US Utility Massively Expands RE Targets

• PacifiCorp's 2023 IRP targets to scale up its total wind and solar resources capacity to over 20 GW by 2032
• Energy storage target is to have 7.4 GW capacity by 2029, said the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary
• The plan comprises least-cost, least-risk resource types which will be competitively sought

Electricity utility PacifiCorp is planning to expand its cumulative wind and solar resources capacity to a cumulative of more than 20 GW by 2032, reflecting a 4-time increase in its current capacity along with close to 7.4 GW energy storage by 2029 under its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) that it has now filed with 6 state utility commissions in the regions where it operates.

The plan selects the least-cost, least-risk resource types, which will become the basis for a future Request for Proposals, a competitive bidding process that will select specific projects for construction, it explained.

At present, its total power generation portfolio of 11.5 GW comprises 2.254 GW wind capacity as it adds more renewables, according to its website.

According to the company's biennial IRP, between 2023 and 2042, the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary targets to add:

• 9.111 GW new wind resources
• 8.095 GW storage resources including batteries co-located solar generation, standalone batteries and pumped hydro storage resources
• 7.855 GW new solar, mostly paired with battery storage
• 4.953 GW capacity saved through energy efficiency programs
• 929 MW capacity saved through direct load control programs
• 500 MW of advanced nuclear generation in 2030, with an additional 1 GW over the long term
• 1.24 GW of non-emitting peaking resources to meet high-demand energy needs.

With this capacity coming online, PacifiCorp expects to reduce system-wide GHG emissions by 70% by 2030 from 2005 levels, expanded by 87% reduction by 2035 and 100% reduction by 2050. At the same time, it will require the utility investing in strengthening its transmission network.

PacifiCorp says this plan was prepared after extensive data analysis, computer modeling of the future needs of the customers and active stakeholder input collected and evaluated over more than a year.

"Our Integrated Resource Plan is designed to determine the lowest-cost options for customers, adjusting for risks, future customer needs, system reliability, market projections and changing technology," said PacifiCorp's Senior Vice President of Resource Planning, Procurement and Optimization, Rick Link.

Previously, in its 2021 IRP PacifiCorp was aiming to add 5.628 GW of new solar power capacity, most of which was to be paired with storage (see PacifiCorp Aims For 5.6 GW+ New Solar By 2040).