SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 2009 – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today approved a renewable energy contract for Southern California Edison, continuing the state’s commitment to renewable power.

Through Edison’s agreement with Imperial Valley Biopower, LLC, Edison will receive deliveries of 140 GWh per year from the new 20-megawatt (MW) biomass facility.

The CPUC’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) program, one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country, requires Investor Owned Utilities, Energy Service Providers, and Community Choice Aggregators operating in California to obtain 20 percent of their retail sales from renewable energy sources by 2010. On November 17, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed an Executive Order (S-14-08) that established a 33 percent by 2020 RPS goal.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov