In a state where water and coal have been the dominant sources of electricity historically, Idaho state regulators last month approved a 20-year integrated resource plan (IRP) calling for increased use of natural gas and hydroelectric sources while cutting back considerably on coal-fired electricity.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) accepted Idaho Power Co.’s long-range planning document, but with the condition that the state’s major utility continue to address issues raised by the PUC and environmental organizations regarding the early retirement of coal-fired generation, the Gateway West transmission project, federal relicensing of some hydro projects and progress on a solar demonstration project.

In November the PUC approved a similar IRP for Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities operations in northern Idaho (see Daily GPI, Nov. 29, 2011). Avista’s IRP stressed more gas-fired power, along with increased wind power.

Besides the 300 MW gas-fired Langley Gulch combined-cycle baseload plant scheduled to start commercial operations this summer, Idaho Power’s IRP anticipates two 170 MW single-cycle gas-fired peaking plants by 2022 and 2029. Another 300 MW combined-cycle gas plant is slated in 2025. The utility’s plan also calls for increasing hydroelectric supplies and greatly decreasing coal-fired generation to reduce the utility’s so-called carbon footprint, a PUC spokesperson said.

Idaho Power currently has more than 1,100 MW of coal resources jointly owned with other utilities in Wyoming, Nevada and Oregon. “In 2007, Idaho Power decided not to pursue development of a coal resource in its 2006 IRP [update], and does not include any new coal generation in the [current] IRP,” the PUC spokesperson said. “The Boardman [Oregon coal-fired] plant is scheduled for decommissioning in 2020.”

Gas-fired generation accounts for less than 3% of Idaho Power’s current portfolio with coal accounting for nearly 44%. By 2030, the coal-fired portion is expected to drop to 26% while gas-fired power rises to nearly 10%. At that time hydroelectric is expected to provide more than half of the utility’s power needs.

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