Quick Facts - OPALCO

Our Energy Future

Quick Facts related to the future of energy and how members can prepare

Quick Fact: Rock Island Communications

Rock Island is OPALCO’s wholly-owned subsidiary. Together they have built a hybrid fiber and LTE wireless network to meet the needs of our rural, remote territory. This robust communication system solves multiple critical needs including improving public safety, controlling OPALCO’s electrical system maintenance and outage costs, and providing a connection to resources and the greater world. OPALCO gave Rock Island ...

Quick Fact: Understanding the Change in Solar Rates

How will the new rate structure affect member generators? The average solar producer will pay a little more to OPALCO each year, but there are many factors (such as size of array, household energy usage) and some might find they pay less. Current solar producers can opt out of the new tariff (by June 30, 2022). Here is the form ...

Quick Fact – OPALCO’s Plan for our Energy Future

Climate change is transforming our world. OPALCO has a smart plan for our energy future – and it depends each of us doing our part! Our energy world is changing rapidly. Say goodbye to fossil fuels (propane, natural gas, gasoline, wood, oil). OPALCO has a plan to meet the new challenges. It’s going to be a heavy lift, but we ...

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Member programs

Find info on programs for OPALCO members

Quick Fact: Rock Island Communications

Rock Island is OPALCO’s wholly-owned subsidiary. Together they have built a hybrid fiber and LTE wireless network to meet the needs of our rural, remote territory. This robust communication system solves multiple critical needs including improving public safety, controlling OPALCO’s electrical system maintenance and outage costs, and providing a connection to resources and the greater world. OPALCO gave Rock Island ...

Quick Fact: Understanding the Change in Solar Rates

How will the new rate structure affect member generators? The average solar producer will pay a little more to OPALCO each year, but there are many factors (such as size of array, household energy usage) and some might find they pay less. Current solar producers can opt out of the new tariff (by June 30, 2022). Here is the form ...

Quick Fact – OPALCO election process

OPALCO’s Board of Director election is a cornerstone of Co-op Democracy. OPALCO depends on an independent member Elections & Governance Committee to cultivate quality candidates and review election processes and policy. OPALCO works with a third party election vendor to ensure a secure and fair election. OPALCO’s bylaws prescribe the complete elections process, including nominations, qualifications, public notification and timelines. ...

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Co-op Governance

The ins and outs of how the co-op works

Quick Fact: Staff Compensation

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 electrical and communications systems. OPALCO’s wage philosophy is directly in line with the national network of electric co-ops. OPALCO pay rates are competitive based on electric utility cooperatives in the ...

Quick Fact – National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRECA)

NRECA supports our local co-op and our employees to better serve our membership. NRECA is focused on promoting, supporting and protecting the community and business interests of electric cooperatives as they power communities and empower members to improve their quality of life. NRECA works with member-cooperatives to anticipate, shape and respond to changes in technology, law and public policy and ...

Quick Fact – OPALCO election process

OPALCO’s Board of Director election is a cornerstone of Co-op Democracy. OPALCO depends on an independent member Elections & Governance Committee to cultivate quality candidates and review election processes and policy. OPALCO works with a third party election vendor to ensure a secure and fair election. OPALCO’s bylaws prescribe the complete elections process, including nominations, qualifications, public notification and timelines. ...

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Regional Issues

Regional issues affect our island communities

Quick Fact: Understanding the Change in Solar Rates

How will the new rate structure affect member generators? The average solar producer will pay a little more to OPALCO each year, but there are many factors (such as size of array, household energy usage) and some might find they pay less. Current solar producers can opt out of the new tariff (by June 30, 2022). Here is the form ...

Quick Fact – Land for Renewable Energy Projects

The Essential Ingredient for Local Energy Resilience The Climate Emergency and Decarbonization The climate emergency is accelerating. Washington state has taken the lead in decarbonizing the state by rapidly reducing fossil fuel emissions, especially from driving and heating. Decarbonization will nearly double demand for electricity, while reducing TOTAL energy demand by 28% (see chart at left). The Washington Clean Energy ...

Quick Fact – Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative (PNGC)

OPALCO is a member of PNGC to ensure a reliable, aordable, clean power supply for a sustainable now and generations to come. OPALCO joined PNGC to build a sustainable, healthy energy future for our island communities. The energy world is changing dramatically as it transitions away from carbon. With PNGC, our options for contracting with power suppliers are greater; we ...

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Renewables

Renewable energy is the future!

Quick Fact: Understanding the Change in Solar Rates

How will the new rate structure affect member generators? The average solar producer will pay a little more to OPALCO each year, but there are many factors (such as size of array, household energy usage) and some might find they pay less. Current solar producers can opt out of the new tariff (by June 30, 2022). Here is the form ...

Quick Fact: Decatur Island Battery Storage Project

The microgrid that OPALCO built on Decatur Island includes a battery storage project paired with a Community Solar Array. The project can operate independently from the electrical grid. This is the first of many microgrids OPALCO envisions to build greater local energy resilience for our remote island communities. The project provides valuable cost-saving and efficiency benefits including: demand charge reduction ...

Quick Fact: Why Hydropower is Important to our Power Supply

Hydro is one of the cleanest and lowest-cost forms of energy, cleaner even than solar and wind power. This makes it an essential resource for fighting climate change through decarbonization, especially as transportation – which accounts for ~40% of greenhouse gas emissions – shifts to electricity. About 86% of OPALCO’s energy comes from hydro, supplied from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) ...

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