The next two or three months will be important for Summit County’s plan to sign a Renewable Energy Services Contract with Rocky Mountain Power. County Council Member Glenn Wright talked to KPCW following Council’s discussion on Wednesday.
The county aims to achieve a net 100 percent renewable-energy standard for their government operations by 2032. To that end, they’re looking at a contract to have Rocky Mountain Power deliver electricity from renewable sources.. After an RFP process, a solar facility to be built near Tooele has been selected as the provider.
Wright said that reportedly, Oakley City and Cottonwood Heights have also decided to enter into this kind of deal. Other Wasatch Front towns like Sandy and Layton are considering it.
He clarified that their arrangement is not the same contract as Summit County’s.
“County, Park City and Salt Lake City use. And that’s just confined to three of us, plus Deer Valley, Vail and UVU. That’s similar but different issue to the county-wide.”
Wright said that early next year they will be able to unveil the cost of the contract.
“After we get some preliminary indications, and we actually sign the contract for it, then we will, we’ll get—we’ve gotten indications. We don’t think they’re gonna change much. We can’t talk about them now because we have an NDA until the entire process is finished. But we’ll have a public exposition of the actual rates I’m guessing probably in January.”
He said that the county can choose to walk away from the deal, with some caveats.
“If we’re not happy with it, we can walk away. (Leslie) But it costs us, it sounds like. (Wright) After we sign the next agreement. We actually sign a contract for taking the power. After that, there are termination charges.”
The current climate for renewable energy is complicated. Wright mentioned just a couple of factors.
“Our bill is gonna be the result of several factors. One is that renewable-energy charge which is gonna be determined right now. And that’s an additional charge that is slightly more expensive than the rate right now. If rates actually go down, as Rocky Mountain Power gets more renewable energy into their system, our rate, overall rate will go down because the base rate could go down. If it does, then we gain from that also. In the short term, four or five years or so, you’re gonna see a decrease in renewable-energy prices.”
Summit County Council Member Glenn Wright
