The South San Joaquin Irrigation District’s PG&E bill is expected to increase $176,458 to $3,267,262 next year.

The increase is reflected in the SSJID’s $43.8 million budget for 2024adopted this week.

The biggest use of electricity in the district is for pumps on water wells for supplemental ground water as well as along the district’s delivery system.

SSJID continues its efforts in San Joaquin County Superior Court to purchase the PG&E distribution in Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon after winning  key court decisions earlier this year.

The purchase — after factoring in upgrades to the existing system — is projected to deliver a minimum of 15 percent savings for retail customers.

Electricity sales — from both in-district generation and the district’s half of the Tri-Dam Project proceeds it operates jointly with Oakdale Irrigation District — will bring in a projected $880,000 and $11 million during 2023.

Without the electricity sales, the district would have less than $15 million in operating revenues.

The Tri-Dam Project is a series of three dams built on the Stanislaus River watershed to harness the 600,000 acre feet of water rights the two districts share plus generate wholesale hydro power.

SSJID and OID have been in the electricity wholesale business for 70 plus years, while PG&E has been in the business for 118 years.

The electricity sales, coupled with $1.7 million in investment earnings and $8.3 million in Proposition 13 subvention, helps cover most of the gap between operating revenue and operating expenses.
Meanwhile, irrigation sales will bring in $3.1 million and treated water sales $11.3 million

The treated water payments by the cities of Manteca, Tracy, and Lathrop cover 100 percent of the process the SSJID uses to treat surface water and delivering it to the three cities for domestic use.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com