News Releases

March 9, 2005

ROSEMEAD, Calif., March 9, 2005 — Southern California Edison (SCE) has submitted for review by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) six new long-term contracts with power generators using wind, biomass, and geothermal energy. 

If approved by the CPUC, the contracts would add as much as 427 megawatts* (MW) to SCE’s renewable power portfolio, already the nation’s largest, when construction is completed between 2006 and 2009.

“We congratulate the winning bidders in our second major solicitation under California’s new renewable portfolio standard,” said SCE CEO Alan Fohrer.  “These contracts represent a significant step in SCE’s continuing commitment to renewable energy as well as the implementation of the state’s renewable policy.”

Results of SCE's Renewable Power Solicitation

Five of the contracts would result in the construction of new renewable generation capacity at a time when California is attempting to cope with surging population growth and electricity demand.  The sixth involves the significant expansion of an existing facility.

“We are encouraged that this solicitation process has yielded competitively priced renewable power for our customers requiring no state subsidy,” said SCE Vice President of Power Procurement Pedro Pizarro.  “We will continue to look for opportunities to add to our renewable portfolio.”

More than 150 independent renewable power producers are under contract to SCE.  They can generate more than 2,500 MW of electricity – approximately 18.2% of the power SCE delivered to its customers during 2004.  California’s renewable portfolio standard requires that investor-owned utilities obtain 20% of their power from renewable sources by 2010.

• Related Facts
  SCE leads the nation in renewable power delivery, procuring more than 13,000 gigawatt-hours** of renewable energy in 2004, more than any U.S. utility or state except for California.
• SCE’s current renewable portfolio can deliver 2,588 MW of electricity
  - 1,021 MW from wind energy
  - 892 MW from geothermal
  - 354 MW from solar
  - 226 MW from biomass
  - 95 MW from small hydro

*A megawatt is enough power to serve 750 average homes during summer months.
**A gigawatt equals one billion watts.

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An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 13 million via 4.6 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California.