EPHRAIM—After examining Ephraim’s forecasts for growth, the city council voted last Wednesday to increase the city’s entitlement share in the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) from 3,000 kilowatts to 8,000 kilowatts.
The CFPP was launched by UAMPS in 2015 as part of its long-term strategy to reduce carbon emissions and replace aging coal-fired plants with non-fossil fuels, and medium-sized, flexible power-generating sources.
The project is being implemented by building a Small Modular Reactor power plant on an 890-square-mile Idaho site using technology being developed by NuScale Power. The plant would have 12, 60-megawatt modules that could generate 720 megawatts of clean electricity (if operating at 100 percent capacity) in a relatively small footprint, and it is estimated the plant can come online by 2030, possibly sooner.
Cory Daniels, the city’s power department director, said all entities that are participating, including Ephraim City, can change their level of involvement or opt out at several dates during the project development, if they believe the plant cannot produce sufficient clean energy cost effectively.
The prospect of clean, non-fossil-fuel energy is very appealing, Daniels reminded the council. After reviewing the city’s anticipated energy needs, and considering Ephraim’s continuing growth, the council made the decision to increase its participation.
With this program, the city expects to be able to meets its power needs for 10 to 15 years after the plant comes online.
During the department reports, Devan Fowles, city planner reported that last week the city implemented its impact fees increase policy. He also reported a good number of building permits that were issued.
