Vermont Independent
Power Producers
Association
VIPPA believes that the transition to Renewable Resources is inevitable if we are to avoid the massive social and economic disruptions which will accompany Climate Change.
VIPPA—Vermont Independent Power Producers—is the association of independent renewable power producers in Vermont. Our member projects produce about 7% of Vermont’s electricity. These include 34 hydroelectric projects with 56 MW of capacity which produce 4% of VT’s kWh, and the wood chip fired Ryegate power plant with 20 MW of capacity which produces another 3%.
Our member projects produce about 7% of Vermont’s electricity.
All the hydroelectric projects are located at sites which had an existing dam, but were not producing electricity. Many had been abandoned by an electric utility or mill which formerly operated them. The Ryegate plant was developed in 1992 to use the byproduct wood chips from logging operations in VT and NH. The plant was fitted with emissions controls in 2014 to meet all current air quality standards.
These projects are authorized under state and federal law which requires electric utilities to purchase independent renewable power at rates equal to what the utilities are paying for their own comparable resources.
If you’d like to contact one of our member sites, don't hesitate to reach out using the information provided on the Site List by Town page.
Top of page: North Hartland Dam, North Hartland, VT
Our Mission
In addition to providing clean renewable electricity to VT with minimal environmental impact, these projects bring many other benefits, including:
Providing direct economic benefits through local property taxes, state income taxes, purchasing local goods and services, and local employment.
Producing power in Vermont for use in Vermont reducing the need to construct large, expensive transmission lines.
Being under state control through the Vermont Public Utility Commission and Vermont Agency of Natural Resources to ensure that these resources are best used to satisfy the state’s environmental and regulatory policies.
Ottauquechee River Falls, Queechee, VT
