By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
As a result, not all Utahns are feeling the impact of
escalating energy bills. Approximately 40,000 customers, of
which Levan and Nephi are two, are receiving electric power
from nine cooperatives located throughout the state.
"We're in a good situation," said Mike Peterson, a
spokesman for the Utah Rural Electric Association, which
represents Utah's rural electric cooperatives. "Our
customers won't be exposed to the huge rate increases
experienced in other areas."
The co-ops' ownership of the 460-megawatt Bonanza
Power Plant near Vernal is one of the reasons members are
somewhat protected from rapidly increasing power rates.
The plant's capacity has even allowed the facility to
generate electricity for sale to the Utah Associated
Municipal Power Systems and the Utah Municipal Power Agency,
which supply electricity to several municipalities, such as
Nephi and Levan, in the Utah.
UMPA also has an ownership stake in the plant.
"Bonanza has more capacity than what our systems can
use at the present time," Peterson said.
Six of the nine co-ops, who are served by the power
source, worked to build the plant and a large transmission
line from the plant to Mona. The beneficiaries of the
project, all under the Deseret Generation and Transmission
umbrella, receive power from the source.
Bonanza's power generation has made it so the co-ops
do not need to venture onto the high-priced open market.
"They've been able to keep prices stable and will be
able to continue that price stability unless there is a
problem with the power plant," Peterson said. "The co-ops
are just blessed right now that they're able to keep prices
stable."
Regions the co-ops cover include northeastern Utah,
spilling into northwestern Colorado and southwestern
Wyoming; the central portion of Utah's western border
spilling broadly into Nevada, and south-central Utah
extending into northwestern Arizona.
Just a few years ago, co-op customer were envious of
bills paid by others in the state whose utilities were able
to get market prices that were low at the time.
"That's flipped," said Peterson.
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