PacifiCorp wind, transmission expansion plan advances
PacifiCorp received this week the final two approvals needed to proceed with wind and transmission expansion plans outlined in the company’s Energy Vision 2020 initiative.
The Energy Vision 2020 project adds three new wind projects in Wyoming providing a total 1,150 MW of new wind energy capacity while repowering 900 MW of existing wind resources in Wyoming and Washington.
“As this exciting initiative receives these approvals, we look forward to the benefits the projects will bring to all our customers in the form of low-cost renewable energy and a more robust transmission system,” said Cindy A. Crane, CEO of Rocky Mountain Power, a division of PacifiCorp serving Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. “These investments will significantly expand the company’s Wyoming wind fleet and benefit both state and local economies.”
Officials said the new wind projects would increase the amount of owned and contracted wind capacity on PacifiCorp’s system by more than 60 percent and will add enough new wind energy to power more than 400,000 average homes by 2020.
“We are very pleased to have reached this important regulatory milestone and move forward with construction of these projects,” Stefan Bird, president and CEO of Pacific Power, the division of PacifiCorp that serves customers in Oregon, Washington, and California, said. “Our Energy Vision 2020 plan is a win-win that supports our commitment to meet our customers’ future needs with affordable energy while continuing our transition to a clean energy future.”
PacifiCorp estimates its total investment for the Energy Vision 2020 projects will be just over $3 billion.
