Quick Facts

Balancing Cost, Benefit, and Fairness As a non-profit co-op, OPALCO keeps rates as low as possible by controlling expenses and pricing electricity at the residential and commercial cost of service. Though … Read more

Your power bill = the cost to deliver power Co-ops operate as a cost of service organization. The money OPALCO collects in bills goes primarily toward the cost of power, … Read more

How does the Co-op benefit from OPALCO’s membership with industry associations? As a small electric cooperative, OPALCO benefits from the larger capacity, resources and reach of several industry associations to … Read more

OPALCO conducts a thorough comparative analysis to verify that salaries are competitive within our utility industry. Hiring and retaining top notch personnel is critical to the operation of OPALCO’s complex … Read more

Balancing Cost, Benefit, and Fairness As a non-profit co-op, OPALCO keeps rates as low as possible by controlling expenses and pricing electricity at the residential and commercial cost of service. Though … Read more

Electric utility distribution cooperatives operate on a member-owned, nonprofit basis, ensuring that the communities they serve receive reliable and affordable electricity. As a member of such a cooperative, individuals enjoy … Read more

In the electric industry, power surges are unavoidable. However, just like with home security systems, there are things we can do to protect us from surges, though never fully. The … Read more

Wildfires are a regular threat to our built and natural environments. Climate change is accelerating that risk and our remote, forested islands are vulnerable. OPALCO follows industry best practices for … Read more

Balancing Cost, Benefit, and Fairness As a non-profit co-op, OPALCO keeps rates as low as possible by controlling expenses and pricing electricity at the residential and commercial cost of service. Though … Read more

Project on hold awaiting Department of Energy Funding The Orcas Power & Light Cooperative team recently wrapped up phase one of the Rosario Strait Tidal Energy Pilot Project draft license … Read more

OPALCO’s mission is to provide reliable power to its membership. OPALCO’s power comes from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which utilizes hydropower, some of it from the Lower Snake River … Read more

ESSENTIAL PUBLIC FACILITIES is a legal category for hard to site public serving facilities that local codes can outline mitigation conditions but without outright prohibition. Essential Public Facility status ensures … Read more

This guide outlines the criteria that must be met for siting OPALCO renewable energy projects in San Juan County. These standards ensure that proposed sites are compatible with the utility’s … Read more

OPALCO’s solar rate is designed to encourage local renewable generation by ensuring that more of the cost of service is fairly allocated. Solar producers use the grid to buy and … Read more

Rooftop Solar and Our Local Energy Future Washington State is pushing hard to remove carbon emissions from our daily lives –  decommissioning coal plants and electrifying heating and transportation (including … Read more

Note: Due to permitting issues this project is on hold. See this 3-part series on the project to learn more: Part 1: Why Local Renewable Generation Part 2: Why Bailer … Read more