Imperial Irrigation District highlights hydropower amid Thermal power outage

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is highlighting its hydropower infrastructure in observance of National Hydropower Day. The district utilizes elevation changes in the All-American Canal, which drops nearly 200 feet from the Colorado River, to generate renewable energy. IID currently operates five hydroelectric drops along the canal and the Pilot Knob Power Plant.

Separately, a power outage in Thermal affected over 200 IID customers during triple-digit temperatures. The outage impacted the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) headquarters, John Kelly Elementary School, and La Familia High School. Following the incident, the Coachella Valley Teachers Association issued an “urgent cease-and-desist directive,” demanding the evacuation of sites lacking electricity or air conditioning and criticizing the district's emergency heat safety protocols.