Riverside County is taking steps to address the need for improved electricity infrastructure in the Coachella Valley. Supervisor V. Manuel Perez announced the county's involvement in creating a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to support growth, economic development, and job creation in Thousand Palms, eastern Coachella Valley communities, and parts of Indio, La Quinta, and Coachella.
The JPA will be a regional government agency focused on finding solutions to increase energy capacity for new housing and commercial developments in areas served by the Imperial Irrigation District (IID). "This is years already in the making," said Supervisor Perez. "This is the big topic when it comes to development, and it is limiting growth now. It’s a huge priority to fix the problem. This is not just a little pocket; this is regional. And we need to address this in a regional way."
Currently, IID has identified $1.5 billion needed for maintaining and improving generation and transmission capabilities within its service territory. The existing electricity system capacity limits new development that cannot be supported by current substations and grid infrastructure.
The newly formed Coachella Valley Power Agency JPA aims to provide a platform for local representation to develop energy solutions that enhance reliability and plan for future growth. A key goal of the JPA is bringing together developers, IID, the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, and other agencies to collaborate on regional solutions. This includes exploring cost-contribution models with developers, affected cities, and IID for building power substations.
Alongside Riverside County, the City of La Quinta has joined the JPA. The Indio City Council will consider joining at its meeting tomorrow. The JPA structure allows additional members such as Tribal nations and more cities to participate.
Supervisor V. Manuel Perez represents Riverside County's Fourth Supervisorial District on the Board of Supervisors. His district covers eastern Riverside County from Whitewater across the entire Coachella Valley south to Salton Sea, up Highway 74 to Idyllwild and mountain communities, extending eastward past Blythe along the Colorado River.