Los Angeles World Airports to Negotiate Participation in DWP's Green Power Program

Business Wire, August 17, 1999

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 1999--

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners Tuesday authorized Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to negotiate a long-term agreement with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) to purchase electricity at a reduced rate and to use the cost savings to participate in DWP's Green Power for a Green L.A. program.

Green Power for a Green L.A. was developed in May 1998 to provide DWP customers the opportunity to purchase electricity generated from non-polluting, unlimited or renewable resources. These "green" power sources include solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and geothermal.

LAWA's participation in the program would result in replacing approximately nine percent of the electricity used at Los Angeles International and Van Nuys airports with green power. "We're exploring green power because we have an obligation to the community and to the environment," said LAWA Executive Director John J. Driscoll. "That obligation is to take every possible, practical measure we can to help clean the air."

Although the new green power is normally higher priced per kilowatt hour, the savings attained through the rate reduction agreement would compensate LAWA for the increase.

Currently, 60 percent of DWP's electricity is generated from coal at a power plant located in Utah. LAWA's participation in Green Power for a Green L.A. will help fund the development of new renewable resource technologies that will enable DWP to reduce its dependence on coal.