Mr. Hamby needs to stop flip flopping – and support reliable, local green energy

Iappreciate an honest and open discussion about energy since it’s such a critical issue in the Imperial Valley and, as a former IID board member, it’s important to me that folks get the straight scoop.

However, I’m concerned that Board Member Hamby has, in his two letters to the editor of this paper, achieved the trifecta: 1. simultaneously contradicting comments he’s made on the record as a Board Member, 2. blatantly lie, and 3. scare ratepayers for no good reason.

We’ve had some interesting IID board members in the past, but I find myself increasingly concerned about Mr. Hamby. Is he really getting enough sleep? Or is he just a flip-flopper? (Hint: the definition is “a person who makes a complete change of policy, opinion, etc.” Sounds accurate?)

At the February 2021 IID Board meeting, Mr. Hamby stated that IID must emphasize local procurement and purchase “as much as possible” from local independent power providers.

But now, a year later, he vehemently opposes IID entering into a contract with DVP — a local, independent power provider, based in Mecca.

In December 2021 (four months ago), Board Member Hamby said, in an editorial:

“We (IID Board Members) directed staff to procure energy outside of CAISO control to ensure we had adequate energy available to meet all customer needs all summer long...”

Now he’s pivoted 180 degrees and wants to bet on CAISO, rather than purchase energy from DVP, a local source of renewable, green power.

Mr. Hamby claims in his March 25, 2022, letter to this paper that IID has received “numerous offers for power at less than half the cost” of DVP‘s $111 per MWh cost. These offers do not exist. In fact, Board President Hanks has asked staff to bring forward these offers numerous times, and staff has yet to produce them. This deal with DVP is real — and DVP is a real power producer with real environmental and economic benefits that’s making power today.

The fact is this five-year deal is good for IID ratepayers because as much as 85 percent of the total energy IID buys from DVP could be delivered in the six hottest months of the year. Furthermore, this agreement requires DVP to ramp energy generation up — or down — depending on IID ratepayers’ needs.

DVP provides nearly 10 percent of IID’s power every year, which doesn’t sound like a lot but is, in fact, more power than 11 of IID’s 12 power plants generate combined. In the summer, when IID customers need power most, DVP is more reliable than any other source of IID-operated power.

Would you rather have a plant more reliable than any other in IID’s fleet, or roll the dice on CAISO? I know which I’d choose, especially since in December 2021, the authority that oversees electric grid reliability in the western US warned that if local power providers don’t add more sources of power (like DVP), quickly, there is a real risk of blackouts.

Mr. Hamby says these types of plants are dirty, but I encourage Mr. Hamby to do some research. Major studies that have found that biomass power plants (like DVP) are significantly better for air quality than open burning ag waste. Furthermore, DVP complies with numerous air quality permits and regulations required by USEPA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. And don’t just take my word for it — just Google it.

There are clearly two camps here in the Imperial Valley — the smart one that supports reliable, affordable, green energy and one that wants to roll the dice and bet on CAISO. Or maybe he doesn’t. Ask Mr. Hamby in a few days and his answer will almost certainly change.