Cornerstone to the successful development of the HTP, in scope and cost, is the EnviroMission, Inc. South of Parker Transmission Upgrade Project proposal being evaluated by the US Department of Energy to determine whether it satisfies the requirements of the Transmission Infrastructure Program (TIP) underwriting process. This transmission line will allow EnviroMission to gain access to the Palo Verde Hub and allow the transmission of power to California as a "Bucket 1" resource. Bucket 1 resources are resources that are deemed to satisfy the California Renewable Portfolio Standard while being generated outside of California.
"EnviroMission is pleased to be partnering with CAWCD to develop and deliver HTP. This opportunity will provide EnviroMission with excellent access to a broader energy market while providing a service to one of Arizona’s most important infrastructure assets," said Roger Davey, Chairman and CEO of EnviroMission.
The CAP aqueduct system was engineered to deliver an average of 1.5 million acre-feet of water per year to central and southern Arizona, including the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. CAP carries water from Lake Havasu near Parker to the southern boundary of the San Xavier Indian Reservation southwest of Tucson. The canal system stretches 336 miles across the state, lifts the water more than 2,900 vertical feet, and incorporates control structures and pumping plants to regulate the flow of water. The CAP system includes 14 pumping plants, one hydroelectric pump/generating plant at New Waddell Dam, 39 radial gate structures to control the flow of water, more than 50 turnouts used to deliver water to municipal water treatment plants and other customer distribution systems, and the Lake Pleasant storage reservoir. The CAP is the largest single user of power in the state of Arizona, requiring a total of 500 MWs at peak to deliver water via their system. Access to a reliable power supply is paramount to this mission.
Deputy General Manager Thomas McCann at CAWCD, which operates the CAP, described the agreement as, "a critical first step toward improving the reliability of the transmission system that delivers energy to CAP pumps so that water can continue to flow uphill from the Colorado River into central Arizona."
