration’s Rocky Mountain region welcomed 12 new customers to the hydropower family in October, the most gained by its Loveland Area Projects marketing area since 2004.
The customers, 11 municipalities found throughout Kansas and Nebraska, as well as Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado, each applied for a LAP power allocation based on available hydropower in the region. Together, each will tap into an available 6.9 megawatts in the summer, and more than six megawatts in the winter, adding hydropower to their portfolio.

“Having a renewable, dependable resource like hydropower that has continued to increase in value over the last few years has become an important and valued asset,” said Parker Wicks, Vice President of Power Marketing for WAPA’s RM region. “And knowing that WAPA’s hydropower resources provide more carbon-free energy is also a plus to consumers. WAPA is a great way for small municipalities and other preference customers to add this to their portfolio.”
Of the nine Kansas-based customers, seven will enter the LAP allocation through the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency.
In 2004, 22 entities ranging from municipalities to tribal organizations took on an allocation of hydropower, adding the renewable resource to their energy portfolios and becoming WAPA customers.
What is ‘the LAP’?
The Loveland Area Projects includes both the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project and the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program – Western Division. In 1990, both projects were integrated to provide better clarity and predictability on marketing and rate-setting, adding value for hydropower customers. The integrated projects serve Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming with 830 MW of installed capacity and 3,360 miles of transmission line.
LAP’s resource is made up of a combination of 19 hydroelectric powerplants each operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. These hydroelectric dams feed power to 121 preference customers throughout the LAP’s marketing plan footprint.
LAP’s class of fiscal year 2025 customers will bring that number to 133.
In determining customers to join the LAP, Wicks said his office reviews and compares applicants once every 10 years to determine eligibility and allocations are based on annual load.
“Many potential customers just don’t know they may be eligible to be a preference customer,” Wicks said, referring to the title given to new customers eligible for a hydropower allocation.
In fact, WAPA’s preference customer program is part of the organization’s charge to promote the widespread use of federal hydropower. When WAPA renews contracts with its customers, it typically creates a small carveout – referred to as a resource pool – from existing customers to be offered to new customers through an application process. Applying this policy reduces existing customers’ allocations by a small percentage to create a resource pool for prospective customers. To be eligible, prospective new customers must have their own utility to distribute the power, or be a Native American Tribe, and not already have a federal hydro allocation.
One such preference customer added to RM’s portfolio is the City of Alma, located more than 20 miles west of Topeka, Kansas. Michael Slobodnik, City Superintendent for Alma, said Alma continually focuses on identifying reasonably priced sources of energy.
“Alma is always looking for reliable and stable-priced energy,” Slobodnik said. “Purchasing power from WAPA helps the city do just that. We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to adding this fixed-price energy to our portfolio.”
Each customer’s hydropower contract is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2054.
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Last modified on December 3rd, 2024