San Bernardino water district to purchase hydroelectric plants from Edison

San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (San Bernardino Valley) has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) to acquire 7 hydroelectric plants from SCE.

Pending regulatory approvals, San Bernardino Valley, will own and operate two facilities along the Santa Ana River, two in Mill Creek and three in San Antonio Creek. These hydroelectric plants are designed to maximize efficiency, while also preserving local ecosystems, by transforming the natural force of water into electricity to benefit California’s energy grid.

“The region has benefited from these facilities for over 100 years. They are an important piece of the geographic and cultural history of the Santa Ana River watershed. With SCE’s support, we’re strengthening our capacity to manage local water supplies for maximum benefit to the people we serve while protecting other land and habitat values. This is a significant win for our community and the environment.” said Heather Dyer, CEO/General Manager at San Bernardino Valley. “We are not only working towards a resilient water supply, but an integrated and comprehensive approach to maintaining a healthy watershed for decades to come.”

The Asset Purchase Agreement is the first of many steps needing to take place before the official transfer can be completed, including the transfer of certain licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from SCE to San Bernardino Valley, and the approval of the transactions contemplated by the Asset Purchase Agreement by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

SCE would pay San Bernardino Valley $34.173 million at the close of the transaction. SCE has also agreed to fund and complete certain interconnection facilities upgrades to the plants to enable independent and reliable operation by San Bernardino Valley.