OPALCO predicts electricity demand to increase 50% in next 25 years – wholesale prices also rising
How will OPALCO keep up with local demand for reliable energy?
Monday, February 24, 2025
by Jeff Noedel
Video by Jeremy Tyler
DISCLOSURE: This program is a co-production of SanJuans.Today and OPALCO, Orcas Power and Light Cooperative, a non-profit, member-owned co-op providing energy services to San Juan County since 1937. OPALCO provided a portion of the funds to produce this program, but questions were posed unscripted by SanJuans.Today. And SanJuans.Today independently edited this program.
Last Wednesday, SanJuans.Today’s Jeff Noedel interviewed two leaders of OPALCO: Vince Dauciunas, Board President, and Foster Hildreth, General Manager.
Here are some of the major questions OPALCO leadership answered:
- What are the new and emerging challenges in providing reliable electricity in the islands?
- What’s happening now with wholesale electricity costs?
- How much more electricity will the San Juans need in the next 25 years?
- What role could locally-produced renewable energy (produced on the islands and in the sea) play in meeting the increased need?
- Could locally-produced renewable energy be produced at a cost that is competitive with energy bought in mainland wholesale markets?
- How many renewable energy projects does OPALCO need to meet future demand? How big would they be? Where would they be located?
- Why not just put solar panels on most structures in the islands?
- What is keeping OPALCO from embarking on these new projects? Why not get started now?
We learned a lot in this 50-minute interview, and you will, too.
