PacifiCorp outlined its plan to exit coal-fired generation in the coming years as it filed its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan with regulators in six western states. The plan also included 500 MW of advanced nuclear power generation as soon as 2030, with another 1 GW of nuclear by 2032.
The utility said it planned to exit the Colstrip project in Montana by 2030; begin the process of a coal-to-gas conversion of Jim Bridger Units 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, for completion by 2030; continue the process of coal-to-gas conversion of Naughton Units 1 and 2 in Kemmerer, Wyoming, for completion by 2026; and retire Dave Johnston Units 1, 2 and 3 in Glenrock, Wyoming, in 2027 and 2028.
The company also proposed the following resource additions:
• 9,111 MW of new wind resources.
• 8,095 MW of storage resources, including batteries co-located with solar generation, standalone batteries and pumped hydro storage resources.
• 7,855 MW of new solar resources (most paired with battery storage).
• 4,953 MW of capacity saved through energy efficiency programs.
• 929 MW of capacity saved through direct load control programs.
• 500 MW of advanced nuclear (the Natrium reactor demonstration project) in 2030, with an additional 1,000 MW of advanced nuclear over the long term.
• 1,240 MW of non-emitting peaking resources that meet high-demand energy needs.
The Natrium nuclear demonstration project would be sited at the Naughton facility in Wyoming. PacifiCorp said that with recent federal legislation and studies on the opportunities of a coal-to-nuclear energy transition, technology developer TerraPower and PacifiCorp “remain committed to bringing the Natrium technology” to market to benefit grid reliability and stability.
The 2023 IRP portfolio includes new resources first identified from the 2020 All-Source Request for Proposals (RFP). Those projects include 1,792 MW of wind, 495 MW of solar additions with 200 MW of battery storage capacity, all expected to come online in the 2024-to-2025 timeframe.
The preferred portfolio also includes acquiring and repowering the Rock River I (50 MW) and Foote Creek II-IV (43 MW) wind projects in Wyoming. Through the end of 2026, the 2021 IRP portfolio includes an additional 745 MW of wind and another 600 MW solar co-located with storage. The utility’s 2022 all source RFP is evaluating resources to meet those target.
In addition to the 500 MW Natrium demonstration nuclear project, the latest IRP proposal includes 1,000 MW of additional advanced nuclear resources by 2032. Through 2037, the portfolio would add 1,240 MW of non-emitting peaking resources.
PacifiCorp said that advancing these two technologies “will be critical to the planned transition of our coal resources” to minimize impacts on employees and communities.
