No new natural gas supplies will be needed in Idaho for more than a decade to serve an estimated 1.1% annual growth in retail demand through 2022, Avista Utilities told state regulators as part of its latest integrated resource plan (IRP).

Spokane, WA-based Avista Corp.’s utility filed a long-term gas plan with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Wednesday, proposing to meet future estimated annual demand growth of 1.1% through existing resources. The utility does not expect any supply problems before 2023. The plan applied only to the 73,000 customers Avista serves in northern Idaho.

The PUC is taking comments on Avista’s IRP through March 23. The commission requires regulated gas and electric utilities to file an IRP every two years.

Avista’s portfolio of natural gas supply resources includes firm capacity rights on six interstate pipelines and commodity purchase contracts from various western supply basins. It also has storage capacity at basins owned by the company as well as contract storage.

The IRP includes price forecasts for natural gas, but it notes that price forecasting is “difficult given the current economic situation,” along with the expectations for new shale gas production and the increased amount of natural gas used by electric companies for power generation. Matching its resource supply with its expected demand, “Avista does not anticipate shortages until at least 2023 and then only if the company did nothing in the meantime to meet expected future demand,” a PUC spokesperson said.

Avista has identified three issues that could increase risk. They include current economic conditions and financial markets; the possibility of federal climate change legislation; and an increasing amount of supply coming from unconventional sources, especially shale gas and liquefied natural gas.

The entire plan is available at www.puc.idaho.gov.

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