Value of Photovoltaic Power Plants to a Municipal Sunbelt Utility

摘要

For the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a study of a 1981 utility mix characterized by a high percentage of oil-burning units is carried out. The fuel savings and capacity credits brought about by the inclusion of a photovoltaic power plant in the 1981 system configuration are developed and discussed, the load-carrying capability being determined by Loss-of-Load-Probability analysis. The credits obtained are then transformed into an economic value to the utility, and it is found that the breakeven cost (value) of the photovoltaic facility is double the value found for a similar investor-owned utility. (ERA citation 08:009443)