WSP07460

• File Number: 8278.400
• Description: Title I - Mexican Treaty
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 2/1/1963
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Special Studies - Delivery of Water to Mexico
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Title I Program
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act

exchange power. While Mexican power
resources are not plentiful, new generation
capability may be available in the future
that could meet the needs ofthe YDP and
PRPU. Interconnected private utilities are
pursuing additional interconnections with
Mexico to purchase, sell, and exchange
power,

. Utilities in the Southwest are forming
consortiums to construct or modify existing
power generation and transmission
facilities to minimize environmental
concerns, increase power system
reliability, control costs, and create a
more versatile power market.

Reclamation will study these new develop-
ments and reexamine some previous studies
for comparison with the current power
arrangement with Westem. Specifically,
Reclamation is investigating, either as a
sole buyer or as a member of a consortium:

. Purchasing contractual power assets of
financially troubled utilities, such as a
generating capacity entitlement, and
exchanging power with other utilities that
have generation entitlements,

. Purchasing physical power assets such as
a share of a generating plant near Yuma.

Reclamation will also investigate:

. Using surplus power from Reclamation's
entitlement from the Navajo Generating
Station near Page, Arizona. (Surplus
power is power that exceeds the
requirements of the Central Arizona
Project.)

. Selling, purchasing, and exchanging power
to and from Mexico as a member of a
consortium that is connected to the
Comision Federal de Electricidad and
interconnected with the Federal power
system. Or, as a sole buyer, purchasing
power from Mexico on a long-term basis
and negotiating transmission with private
utilities.

12

. New power marketing possibilities as a
result of the addition oftwo, new
500-kilovolt interconnections into Navajo
Westwing and McCullough Substations.

. Resurveying all interconnected utilities
with the Federal power system for
least-cost firm power purchases and
transmission to the YDP and PRPU.

.,

. Energy conservation opportunities such as
installing modem pumps and motors at
pumping stations in the Yuma area.

In summary, Reclamation has secured
power for the YDP and PRPU until the
year 2021. Reclamation believes this
arrangement is the least-cost altemative for
now and the near future. However
,
Reclamation will periodically evaluate new
technical and system developments and
reexamine past studies to ensure that the
YDP and the PRPU continue to receive the
required power at the lowest possible cost,
Reclamation is currently reevaluating the
power market and expects to have a written
analysis completed by the end of calendar
year 1992.

Status

Construction of the facilities essential to
operating the YDP is complete, Activities
scheduled for the future include con-
struction of additional sludge disposal
ponds, as needed, and a pilot program to
test the feasibility of recalcining,

Startup work began in December 1991;
currently, the pressure vessels are being
loaded with membranes, The YDP is
expected to be operated at one-third
capacity (producing 22,4 MGD of desalted
water) by August I, 1992, Most of this
desalted water will be blended with
untreated irrigation drainage and returned
to the Colorado River for delivery to Mexico,
The YDP is scheduled to operate at this