Hydroelectric power a boon for Marana
The one megawatt of power, which Marana will get annually for 20 years beginning October 1, comes from the Parker-Davis Project. That project generates hydroelectric power with a dam on the Colorado River near Lake Havasu City.
"We're very fortunate that we happen to be in a good spot," Marana Utility Director Brad DeSpain said of Marana's proximity to power lines running from the Parker-Davis Dam to a power plant in Cochise County run by the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative.
One of the cooperative's members is Trico Electric Cooperative Inc., which is based in Marana and is one of the two suppliers of electricity to the town and its residents. The other is Tucson Electric Power.
Hydroelectric power is a cheaper form of electricity because it does not require fuel to be burned. Using hydroelectric will save Marana between $7,000 and $22,000 a month depending on the time of year, said Karen Cathers, manager of contracts and regulatory affairs for Trico.
DeSpain said the hydroelectric allocation will be used to power the town's municipal facilities, lighting for its ball fields, streetlights and also its water department. DeSpain said it will also eventually be used to help power the town's wastewater department once Marana has officially taken over that operation from Pima County.
"Once we get wastewater there will be no problem for us to use that megawatt," DeSpain said.
Related News
"Kill the viability": big batteries to lose out from electricity grid rule change
MELBOURNE - Tesla, Snowy Hydro and other big suppliers of storage capacity on Australia’s main electricity grid warn proposed rule changes amount to a tax on their operations that will deter investors and slow the decarbonisation of the industry.
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) will release its final decision this Thursday on new rules for integrating batteries, pumped hydro and other forms of storage.
The AEMC’s draft decision, released in July, angered many firms because it proposed charging storage providers for drawing power, ignoring a recommendation by the Australian Electricity Market Operator (AEMO) that they be exempt.
Battery maker…
