SAFFORD — The City of Safford is making a small step toward going green.
The City Council voted unanimously Monday to obtain a small portion of its electricity provided to residents from solar.
“What you’re doing is you’re minimizing your risk by not putting all your eggs in one basket,” said City Manager John Cassella. “And since the industry is moving more and more away from a carbon footprint, solar may render us benefits down the road in terms of even having access to grants and things of that nature.”
Currently, the city obtains about 20.6 megawatts of power via the Southwest Public Power Agency, a consortium of 23 electrical and irrigation districts, Indian tribes, and municipalities throughout the state. That amount covers usage by Safford Utility customers except during the hot summer months, when demand exceeds the allocation. In fiscal year 2020, peak load was 27.9 megawatts.
The city will purchase an addition 10 megawatts of power generated by solar, to cover the summer overages. The city will also have the option of selling on the open market any excess if the entire 10 megawatts is not used.
The move is expected to reduce the city’s power cost from a high of about $65 per megawatt hour in fiscal year 2021, to a low of about $49 per megawatt hour in fiscal year 2027.
