Company Qualified Facility Program

The Public Utilities Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) created an obligation for electric utilities to offer to purchase power from, and interconnect with, qualifying generation projects. PURPA is implemented through a set of rules established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and each state with jurisdiction over PacifiCorp. Qualifying Facilities (QFs) must meet certain criteria as specified in the FERC rules.

Avoided cost (the cost a utility avoids as a result of the QF) forms the basis for determining QF purchase pricing. In many states where the company operates, prices are established by a tariff applicable up to a certain-sized threshold and below.
Each state is regulated by a public service or utility commission that has certain responsibilities for the implementation of PURPA as provided in the FERC rules. The rules and relevant orders are from each state are identified below.

Power Purchase Agreements — Standard power purchase agreements are required for some states and such agreement forms are available using the links below. For those states that do not require a standard form agreement, the QF should contact PacifiCorp for the form used in that state. Questions regarding QF power purchase agreements or PacifiCorp's avoided cost rates should be directed to the Qualifying Facilities contact specified at the bottom of this page.

Interconnection — QFs located in PacifiCorp’s service territory also will need to execute an interconnection agreement. QF interconnection agreements are administered by PacifiCorp's transmission services function (PacifiCorp Transmission Services). For more information on requests for interconnection agreements see: Interconnection Requirements.

The process for entering into a power purchase agreement is generally described and applicable to all QFs as shown in Schedule 38 filed in Utah. In Oregon, see Schedule 37 for projects less than 10,000 kW and Schedule 38 for projects greater than 10,000 kW.

The following links provide further information:

Interconnection Requirements

FERC QF self certification

California

California PUC

Idaho

Idaho PUC

PDF Idaho - 2011 Avoided cost prices

Oregon

On June 27, 2011, PacifiCorp filed Advice No. 11-011 with the Public Utility Commission of Oregon (Commission). In Advice No. 11-011 PacifiCorp filed revisions to Schedule 37 and revisions to associated standard contracts. These revisions explicitly require a QF seeking to sell net output to PacifiCorp under Schedule 37 to pay the cost of any additional transmission service needed to wheel a QF’s generation out of a PacifiCorp load pocket when the QF’s output will cause generation to exceed load in the load pocket. The modified Schedule 37 is necessary to ensure PacifiCorp is not required to pay more than avoided cost for net output from small QFs delivering to PacifiCorp load pockets. These revisions may affect the terms and conditions of contracts for certain QFs seeking to sell their output to PacifiCorp through Schedule 37.

PacifiCorp proposes that the revised Schedule 37 and the revisions to associated standard contracts become effective July 26, 2011.

Oregon OPUC

PDF Oregon Schedule 37 – Avoided Cost prices and process for QFs less than 10,000 KW

PDF Power Purchase Agreement for New QFs less than 10 MW

PDF Power Purchase Agreement for Existing QFs less than 10 MW

PDF Power Purchase Agreement for Off-System QFs less than 10 MW

PDF Power Purchase Agreement for Intermittent QF Resources (i.e. Wind) less than 10,000 KW

PDF Oregon Schedule 38 – Process for QFs greater than 10,000 KW

PDF Non-firm Power Purchase Agreement for QFs less than 10,000 KW