Avista signs deal with Columbia Basin Hydropower for renewable hydropower
Avista Corp. signed a contract with Columbia Basin Hydropower (CBHP) for renewable hydropower from three Columbia Basin Irrigation Districts.
It is a 23-year supply deal with projects beginning deliveries to Avista as prior contracts expire through 2030. CBHP’s projects represent approximately 145 MWs of hydroelectric capacity from seven facilities throughout the Columbia Basin Project in central Washington.
“Avista was founded on renewable hydropower more than 130 years ago. We are proud to work with Columbia Basin Hydropower to bring even more clean, reliable power to our customers,” Scott Kinney, Avista’s vice president of energy resources, said. “This brings us closer to our goal to serve customers with 100% clean electricity by 2045 and 100% carbon neutral resources by 2027.”
Hydropower generation on Columbia Basin Project (CBP) canals began in 1982. The contract is the result of Avista’s participation in CBHP’s Request for Offers in November 2021.
“Moving into this new contract, CBHP believes Avista will be a great partner as our new power purchaser,” Darvin Fales, CBHP’s manager, said. “With our largest powerplants located within Avista’s service area and directly connected to its transmission grid, it makes sense to partner with a local like-minded company and neighbor.”
The projects contribute to goals in Avista’s 2021 IRP goals, which identified both renewable and summer energy needs. It helps the company achieve its clean electricity goals and supports Washington state’s adoption of the Clean Energy Transformation Act that increases utilities’ supply of clean energy through 2045.
Avista is continuing to negotiate proposals that may result in additional energy contracts.
