Grid Improvements Planned for Johnson, Lawrence
The Northwest Power Council proposes an 11 GW buildout by 2032 to meet surging demand from data centers and electrification, mitigating reliability risks.
- On Thursday, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council released its draft Ninth Power Plan, calling for the Pacific Northwest to add 11,000 megawatts of new electricity generation by 2032 to meet rising demand.
- Regional electricity demand is forecast to increase 50% to 100% over the next 20 years, largely driven by data centers, population growth, and electrification of vehicles and buildings.
- The plan proposes 9,000 megawatts of renewables and 2,100 megawatts of natural gas, along with 5 gigawatts of battery storage, requiring an estimated $2.3 billion investment by 2032.
- Bonneville Power Administration officials have consistently expressed concerns over the costs and complexity of these recommendations, while Jennifer Light, NWPCC Director of Power Planning, said "no single resource" can meet growing energy needs.
- Public comment for the draft remains open until Oct. 16, with the council expecting to finalize the Ninth Power Plan by the end of this year or early 2027.
15 Articles
15 Articles
With PNW electricity demand surging, planners map out major grid upgrades
The Pacific Northwest will need a massive buildout of new energy infrastructure over the next six years to meet rising electricity demand, according to a draft regional power plan released Thursday.
With PNW electricity demand surging, planners map out major grid upgrades • Washington State Standard
(Photo by Clinton Carpenter/Bonneville Power Administration)The Pacific Northwest will need a massive buildout of new energy infrastructure over the next six years to meet rising electricity demand, according to a draft regional power plan released Thursday. Implementing the plan will cost the Pacific Northwest approximately $2.3 billion. And the rate of building will need to quicken to make it happen by 2032. Last year, the Northwest Power an…
Northwest power plan calls for billions of dollars in electric buildout to meet soaring demand
To meet the region’s surging energy demand and keep the lights on between now and 2032, utilities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana will need to add massive tranches of new renewables, natural gas generation and energy storage while making another big leap in energy efficiency.
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