Riverside County Approves New Coachella Valley Power Agency to Boost Local Energy Control

Riverside County is moving forward with a major regional plan to meet growing energy needs and improve local control over electricity in the Coachella Valley. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to join the proposed Coachella Valley Power Agency Joint Powers Authority (JPA), a new agency aimed at enhancing power generation and transmission in the eastern portion of the region.

The $1.5 billion plan is designed to respond to increasing energy demand while keeping electricity costs affordable. Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, who chairs the Board, called the move “years in the making” and stressed its long-term importance for the region’s energy future.

The new agency is expected to work alongside—not replace—the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), which has served desert communities for nearly 100 years. Officials say the Coachella Valley Power Agency will provide a long-awaited platform for local voices to be heard in energy planning and infrastructure development.

A final approval vote from the City of Indio is scheduled for tomorrow, which would complete the initial steps to officially launch the JPA.

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