HomeMy WebLinkAbout20201002Second Amended 2019 IRP REDLINE.pdfI N T E G R A T E D R E S O U R C E P L A N
2019
BA L A N C I N G O U R EN ER GY N EEDS • TO DAY A N D TO M O R R OW
SECOND AMENDED—REDLINE
OCTOBER • 2020
Printed on recycled paper
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
This document may contain forward-looking statements,
and it is important to note that the future results could
differ materially from those discussed. A full discussion
of the factors that could cause future results to differ
materially can be found in Idaho Power’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Idaho Power Company Table of Contents
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. i
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vii
List of Appendices ....................................................................................................................... viii
Glossary of Acronyms ................................................................................................................... ix
Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary ............................................................................1
Introduction and Background ....................................................................................................1
Regulatory History .....................................................................................................................5
Comprehensive 2019 IRP Review Process ................................................................................6
Input Data and Source Review ............................................................................................6
Feeding Data into the Model ................................................................................................7
Model Settings and Processing ............................................................................................7
Model Output Review ..........................................................................................................7
IRP Review Results ...................................................................................................................7
Coal Plant Inputs & Cost Treatment ....................................................................................8
Natural Gas Plant Inputs ......................................................................................................9
Demand Response ................................................................................................................9
Financial Assumptions and Future Supply-Side Resources ................................................9
Transmission Inputs .............................................................................................................9
Reliability Inputs ................................................................................................................10
Impact to Preferred Portfolio ...................................................................................................10
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................11
1. Overview ..................................................................................................................................12
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................12
Public Advisory Process ..........................................................................................................13
IRP Methodology .....................................................................................................................13
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ......................................................................................................15
CO2 Emissions Reduction ..................................................................................................16
Idaho Power Clean Energy Goal— Clean Today. Cleaner Tomorrow.™ ................................17
Portfolio Analysis Summary ....................................................................................................17
Comparison to Prior 2019 IRP Preferred Portfolios ................................................................20
Table of Contents Idaho Power Company
Page ii Second Amended 2019 IRP
Action Plan (2020–2026) .........................................................................................................20
Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date ...........................................................................................................22
Bridger Unit Exit Dates ...........................................................................................................22
Boardman to Hemingway Participant Update .........................................................................23
2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues ..........................................................................25
Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance ..............................................................................................25
Idaho Energy Landscape ..........................................................................................................25
State of Oregon 2018 Biennial Energy Report ........................................................................26
FERC Relicensing ....................................................................................................................27
Idaho Water Issues ...................................................................................................................28
Variable Energy Resource Integration .....................................................................................30
Community Solar Pilot Program ..............................................................................................32
Idaho ..................................................................................................................................32
Oregon................................................................................................................................33
Renewable Energy Certificates ................................................................................................33
Renewable Portfolio Standard .................................................................................................34
Carbon Adder/Clean Power Plan .............................................................................................35
3. Idaho Power Today ..................................................................................................................36
Customer Load and Growth .....................................................................................................36
2018 Energy Sources ...............................................................................................................38
Existing Supply-Side Resources ..............................................................................................38
Hydroelectric Facilities ......................................................................................................39
