The addition of more than 1,423 MW of renewable energy and a reduction in demand of another 1,000 MW will help PacifiCorp meet customer needs over the next decade, according to a planning document filed by the utility with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
Most of the 1,423 MW in anticipated new renewable generation is expected to come from wind (1,313 MW), with the rest coming from geothermal (35 MW) and major upgrades to existing hydroelectric facilities (75 MW).
The commission is taking comments through July 31 on PacifiCorp's plan. The utility serves customers in Washington, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, California and in eastern Idaho, where, operating as Rocky Mountain Power, it has about 70,000 customers.
The Idaho PUC requires that regulated electric utilities file an integrated resource plan (IRP) every two years. The PacifiCorp IRP sets forth how the utility intends to meet energy requirements in its six-state territory over the next 10 years. Acceptance of the plan by the PUC does not guarantee that it will approve every project proposed during the 10-year period.
PacifiCorp maintains that it will begin to experience a capacity deficit in 2011 if steps are not taken soon to increase generation and reduce demand. PacifiCorp anticipates a growth rate of about 2.5% per year over the next decade. Further creating the need for more generation is the 2011 expiration of a major power purchase contract with the Bonneville Power Administration.
PacifiCorp anticipates gaining access to more generation with the completion of its proposed Gateway transmission project, a joint project with Idaho Power Co. that will transport energy from eastern Wyoming through southern Idaho (Gateway West) and Utah (Gateway South).
For more information, visit puc.idaho.gov.
SOURCE: Idaho Public Utilities Commission
