Water contractors can expect to pay between 1% to 3% more for the energy it takes to bring supplies down the state through California’s largest project thanks to just one renewable energy project that came online recently in Kern County – the Pastoria Solar Project. And that’s just the beginning. When the Department of Water Resources (DWR) brings on enough renewable energy projects to fully power the State Water Project (SWP), contractors can expect their costs to increase another 10% to 20%, according to a presentation at the May 20 California Water Commission meeting by DWR Manager of Power Operations Jorge Quintero. … The SWP is the state’s largest single electricity consumer, using between 2.5 million and 9.5 million megawatt hours a year, depending on how much water it’s moving.

Other California water supply news:

• Los Angeles Times: Opinion: Recent assessment of California’s water misallocation is the first step toward justice​