Coal Facilities ....................................................................................................................43
Natural Gas Facilities and Salmon Diesel .........................................................................44
Solar Facilities ...................................................................................................................45
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act ...............................................................................48
Non-PURPA Power Purchase Agreements .......................................................................49
Wholesale Contracts ..........................................................................................................50
Power Market Purchases and Sales ....................................................................................50
4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources ..........................................................52
Generation Resources ..............................................................................................................52
Renewable Resources ..............................................................................................................52
Solar ...................................................................................................................................52
Idaho Power Company Table of Contents
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page iii
Geothermal .........................................................................................................................58
Hydroelectric......................................................................................................................58
Wind ...................................................................................................................................59
Biomass ..............................................................................................................................59
Thermal Resources...................................................................................................................59
Natural Gas-Fired Resources .............................................................................................60
Nuclear Resources .............................................................................................................62
Coal Resources ...................................................................................................................63
Storage Resources ....................................................................................................................63
Battery Storage...................................................................................................................64
Pumped-Storage Hydro ......................................................................................................65
5. Demand-Side Resources ..........................................................................................................66
Demand-Side Management Program Overview ......................................................................66
Energy Efficiency Forecasting—Potential Assessment ...........................................................66
Alternative Energy Efficiency Modeling Methods ..................................................................67
Sensitivity Modeling ..........................................................................................................67
Technically Achievable Supply Curve Bundling ..............................................................67
Future Energy Efficiency Potential ....................................................................................69
DSM Program Performance and Reliability ............................................................................69
Energy Efficiency Performance .........................................................................................69
Energy Efficiency Reliability ............................................................................................70
Demand Response Performance ........................................................................................71
Demand Response Resource Potential .....................................................................................72
T&D Deferral Benefits ............................................................................................................72
6. Transmission Planning .............................................................................................................74
Past and Present Transmission .................................................................................................74
Transmission Planning Process................................................................................................75
Local Transmission Planning .............................................................................................75
Regional Transmission Planning .......................................................................................75
Existing Transmission System .................................................................................................76
Idaho to Northwest Path.....................................................................................................77
Brownlee East Path ............................................................................................................77
Idaho–Montana Path ..........................................................................................................77
Table of Contents Idaho Power Company
Page iv Second Amended 2019 IRP
Borah West Path ................................................................................................................77
Midpoint West Path ...........................................................................................................78
Idaho–Nevada Path ............................................................................................................78
Idaho–Wyoming Path ........................................................................................................78
Idaho–Utah Path.................................................................................................................78
Boardman to Hemingway ........................................................................................................79
B2H Value .........................................................................................................................80
Project Participants ............................................................................................................80
Permitting Update ..............................................................................................................82
Next Steps ..........................................................................................................................83
B2H Cost Treatment in the IRP .........................................................................................83
Gateway West ..........................................................................................................................84
