VPPSA Members enter into a Central Dispatch Agreement (CDA) with VPPSA for the economic dispatch of our generating sources. Under the CDA, the Electric Department authorizes VPPSA to act as the billing agent regarding generating sources and transmission providers.
VPPSA Ownership
VPPSA owns all or a portion of two key Vermont power plants:
The VPPSA-owned energy, capacity, and other market products from these plants are resold at cost to participating VPPSA Members and other Vermont Utilities.
Standard Offer Program
In 2009, the Vermont Legislature created the Vermont “Standard Offer” program, one of the nation’s first feed-in-tariff programs, with the goal to encourage the development of renewable energy resources in Vermont. VPPSA has participated in the Standard Offer program on behalf of our Members. In 2018, Lyndonville East and Lyndonville West solar PV facilities came online at close to 1MW of combined capacity. These projects redeveloped a brownfield that was unused for well over a decade. VPPSA continues to participate in the program to develop projects for the benefit of our Members.
Member-owned Hydroelectric Resources
Many VPPSA Members own hydroelectric facilities in our service territories that serve to help meet their own energy and capacity needs. These facilities include:
- Barton Hydro, Barton Village, Inc.
- Enosburg Falls Village Plant #1, Village of Enosburg Falls Inc.
- Enosburg Falls Kendall Plant, Village of Enosburg Falls Inc.
- Hardwick Wolcott Hydro, Town of Hardwick Electric Department
- Lyndonville Great Falls & Vail Hydro, Village of Lyndonville Electric Department
- Morrisville HK Sanders Hydro, Village of Morrisville Water & Light Department
- Morrisville Cady's Falls Hydro, Village of Morrisville Water & Light Department
- Morrisville Plant #2 Hydro, Village of Morrisville Water & Light Department
- Swanton Orman Croft Hydro, Swanton Village, Inc.
Other Member-owned Resources
In addition to hydro-electric resources within their service territories, VPPSA Members also have some direct ownership shares in the following facilities:
- Stonybrook combined cycle power plant (Ludlow, MA)
- Wyman Unit No. 4 oil-fired plant (Yarmouth, ME)
Contracts
VPPSA and VPPSA Members owned resources are supplemented by power purchase agreements that allow VPPSA and our Members to meet their needs for affordable, stable power and rates. Short-term “balancing” contracts for purchased power allow VPPSA to aggregate Member needs to gain economies of scale. These short-term contracts augment longer-term arrangements as described below.
- NYPA: VPPSA, through an agreement with the Vermont Department of Public Service who is the official Vermont bargaining agent for New York Power Authority, oversees Vermont allocations of energy and capacity deliveries from the Niagra and St. Lawrence hydroelectric facilities in New York.
- Hydro Quebec: Several VPPSA Members have contracted for energy from Hydro Quebec to be delivered across the Highgate Converter in Highgate, Vermont.
- Fitchburg Landfill Gas: VPPSA has contracted for the full output of a 4.5MW landfill gas-fired generator located at the City of Fitchburg Landfill in Westminster, MA.
- Chester Solar: VPPSA has contracted the full output of a 4.8 MW solar PV facility located in Chester, MA.
- Kruger Energy International: VPPSA has entered into contracts for the full output of six hydroelectric facilities around New England.