LOS ANGELES & BENSON, AZ, SEPT 14, 2017 -- Arizona G&T Cooperatives (AzGT) has entered into two agreements to provide scheduling and trading services as well as power system operation services to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan), a state-established cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people.
Under the Scheduling and Trading Agreement, AzGT will provide Metropolitan with energy management and scheduling services as well as California Independent System Operator (CAISO) scheduling coordinator services through its association with ACES (Alliance for Cooperative Energy Services Power Marketing LLC). ACES is a national power trading cooperative that operates its West Regional Trading Center at the AzGT main campus in Benson, Ariz.
Under the Power System Operation Services Agreement, AzGT will provide Metropolitan) with a variety of system operation services, including performing the Transmission Operator (TOP) function with respect to Metropolitan's bulk electric system (BES) facilities and providing appropriate operational and monitoring activities related to the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) electrical system. These functions will help Metropolitan operate in compliance with reliability and regulatory standards.
Metropolitan owns a 230,000-volt transmission system that provides power to its CRA pumps located in eastern San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Metropolitan also has long-term contracts for energy from the Hoover and Parker dams. This energy is transmitted over the transmission lines to the CRA pumps.
Metropolitan delivers an average of 1.5 billion gallons of water per day to a 5,200-square-mile service area that includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.
Metropolitan will become the fifth Class D member of AzGT to receive energy and transmission services without utilizing AzGT energy or transmission facilities.
Patrick Ledger, AzGT CEO, said the agreements mark a major milestone for both entities.
"We have appreciated the opportunity to work with the dedicated staff at Metropolitan on an arrangement that we believe will be favorable for both our respective organizations. We understand that Metropolitan has the awesome responsibility to provide a safe and reliable water supply to millions of people in Southern California. We look forward to assisting Metropolitan in this important mission by providing them with effective, efficient, and cost-effective energy services," Ledger said.
About Arizona G&T Cooperatives
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) and Sierra Southwest (Sierra) collectively make up Arizona G&T Cooperatives. Combined, the distribution cooperatives that receive AEPCO's wholesale power serve more than 150,000 meters representing more than 400,000 individual residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial member/consumers.
About Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a regional wholesaler that delivers water to 26 member public agencies -- 14 cities, 11 municipal water districts, and one county water authority -- which in turn provide water to 19 million people in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.