Nevada Transmission without North Valmy ...........................................................................86
Transmission Assumptions in the IRP Portfolios ....................................................................86
7. Planning Period Forecasts ..........................................................................................................88
Load Forecast ...........................................................................................................................88
Weather Effects ..................................................................................................................90
Economic Effects ...............................................................................................................90
Average-Energy Load Forecast .........................................................................................91
Peak-Hour Load Forecast ..................................................................................................92
Additional Firm Load ........................................................................................................94
Generation Forecast for Existing Resources ............................................................................95
Hydroelectric Resources ....................................................................................................95
Coal Resources ...................................................................................................................98
Natural Gas Resources .......................................................................................................99
Natural Gas Price Forecast .....................................................................................................100
Natural Gas Transport ............................................................................................................102
Analysis of IRP Resources ....................................................................................................103
Resource Costs—IRP Resources .....................................................................................103
LCOC—IRP Resources ...................................................................................................104
LCOE—IRP Resources ...................................................................................................106
Resource Attributes—IRP Resources ..............................................................................108
8. Portfolios ................................................................................................................................110
Idaho Power Company Table of Contents
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page v
Capacity Expansion Modeling ...............................................................................................110
Planning Margin.....................................................................................................................110
Portfolio Design Overview ....................................................................................................111
Regulating Reserve ................................................................................................................112
Framework for Expansion Modeling .....................................................................................113
Natural Gas Price Forecasts .............................................................................................114
Carbon Price Forecasts ....................................................................................................114
WECC-Optimized Portfolio Design Results .........................................................................116
Manually Built Portfolios ......................................................................................................119
9. Modeling Analysis .................................................................................................................121
Portfolio Cost Analysis ..........................................................................................................121
Manually Built Portfolios ......................................................................................................126
Stochastic Risk Analysis ..................................................................................................134
Portfolio Emission Results ...............................................................................................138
Qualitative Risk Analysis ......................................................................................................141
Major Qualitative Risks ...................................................................................................141
Operational Considerations ..............................................................................................142
Frequency Duration Loss of Load Evaluation .......................................................................143
Regional Resource Adequacy ................................................................................................143
Northwest Seasonal Resource Availability Forecast .......................................................143
10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan .......................................................................................147
Preferred Portfolio .................................................................................................................147
Action Plan (2020–2026) .......................................................................................................148
120 MW Solar PV Capacity (2022) .................................................................................149
Exit from Coal-Fired Generating Capacity ......................................................................149
Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date ...................................................................................................149
B2H On-line in 2026 ........................................................................................................150
Demand Response ............................................................................................................150
Action Plan (2020–2026) .................................................................................................150
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................151
Table of Contents Idaho Power Company
Page vi Second Amended 2019 IRP
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 Preferred Portfolio additions and coal exits (MW) .....................................................19
Table 1.2 Action Plan (2020–2026) ............................................................................................21
Table 3.1 Historical capacity, load and customer data ...............................................................37
Table 3.2 Existing resources .......................................................................................................39
Table 3.3 Customer generation service customer count as of March 31, 2019 ..........................47
Table 3.4 Customer generation service generation capacity (MW) as of March 31, 2019 ........47
