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City energy manager lays out transition plans, EDAM participation and project pipeline
Summary
Light & Power resource manager Tyson Godfrey told the Logan City Council the city’s peak load is about 100 MW, renewables have averaged 18% recently, and the utility is preparing for the Western EDAM market May 1 while tracking projects including Fremont Solar & Battery and a new Sub‑9 gas generator.
Tyson Godfrey, Light & Power resource manager, told the Logan City Council on Dec. 2 that the city’s current peak electricity demand is about 100 megawatts and the utility is preparing for changes in Western power markets and local generation.
Godfrey said dispatchable resources (coal, gas and local generation) currently make up roughly 58% of the city’s short‑term supply while renewables averaged about 18% over the last three months and market purchases about 25%. “Dispatchable just means that you can control when it’s on and off,” he said, adding that the utility’s remaining scheduled coal exposure is diminishing as contracts and unit availability change.
The presentation covered several specific items: Godfrey said Sunnyside — a coal project previously in the mix — was damaged and is offline indefinitely, and that Hunter, another coal unit, is expected to operate for at least another five years though long‑term use is uncertain. He also described Sub 9, a natural‑gas generator nearing completion; when online it will add roughly 28 megawatts of local capacity, improving the city’s ability to participate in and hedge within the extended day‑ahead market (EDAM).
On renewables and pipeline projects, Godfrey said a Fremont Solar and Battery project is under construction with a target commercial operation date in 2027, and two UAMPS natural‑gas projects are in earlier development (Miller County targeted for 2029, Power County for 2031) with permitting and cost‑estimate risks. He noted a proposed local solar option, Honeystone, lost county zoning approval and staff will continue evaluating local sites identified in a feasibility study.
Godfrey also warned that most wind projects are paused due to federal tariff changes affecting turbine components and that the city is studying options for increased geothermal purchases; he said a 2 MW geothermal share is still under study and that further geothermal could be in the market at roughly $100 per MWh.
The presentation included operational context: a recent outage at NEBO reduced its output to 50% and the city is purchasing short‑term market blocks to cover near‑term needs. Godfrey recommended council and staff prepare for EDAM’s May 1 go‑live and proposed a training session for boards and council members to explain market participation and impacts.
Council members asked about possible surcharges due to reduced NEBO output, whether the city is still paying PPAs for offline plants (Godfrey said not if the plant is not delivering), and the timing of projects. Godfrey said staff will continue to refine cost estimates and return with more detailed financial analysis as project milestones are reached.
The council did not take formal action during Godfrey’s presentation; staff said they will provide follow‑up briefings and training on EDAM and project cost estimates.
