February 28, 2020

On Monday, Feb. 26, the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) was informed by its insurance carrier that as of July 1, 2020 liability coverage for the district’s overhead distribution and high voltage electrical lines will be excluded from the policy.

The information was noticed verbally from the carrier, and NID is still awaiting an official letter referencing such exclusion.

NID currently has approximately 12 miles of overhead power lines, which transmit approximately 83 Megawatts of clean, hydroelectric power from seven NID-owned powerhouses. The District owns, operates and maintains the overhead lines that distribute the generated power to larger power-grid systems in the Sierra.

Every year, NID’s power generation revenue helps to offset water rates for the District’s 30,000 customers throughout Nevada, Placer and Yuba counties.

“NID has been reaching out to our sister water districts, agencies and municipalities that currently operate their own above-ground power lines in order to seek options from additional carriers,” said NID Assistant General Manager Greg Jones. “Staff is confident we will be able to locate additional carriers in order to meet the District’s ongoing liability coverage needs well before the July 1st annual renewal date.”