Table 4.1 Summary of capacity value results .............................................................................56
Table 4.2 Solar capacity required to defer infrastructure investments .......................................57
Table 5.1 Technical achievable bundles size and average cost ..................................................68
Table 5.2 Total energy efficiency portfolio cost-effectiveness summary, 2018 program
performance .............................................................................................................................70
Table 5.3 2018 Demand response program capacity ..................................................................71
Table 6.1 Transmission import capacity .....................................................................................79
Table 6.2 B2H capacity and permitting cost allocation ..............................................................81
Table 6.3 Transmission assumptions and requirements .............................................................86
Table 7.1 Load forecast—average monthly energy (aMW) .......................................................92
Table 7.2 Load forecast—peak hour (MW) ................................................................................93
Table 7.3 Utility peer natural gas price forecast methodology .................................................100
Table 7.4 Resource attributes ....................................................................................................109
Table 8.1 RegUp approximation—percentage of hourly load MW, wind MW, and
solar MW ...............................................................................................................................113
Table 8.2 RegDn approximation—percentage of hourly load MW, wind MW, and
solar MW ...............................................................................................................................113
Table 8.3 Non-B2H portfolio reference numbers .....................................................................115
Table 8.4 B2H portfolio reference numbers .............................................................................115
Table 8.5 WECC-Optimized Portfolios Selected for Manual Adjustments .............................119
Table 9.1 Financial assumptions ...............................................................................................121
Table 9.2 AURORA hourly simulations ...................................................................................122
Table 9.3 2019 IRP WECC-optimized portfolios, NPV years 2019–2038 ($ x 1,000) ............122
Table 9.4 Jim Bridger exit scenarios ........................................................................................126
Table 9.5 2019 IRP manually built portfolios, NPV years 2019–2038 ($ x 1,000) .................127
Idaho Power Company Table of Contents
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page vii
Table 9.6 2019 IRP manually built portfolios, WECC buildout comparison, NPV years
2019–2038 ($ x 1,000) ...........................................................................................................129
Table 9.7 2019 IRP Manually built portfolios with Valmy exit year-end 2022, NPV years
2019–2038 ($ x 1,000) ...........................................................................................................131
Table 9.8 Coal retirement forecast ............................................................................................145
Table 10.1 AURORA hourly simulations ...................................................................................147
Table 10.2 Preferred Portfolio additions and coal exits (MW) ...................................................148
Table 10.3 Action Plan (2020–2026) ..........................................................................................150
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1 Estimated Idaho Power CO2 emissions intensity ........................................................16
Figure 1.2 Estimated Idaho Power CO2 emissions ......................................................................16
Figure 3.1 Historical capacity, load, and customer data ..............................................................37
Figure 3.2 2018 energy sources ...................................................................................................38
Figure 3.3 PURPA contracts by resource type .............................................................................48
Figure 4.1 Capacity value of solar PV .........................................................................................55
Figure 4.2 Marginal capacity value ..............................................................................................55
Figure 4.3 Capacity value of incremental solar PV projects (40 MW each) ...............................56
Figure 5.1 Energy-efficient bundles selected by the IRP model and bundles that were not
economically competitive and were not selected for the 2019 IRP portfolios ........................69
Figure 5.2 Cumulative annual growth in energy efficiency compared with IRP targets .............70
Figure 5.3 Historic annual demand response program performance ...........................................72
Figure 6.1 Idaho Power transmission system map .......................................................................76
Figure 6.2 B2H route submitted in 2017 EFSC Application for Site Certificate .........................82
Figure 6.3 Gateway West map .....................................................................................................85
Figure 7.1 Average monthly load-growth forecast ......................................................................91
Figure 7.2 Peak-hour load-growth forecast (MW) .......................................................................93
Figure 7.3 Brownlee inflow volume historical and modeled percentiles .....................................97
Figure 7.4 North American major gas basins .............................................................................102
Figure 7.5 Levelized capacity (fixed) costs in 2019 dollars ......................................................105
Figure 7.6 Levelized cost of energy (at stated capacity factors) in 2023 dollars .......................107
Figure 8.1 2017 versus 2019 IRP planning margin comparison (MW) .....................................111
Table of Contents Idaho Power Company
Page viii Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 8.2 Carbon Price Forecast ...............................................................................................115
Figure 8.3 WECC-optimized portfolios 1 through 12 (non-B2H portfolios), capacity
additions/reductions (MW) ....................................................................................................117
Figure 8.4 WECC-optimized portfolios 13 through 24 (B2H portfolios), capacity
additions/reductions (MW) ....................................................................................................118
Figure 9.1 NPV cost versus cost variance ..................................................................................125
