News Release Archive

Reclamation to Hold Public Workshop on the Central Valley Project Cost Allocation Study on Friday, Jan. 18

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, MP Region Public Affairs Officer, 916-978-5100, 01/09/2013 10:09

For Release: January 09, 2013

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Region will hold a workshop to offer the interested public an opportunity to provide feedback on the assumptions, modeling and methodology for determining hydropower benefits of the ongoing Cost Allocation Study for the Central Valley Project. The workshop will be held:

Friday, Jan. 18
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Federal Building, 2800 Cottage Way
Cafeteria Conference Rooms C1001-C1002
Sacramento, CA  95825

The workshop will consist of a technical discussion on the assumptions and methodology of the PLEXOS model, which is a transmission-constrained power market simulation model, proposed to be used to estimate future CVP hydropower benefits for the study. The PLEXOS model has been used by the California Energy Commission, California Independent System Operator and various California utilities for purposes including rate-case evaluations and studies to assess needed power attributes and associated costs to integrate high levels of renewable generation into the electric grid. The workshop will allow stakeholders to ask questions on the assumptions and methodology that will be used in the study and to provide feedback.    

In 2010, the Region began a process to develop a new cost allocation for the CVP. Cost allocation is a process to determine and distribute the costs of the multi-purpose CVP facilities among the seven congressionally authorized purposes: water supply, flood control, navigation, power, fish and wildlife, recreation and water quality. The cost obligation for each authorized purpose will be determined and will be the basis for repayment requirements for irrigation contractors, municipal and industrial contractors and commercial power contractors.

The last major CVP cost allocation was completed in 1970, with a minor update in 1975. The 1975 allocation has since been subject to minimal annual changes related to project water and power uses. The new allocation will replace the 1975 allocation in its entirety. Reclamation is leading the study in coordination with other federal organizations including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Western Area Power Administration. The study is expected to be completed in 2016.

For questions, please contact Brooke Miller-Levy, Project Manager, at 916-978-5296 (TTY 916-978-5608) or bmillerlevy@usbr.gov. To request special assistance to attend the workshop or to be added to the email notification list, please contact Janet Sierzputowski at 916-978-5112 or jsierzputowski@usbr.gov.

 

Please visit the project website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/CVP/CVP-CAS for additional information on the study. All workshop materials will be posted on the website the day before the workshop.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

CVP-CAS