December 10, 2019 – Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is poised to take the next steps to help secure local control of our community’s electrical distribution system and make the priority an uninterrupted supply of safe, clean power for our region.
On Wednesday, Dec. 11, NID Directors will decide to file a request with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) to get authorization for an application to provide retail electric service. As part of the consideration, Directors will conduct a public hearing to welcome questions and comments from community members.
NID began looking into potential acquisition of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) assets after hearing the community voice concerns about the reliability of service when PG&E activated prolonged Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in the fall to protect against weather-caused heightened fire risks. Those shutoffs had widespread, costly effects on the community, including on schools, medical facilities, businesses and on daily life in general.
A Board decision on Wednesday would allow Nevada County LAFCo to initiate a study of the District providing the full suite of electric power and services to the community.
Under local control, specific benefits include local and targeted investment in electrical system infrastructure and emergency planning and response. Direct access also means improved customer service and increased reliability of service.
Wednesday’s public hearing will be just the first of many opportunities for the public to offer input. Read the agenda item here.