IID board unanimously approves large load tariff

IMPERIAL, Calif. —(KESQ) The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors unanimously approved a new Large Load Tariff Tuesday, establishing a formal framework for how the utility will evaluate and serve very large electricity users, including data centers and other high-demand projects.

The tariff applies to customers seeking at least 20 megawatts of electric demand and meeting an 80% minimum load factor.

Under the new framework, large-load customers will be responsible for the costs and financial risks associated with serving their projects. That includes infrastructure, power supply and other system improvements that may be necessary to provide electric service.

IID said the approach is intended to prevent costs associated with large new loads from being shifted to existing ratepayers while allowing the utility to evaluate opportunities for economic development.

The board's action follows months of public review. IID received 243 comments on the proposed tariff before revising the proposal for consideration by the board.

The tariff also creates a formal process for determining whether IID can reliably serve a proposed large-load customer and what improvements to the electric system may be required before service can be provided.

IID's review will focus on its ability to provide electric service and the conditions under which that service could be delivered. Decisions involving land use, zoning and project siting remain under the authority of local cities and counties.

The new policy comes as IID has seen increasing interest from customers requiring substantial amounts of electricity. When the draft tariff was released in May, the District reported nine large-load proposals or inquiries at various stages of evaluation.

The tariff builds on principles adopted by the IID Board in December 2025, including protecting existing customers, maintaining system reliability and ensuring that costs associated with new large loads are recovered while continuing to support economic development opportunities.

With Tuesday's unanimous vote, IID now has a formal process for evaluating large electricity users and determining the financial and infrastructure requirements associated with serving them.