Two small power plants at Woodard Reservoir 15 miles northeast of Manteca may soon generate average of $247,000 more for the South San Joaquin Irrigation District.

The SSJID board on Tuesday is being asked to cancel a standing arrangement to sell 7.8 megawatts of power to PG&E and instead sell it to Turlock Irrigation District.

The TID and SSJID have a small hydro-project development agreement that gives the Turlock based public utility the right to purchase the power provided they pay a comparable price for the energy.

TID has offered to compensate the SSJID an additional fee for the renewable energy credits. The state has a law in place that requires all retail power providers to have a set percentage of their portfolio of power supplies as renewable and not carbon based.

That additional payment will bring in about $247,000 a year to SSJID. That is on top of the $1.1 million plus worth of power sales the two plants generate between March and September when there is adequate release into the main irrigation canal to operate power turbines at Woodward Reservoir.

The additional funds will go toward lowering the cost of hydroelectric project’s debt payments.

The power being sold to Turlock is enough to supply the energy needs of 7,800 homes.

The SSJID board meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the district headquarters, 11011 East Highway 120.