Edison International Utility Asks To Sign 20 MW Biomass Power Contract August 15, 2008: 07:50 PM EST SAN FRANCISCO -(Dow Jones)- Edison International (EIX) utility Southern California Edison asked California regulators Friday for approval of a power purchase agreement with a biomass power plant developer. Under Edison's proposed 20-year contract with Imperial Valley Biopower, a unit of privately held San Diego, Calif.-based Energy Integration Group, the utility would take all the output from a 20-megawatt biomass facility near the town of El Centro in California's Imperial Valley. The plant would convert cow manure from local farms, into steam energy to produce about 140 gigawatt-hours a year. Woodchips and other organic materials could be used as backup fuels for the plant, Edison said in documents filed with the California Public Utilities Commission. Financial terms weren't disclosed, although Edison said the amount it would pay for the power is above the amount the CPUC has approved for such contracts. Rosemead, Calif.-based Edison would count the power from the biomass plant toward its obligations under a state law that requires all California power providers to use renewables for 20% of their retail power by 2010. -By Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-439-6468 (END) Dow Jones Newswires 08-15-08 1950ET