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 - 2010 Avoided cost prices

Oregon

PacifiCorp's Oregon Tariff Schedules 37 and 38 provide the pricing, terms and conditions for the sale of output by an Oregon qualifying facility to PacifiCorp. PacifiCorp's published avoided cost rates in Oregon are subject to periodic change as provided in OAR 860-029-0080(3), (7) and (8). Schedules 37 and 38, together with notice of any pending application by PacifiCorp for changes to published avoided cost rates in Oregon, are posted as .pdf documents below:

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