Figure 9.2 Natural gas sampling (Nominal $/MMBtu) ..............................................................134
Figure 9.3 Customer load sampling (annual MWh) ...................................................................135
Figure 9.4 Hydro generation sampling (annual MWh) ..............................................................135
Figure 9.5 Portfolio stochastic analysis, total portfolio cost, NPV years 2019–2038
($x 1,000) ...............................................................................................................................136
Figure 9.6 Manually built portfolio stochastic analysis with Valmy exit year-end 2022, total
portfolio cost, NPV years 2019–2038 ($x 1,000) ..................................................................138
Figure 9.7 Estimated portfolio emissions from 2019–2038 .......................................................139
Figure 9.8 Estimated portfolio emissions from 2019–2038—manually built portfolios ...........140
Figure 9.9 LOLP by month—Pacific Northwest Power Supply Adequacy
Assessment of 2023 ...............................................................................................................144
Figure 9.10 BPA white book PNW surplus/deficit one-hour capacity (1937 critical
water year) .............................................................................................................................145
Figure 9.11 Peak coincident load data for most major Washington and Oregon utilities ...........146
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix A—Sales and Load Forecast
Appendix B—Demand-Side Management 2018 Annual Report
Appendix C—Technical Appendix
Appendix D—Boardman to Hemingway Update
Idaho Power Company Glossary of Acronyms
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page ix
GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS
A/C—Air Conditioning
AC—Alternating Current
ACE—Affordable Clean Energy
AECO—Alberta Energy Company
AFUDC—Allowance for Funds Used During Construction
AgI—Silver Iodide
akW—Average Kilowatt
aMW—Average Megawatt
ATB—Annual Technology Baseline
ATC—Available Transfer Capacity
B2H—Boardman to Hemingway
BLM—Bureau of Land Management
BPA—Bonneville Power Administration
CAA—Clean Air Act of 1970
CAISO—California Independent System Operator
CAMP—Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan
CBM—Capacity Benefit Margin
CCCT—Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbine
CEM—Capacity Expansion Model
cfs—Cubic Feet per Second
CHP—Combined Heat and Power
CHQ—Corporate headquarters
Clatskanie PUD—Clatskanie People’s Utility District
CO2—Carbon Dioxide
COE—United States Army Corps of Engineers
CPP—Clean Power Plan
CSPP—Cogeneration and Small-Power Producers
CWA—Clean Water Act of 1972
DC—Direct Current
DOE—Department of Energy
DPO—Draft Proposed Order
DSM—Demand-Side Management
EFSC—Energy Facility Siting Council
EGU—Electric Generating Unit
EIA—Energy Information Administration
EIM—Energy Imbalance Market
EIS—Environmental Impact Statement
EPA—Environmental Protection Agency
Glossary of Acronyms Idaho Power Company
Page x Second Amended 2019 IRP
ESA—Endangered Species Act of 1973
ESPA—Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer
ESPAM—Enhanced Snake Plain Aquifer Model
F—Fahrenheit
FCRPS—Federal Columbia River Power System
FERC—Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FPA—Federal Power Act of 1920
FWS—US Fish and Wildlife Service
GHG—Greenhouse Gas
GPCM—Gas Pipeline Competition Model
GWMA—Ground Water Management Area
HB—House Bill
HCC—Hells Canyon Complex
HRSG—Heat Recovery Steam Generator
IDWR—Idaho Department of Water Resources
IEPR—Integrated Energy Policy Report
IGCC—Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle
INL—Idaho National Laboratory
IPMVP—International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol
IPUC—Idaho Public Utilities Commission
IRP—Integrated Resource Plan
IRPAC—IRP Advisory Council
ISEA—Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance
IWRB—Idaho Water Resource Board
kV—Kilovolt
kW—Kilowatt
kWh—Kilowatt-Hour
LCOC—Levelized Cost of Capacity
LCOE—Levelized Cost of Energy
LDC—Load-Duration Curve
Li—Lithium Ion
LiDAR—Light Detection and Ranging
LNG—Liquefied Natural Gas
LOG—Low Oil and Gas
LOLP—Loss-of-Load Probability
LTCE—Long-Term Capacity Expansion
LTP—Local Transmission Plan
m2—Square Meters
MATL—Montana–Alberta Tie Line
MOU—Memorandum of Understanding
Idaho Power Company Glossary of Acronyms
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page xi
MSA—Metropolitan Statistical Area
MW—Megawatt
MWAC—Megawatt Alternating Current
MWh—Megawatt-Hour
NEEA—Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
NEPA—National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
NERC—North American Electric Reliability Corporation
NLDC—Net Load-Duration Curve
NOx—Nitrogen Oxide
NPV—Net Present Value
NREL—National Renewable Energy Laboratory
NTTG—Northern Tier Transmission Group
NWPCC—Northwest Power and Conservation Council
NYMEX—New York Mercantile Exchange
O&M—Operation and Maintenance
OATT—Open-Access Transmission Tariff
ODEQ—Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
ODOE—Oregon Department of Energy
OEMR—Office of Energy and Mineral Resources
OFPC—Official Forward Price Curve
OPUC—Public Utility Commission of Oregon
ORS—Oregon Revised Statute
P14—Portfolio 14
pASC—Preliminary Application for Site Certificate
PCA—Power Cost Adjustment
PGE—Portland General Electric
PM&E—Protection, Mitigation, and Enhancement
PPA—Power Purchase Agreement
PURPA—Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978
PV—Photovoltaic
QA—Quality Assurance
QF—Qualifying Facility
RAAC—Resource Adequacy Advisory Committee
REC—Renewable Energy Certificate
RFP—Request for Proposal
RH BART—Regional Haze Best Available Retrofit Technology
RICE—Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine
RMJOC—River Management Joint Operating Committee
ROD—Record of Decision
ROR—Run-of-River
ROW—Right-of-Way
RPS—Renewable Portfolio Standard
Glossary of Acronyms Idaho Power Company
Page xii Second Amended 2019 IRP
RTF—Regional Technical Forum
SCCT—Simple-Cycle Combustion Turbine
SCR—Selective Catalytic Reduction
SMR—Small Modular Reactor
SNOWIE—Seeded and Natural Orographic Wintertime Clouds: the Idaho Experiment
SO2—Sulfur Dioxide
SRBA—Snake River Basin Adjudication
SRPM—Snake River Planning Model
T&D—Transmission and Distribution
TRC—Total Resource Cost
UAMPS—Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems
US—United States
USBR—United States Bureau of Reclamation
USFS—United States Forest Service
VER—Variable Energy Resources
VRB—Vanadium Redox-Flow Battery
WECC—Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Idaho Power Company Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 1
SECOND AMENDED 2019 IRP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction and Background
Idaho Power filed its 2019 Integrated Resource Plan on June 28, 2019. Based on comments
received during the development of the 2017 IRP, Idaho Power elected to use the AURORA
software’s Long Term Capacity Expansion (LTCE) modeling capability to develop portfolios for
the 2019 IRP, reflecting a departure from its long-standing methodology of manually developing
portfolios to eliminate resource deficiencies identified through a load and resource balance.
