Springville City Council voted to approve Resolution 2025-35 authorizing the city to enter a power purchase agreement (PPA) to take 8.57% of output from the Fremont solar project, a 99-megawatt solar facility paired with 49.5 megawatts of battery capacity.

City staff and the project presenter said the PPA is a 25-year agreement tied to a commercial operation date of Dec. 31, 2027; penalties apply if the project misses that deadline. Jason, the project presenter, told the council the batteries are sized to provide roughly four hours of discharge at the rated 49.5 megawatts to extend energy delivery into evening hours and to improve the resource’s operational flexibility.

The council was presented with projected cost ranges from the presenter, who said the blended price for this solar-plus-battery resource was expected to average in the high-$60 to mid-$70 range per megawatt-hour, reflecting battery costs and tariff uncertainties. Jason said those prices are similar to some existing member internal generation costs and that the Fremont project would help fill forecasted shortfalls when some current contracts expire in 2028. He also noted that UAMPS (the joint power organization referenced) and its utility partners view the project as a practical near-term resource amid limited alternatives coming online.

Councilmembers asked about alternatives, the long-term pricing implications and whether distributed home batteries could be a substitute. The presenter said distributed behind-the-meter batteries are possible and used in other utilities but flagged transmission ownership and control differences as complications for replication under UAMPS membership. He also said nuclear and other grid resources remain options but would likely arrive at different cost profiles and timelines.

The city’s utility board had reviewed the proposal and forwarded a unanimous recommendation for council approval. During the council roll call, Mindy, Mike, Jake and Logan voted yes; the resolution passed.

The approval commits Springville to the PPA percentage and to a fixed-price structure for the contract term; council members noted the lack of an escalator in the contract as a long-term hedge against inflation.

The utility board’s recommendation and staff presentation are expected to be the basis for next steps in contract execution and coordination with UAMPS and the Fremont project developer.