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Resolution No. 3231-22 Authorize Power Purchase Agreement - Solar 1 RESOLUTION NO.3231-22 2 A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT TO AUTHORIZE ENTERING INTO A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT 3 AND LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH BLUE DRAGON HOLDINGS I, LLC, FOR A SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PROJECT 4 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State of California and the intent of the 5 State Legislature to promote all feasible means of energy conservation and all 6 feasible uses of alternative energy supply sources; and, 7 WHEREAS, the South Tahoe Public Utility District ("District") desires to 8 reduce the steadily rising costs of meeting the energy needs of its facilities; and, 9 WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 4217.16, the District 10 may request proposals for a solar project from qualified persons and, after evaluating the proposals, the District may award the contract on the basis of the 11 experience of the company, the type of technology employed by the company, the 12 cost to the District, and any other relevant considerations; and, 13 WHEREAS, the District, with the assistance of the Sustainable Energy and 14 Economic Development Fund's consultant, Optony, Inc. ("Optony"), requested 15 proposals from qualified companies to design, construct, operate and maintain a 16 solar photovoltaic project at the District's wastewater treatment plant ("Solar Project") based on the overall proposed energy cost-savings, experience, and 17 other relevant considerations; and, 18 WHEREAS, after review of proposals submitted by qualified companies, SSI 19 DevCo, LLC, was selected as being the most qualified company based on its 20 proposal that was submitted in response to the requirements of the request for 21 proposals; and, 22 WHEREAS, after many months of negotiations, the District and SSI DevCO, 23 LLC, were unable to reach agreement on the terms of a power purchase agreement and license agreement for the Solar Project; and, 24 WHEREAS, Earlier this year, while continuing to negotiate with SSI DevCo, 25 LLC, Staff began working on a parallel track with a different solar team, Staten 26 Solar Corporation ("Staten"), due to the continued lack of progress with the SSI 27 DevCo, LLC, team. The Staten team had also provided a proposal to the District as 28 part of the SEED Fund solicitation at the same time as SSI DevCo, LLC. Staten 1 updated its proposal to reflect the current market conditions and the requirements 2 of a draft power purchase agreement and draft license agreement templates that 3 had been negotiated with SSI DevCo, LLC; and, 4 WHEREAS, On June 2, 2022, the District's Board of Directors directed District staff to cease negotiations with SSI DevCo, LLC, for a power purchase 5 agreement and license agreement for the Solar Project at the Wastewater 6 Treatment Plant and to continue negotiations with Staten for the Power Purchase 7 Agreement, License Agreement and project details for the Solar Project at the 8 Wastewater Treatment Plant. District staff has now successfully concluded 9 negotiations with Staten; and, 10 WHEREAS, Staten has provided the District with an analysis ("Analysis") showing the cost savings and other benefits of implementing certain energy 11 generation measures through the installation of the Solar Project at the District's 12 wastewater treatment plant; and, 13 WHEREAS, California Government Code section 4217.12 authorizes a 14 public agencies to enter into an energy service contract with respect to an energy 15 conservation facility and facility ground license if its governing body determines, at 16 a regularly scheduled public hearing, public notice of which is given at least two weeks in advance, that the anticipated cost to the District for the alternative energy 17 project will be less than the anticipated marginal cost to the District of electrical 18 energy that would have been consumed by the District in the absence of such 19 energy project and the difference, if any, between the fair rental value for the real 20 property subject to the facility ground license and the agreed rent, is anticipated to 21 be offset by below-market energy purchases or other benefits provided under the 22 power purchase agreement; and, WHEREAS, Staten has formed a single purpose entity, Blue Dragon 23 Holdings I, LLC, to enter into a power purchase agreement and license agreement: 24 and, 25 WHEREAS, the District proposes to enter into a power purchase agreement 26 ("Power Purchase Agreement") and facility ground license ("License Agreement") 27 with Blue Dragon Holdings I, LLC, pursuant to which Blue Dragon Holdings I, LLC, 28 will design, construct, install, maintain, and operate the Solar Project on District's - 2 - 1 property and arrange with the local utility for interconnection of the Solar Project 2 with the local utility's power grid which will generate energy for the District's 3 wastewater treatment plant; and, 4 WHEREAS, the Analysis includes data showing that the anticipated cost to the District for the electrical energy provided by the Project will be less than the 5 anticipated marginal cost to the District of electrical energy that would have been 6 consumed by the District in the absence of such purchases; and, 7 WHEREAS, the difference, if any, between the fair rental value for the real 8 property subject to the License Agreement and the agreed rent, is anticipated to be 9 offset by below-market energy purchases or other benefits provided under the 10 energy service contract due to the land use restrictions for the District's property and limited access to the Solar Project site; and, 11 WHEREAS, the Board proposes to enter into the Power Purchase 12 Agreement and License Agreement with Blue Dragon Holdings, I, LLC, 13 substantially in the form presented at this Board of Directors meeting, subject to 14 such further changes, insertions or omissions as the District General Manager and 15 legal counsel reasonably deems necessary following the Board of Director's 16 adoption of this Resolution; and, WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 4217.12, the Board of 17 Directors held a public hearing before adoption of this Resolution, public notice of 18 which was given at least two weeks in advance, to receive public comment. 19 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 20 1. That based on District staff reports reviewed by the Board of Directors of the 21 District, public comment and the administrative record as a whole, the Board of Directors 22 finds that the terms of the Power Purchase Agreement and License Agreement are in the 23 best interest of the District. 24 2. In accordance with Government Code section 4217.12, and based on data 25 provided by the Analysis, the Board of Directors finds that the anticipated cost to the District 26 for electrical energy provided by the Project under the Power Purchase Agreement will be 27 less than the anticipated marginal cost to the District of electrical energy that would have 28 been consumed by the District in the absence of those purchases. - 3 - 1 3. In accordance with Government Code section 4217.12, and based on the land 2 use restrictions for the District's property and limited access to the Solar Project site, the 3 Board of Directors finds that the difference, if any, between the fair rental value for the real 4 property subject to the License Agreement is anticipated to be offset by below-market 5 energy purchases or other benefits provided under the energy service contract. 4. The Board of Directors approves and authorizes the execution of the Power 6 Purchase Agreement and License Agreement with Blue Dragon Holdings I, LLC, all of which 7 shall be subject to such further changes, insertions or omissions as the District's General 8 Manager and legal counsel reasonably deem necessary. 9 5. The District's General Manager, or his designee, is further authorized and 10 directed to execute and deliver any and all papers, instruments, opinions, certificates, 11 affidavits and other documents and to do or cause to be done any and all other acts and 12 things necessary or proper for carrying out this Resolution and the terms and conditions of 13 the Power Purchase Agreement and License Agreement. 14 WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing Resolution 15 was duly adopted and passed by the Board of Directors of the South Tahoe Public Utility 16 District at a regularly scheduled meeting held on the 20th day of October, 2022, by the 17 following vote: 18 AYES: Cefalu, Romsos, Sheehan, Exline 19 20 NOES: None 21 22 ABSENT: Peterson 23 Kell heehan, President South Tahoe Public Utility District 24 _ATTEST: Melor3;e Guttry, Clerk of t Board 2-7 — - - • 28: -4 -