The filing of the 2019 IRP represented the first iteration of the company’s resource plan utilizing
a computer-based model to develop future resource portfolios.
For reasons described in detail in this Executive Summary, following the filing of the 2019 IRP
Idaho Power identified the need to suspend the processing of its plan due to concerns with the
modeling output. Consequently, on July 19, 2019, the company filed letters with both the
Idaho and Oregon public utilities commissions providing notification that additional time was
needed to perform supplemental analysis to confirm the 2019 IRP’s conclusions and findings.
In November 2019, Idaho Power provided notice that it would file its Amended 2019 IRP no
later than January 31, 2020.
Idaho Power’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for 2019—detailed herein and referenced as the
Second Amended 2019 IRP—is the culmination of a deep examination of the company’s IRP
modeling processes and practices, as well as a holistic assessment of a wide range of potential
resource futures. Idaho Power’s final Preferred Portfolio represents the best combination of least-
cost and least-risk resource actions for customers, while furthering the company’s efforts to
achieve its commitment to reliably providing 100-percent clean energy by 2045.
The final 2019 Preferred Portfolio is a manually optimized scenario constructed under planning
gas and planning carbon conditions with the selection of the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H)
transmission line. As such, the Preferred Portfolio is referenced as PGPC B2H (1). This portfolio
started with similar resources to those selected in the Western Electricity Coordination Council
(WECC)-optimized Portfolios 13 and 14, which were grouped together for the manual
adjustment process due to their similarities.
This document reflects the culmination of the supplemental analysis performed by Idaho Power
following the submission of its initial 2019 IRP in June. It should be noted that the changes
detailed in this Executive Summary impacted multiple phases of IRP preparation; therefore,
this document and the associated appendices are intended to replace both the initial
documentsIRP, filed on June 28, 2019 in their entirety, as well as the Amended 2019 IRP, filed
on January 31, 2020. For the sake of clarity, the company believes that a new standalone set of
documents offers a clear representation of the 2019 IRP’s findings and conclusions, rather than
attempting to provide an addendum that attempts to identifydetailing elements that changed and
those that did not. .
Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 2 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Cause for Filing Suspension
As discussed in detail in this document, the LTCE capability of the AURORA model selects
from a variety of supply- and demand-side resource options to develop portfolios optimal for
given alternative future scenarios, with the objective of meeting a 15-percent planning margin
and regulating reserve requirements associated with balancing load and intermittent resources
output. The model can also simulate retirement of existing generation units, and build resources
that are economic absent a defined capacity need.
While the 2019 IRP was in development, a time-limited opportunity to purchase the output of a
120 megawatt (MW) solar facility (Jackpot), with the option of an additional 100 MW
(Franklin), was presented to Idaho Power. Because Idaho Power was in the development phase
of the 2019 IRP, the basic structure of the Jackpot and Franklin power purchase agreement
(Solar PPA) was included in the IRP’s LTCE analysis. As detailed in Idaho Power’s filed
2019 IRP, the LTCE model selected both Jackpot and Franklin as optimal resources in the
company’s preferred portfolio.
Idaho Power’s determination that additional analysis was needed for the 2019 IRP originated in
the processing of the case to approve the Solar PPA. While performing analyses necessary to
support approval of the PPA in that case—and what ultimately led to the conclusion that
additional investigation was warranted—Idaho Power discovered that when it forced the model
to make a decision that was counter to the optimized result, overall portfolio costs for Idaho
Power decreased in certain cases. Based on these counterintuitive results, Idaho Power filed the
aforementioned request to suspend processing of its 2019 IRP and performed a comprehensive
review of the LTCE methodology and the corresponding modeling inputs to identify the
potential cause and ensure its analyses developed the most accurate results possible.
LTCE Modeling Review
First, the Company identified the regional LTCE modeling parameters as one possible area
driving these counterintuitive results. In order to model appropriate market conditions for the
Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), the LTCE model logic optimizes resource
build-out portfolios for the entire region, not just Idaho Power. Consequently, Idaho Power was
concerned that the WECC-optimized LTCE runs were optimizing resources for the region, but
not necessarily for Idaho Power and its customers.
