Wind-power generating facility plans approved

PASADENA - The City Council has authorized an agreement with a wind power-generating facility to be constructed in Utah, furthering its stated goal to be more environmentally conscious. The Milford Wind Corridor Phase I is a 200-megawatt generating facility to be constructed in Millard County, Utah. The corridor is just 60 miles from the coal-fired Intermountain Power Project in Delta, Utah, which the council decided not to extend contracts with in December 2006.

On Monday night the council directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance approving the agreement with the corridor and authorized the city manager to enter into a power sales agreement for a 5-megawatt share of the total output. This would increase Pasadena's renewable energy portfolio to about 12,700 megawatt hours annually - or 1 percent of the city's energy sales - according to a staff report. In October 2003, the council adopted a standard that called for the addition of cost-effective renewable resources to meet 10 percent of the city's retail electric energy needs by 2010. That standard requires Pasadena Water and Power to have 20 percent renewable resources by 2017.

"This is another step, helping us get there," Councilman Sid Tyler said Monday night.

The Milford Wind Corridor is set to be completed and ready for commercial operation by Jan. 1, 2009.

The city will own a 21/2 percent [sic]share of the facility, Klinkner said. The major shareholder is the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, with a 92 percent share.

The contract will allow the Southern California Public Power Authority - the group cities will pay directly for use of the facility's power - to buy out the facility in 10 years, thus giving ownership to the contracting cities, Klinkner said.