The Nevada Irrigation District is not getting into the electricity business, at least for now. The Board of Directors has voted 3-2 against filing a request with the Local Agency Formation Commission to get authorization for an application. That would have also included a feasibility study, including expansion of NID’s sphere of influence, along with taking over PG and E’s distribution lines. The idea got a lot of support at a Town Hall meeting last month, as residents were dealing with PG and E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs. But Board Chairman Scott Miller agreed with budget concerns expressed at the meeting, as well as liability issues…

NID Assistant General Manager Greg Jones agreed that acquiring liability insurance would be a challenge, including from future power outages…

Uncertainty over PG and E’s bankruptcy reorganization was also cited. But Board Director Nick Wilcox thought there wasn’t enough information yet to make such a decision…

About a week after the Town Hall meeting last month, the Board approved starting negotiations with PG and E to purchase its assets and operations. The utility has stated its assets are not for sale.