On August 11, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council voted unanimously to release its draft Ninth Northwest Power Plan for public comment. The plan outlines how the Pacific Northwest can meet its future electricity needs while keeping the power system affordable and reliable for all utility customers. The council is receiving public comment on the draft plan until October 16.
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council is a regional planning body created by Congress in 1980 through the Northwest Power Act. Composed of representatives from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, the Council develops the Northwest Power Plan, which is updated every five years and provides a 20-year outlook of the region’s energy needs. Its work influences energy procurement for the region, and Energy Trust contributes to achieving its conservation and other goals.
As with every Power Plan, the draft Ninth Power Plan outlines a regional resource strategy to meet the region’s forecasted electricity demand for the next five years (2027-2032). This Plan proposes adding new renewable energy generation, natural gas-generated electricity for peak periods, using battery storage to help meet demand during peak times, and continuing to reduce energy use through efficiency. The proposed regional resource strategy includes a mix of several resources:
- 1,060 average megawatts of energy efficiency – split into 860 aMW in Oregon and Washington and 200 aMW in Idaho and Montana; this is the first time the Power Council has suggested a dual conservation target
- 9,000 megawatts of renewable energy
- 5,000 MW of battery storage
- 2,100 MW of natural gas-generated electricity for peak periods
- 590 MW of demand response
- 220 MW of voltage regulation
“The Northwest’s power system will rely on a diverse mix of resources in the next five to 10 years,” said Jennifer Light, Director of Power Planning in an August 13 announcement. “No single resource on its own will be able to meet our growing need for energy in the future. Rather, a regional portfolio of cost-effective resources will achieve the right balance of economics, efficiency, reliability and adequacy for our grid’s power supply.”
The council encourages people to submit public comment on the draft plan by October 16. The power plan is expected to be finalized and adopted in November 2026.