Mohave County approves no‑cost solar PPA for 11 county facilities; staff to finalize contract

Mohave County supervisors approved staff’s recommendation to pursue a state‑contract solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with Odobo Energy Partners to deploy solar systems at 11 county facilities, at no upfront cost to the county.

Public works and the county energy team presented a financial overview prepared with the vendor’s inputs. Two PPA term options were discussed: 25‑ and 30‑year terms. The recommended path is a 25‑year PPA with a 2% annual price escalator on PPA service rates; staff said the vendor projects a net present value (NPV) of county cash flow of about $6.5 million over 25 years under those assumptions and noted a purchase‑option price at year 25 (approx. $1.3 million) that would permit the county to own the system and thereby increase long‑term benefits.

Director Actton and energy staff flagged utility territory differences: several sites in Unisource territory support net metering (which increases financial offset), while some in the Mohave Electric Cooperative (MEC) territory do not and would force midday exports at lower wholesale rates. Supervisors sought clarity on the net‑metering risk; staff acknowledged that changes to utility policy or net‑metering rules would affect outcomes and that contracts include standard protections and termination triggers tied to material regulatory changes.

Installation would include rooftop and parking canopy deployments across a mix of facilities including the adult detention center (largest single system), county administrative buildings, libraries, and a planned legal services center.

The board authorized staff to negotiate final legal modifications and for the chair to sign the final PPA and related documents when ready, so the vendor can qualify for incentives and proceed with procurement and design.

Next steps: staff will complete contract negotiations and return final documents for signature; contractor scheduling and permitting will follow.