To test this, Idaho Power performed a new set of LTCE runs where it first optimized the 20-year
future for the WECC, then locked down the WECC resource buildout and re-ran the LTCE
model specifically calibrated to optimize Idaho Power’s service area. However, these modified
runs did not yield consistently lower cost results for Idaho Power than the prior runs optimized
for the WECC. Based on these results, Idaho Power determined that a fully computer-based
optimization was not a feasible method at this time for ensuring that the modeling reasonably
identified the least-cost, least-risk portfolio for Idaho Power’s customers.
In place of fully computer-based modeling, Idaho Power developed a hybrid solution in which it
utilized the WECC-optimized LTCE model to develop 24 initial portfolios, then performed a
manual process to modify a subset of the top-performing portfolios, with the ultimate goal of
improving upon the modeled results and arriving at least-cost, least-risk portfolio specific to
Idaho Power Company Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 3
Idaho Power. This manual process generally evaluates the level of reserves on the system on an
annual basis, then modifies resource additions and retirements manually to see if a more
economically optimal result can be achieved. This process, discussed in detailed in Chapter 9,
focuses on the retirement dates for units at the Jim Bridger Coal Plant (Bridger), to ensure the
shutdown dates of these units are developed to yield the best possible economic and reliability
outcome for Idaho Power and its customers.
Modeling Input Review
In addition to the reevaluation of the LTCE model and the implementation of the manual
adjustment process, Idaho Power performed a comprehensive review of all modeling inputs
feeding into the development of the 2019 IRP. Through this review, Idaho Power identified eight
modifications to its modeling inputs to ensure more accurate modeling results. These results,
described in more detail in the sections that follow, include: 1) the addition of renewable energy
certificate (REC) values for Jackpot Solar, 2) updating transmission interconnection costs for
Jackpot Solar, 3) removing Franklin Solar from the list of available resources, 4) correcting the
online date for Jackpot Solar, 5) allowing the model to correct the peak credit for new solar if
Jackpot Solar is not selected, 6) introducing costs associated with natural gas supply expansion,
7) returning to the previous method of utilizing an after-tax discount rate for net present value
calculations, and 8) including third party transmission revenues associated with the
Boardman-to-Hemingway transmission line (B2H).
1. REC Values for Jackpot Solar
Through Idaho Power’s comprehensive review of all modeling inputs, it was determined that
potential REC revenues associated with the Jackpot Solar PPA were inappropriately excluded
from Idaho Power’s costing models. Therefore, the amended analysis includes potential benefits
associated with REC sales from the Jackpot Solar PPA based upon the same REC value forecast
applied to other solar resources analyzed in this IRP.
2. Transmission Interconnection Costs for Jackpot Solar
Prior to the time that Jackpot Solar approached Idaho Power with a proposal to sell its generation
to Idaho Power, Jackpot Solar had completed the interconnection study process as a non-
PURPA, independent power producer pursuant to the Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT).
The project was studied for interconnection as an Energy Resource (ER), which looks only at
required facilities and upgrades needed to connect to Idaho Power’s system, without looking at
the deliverability requirements or upgrades required to deliver its output to a particular location
or load. Such evaluation and/or studies would be done subsequently at the time when the project
made a request to deliver its output, as a point-to-point transmission service request, or if selling
to Idaho Power as an Idaho Power Designated Network Resource. Pursuant to its request, the
project was initially studied as an ER identifying a new substation at the point of interconnection
that connected to the Midpoint-NV/ID Border 345-kV line in a tap configuration.
Jackpot subsequently approached Idaho Power proposing to sell the project’s output to Idaho
Power, and Idaho Power eventually entered into a PPA with the developer, thus changing the
status of the project and the type of interconnection. Once Idaho Power had a contract to take the
generation from the project, it required Idaho Power’s merchant function to submit a
Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 4 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Transmission Service Request for Network Integration Transmission Service, which required the
project to be studied for the deliverability of its output as an Idaho Power Network Resource
(“NR”). The requested transmission service requires the transfer of the project’s energy across
Idaho Power’s internal transmission system to serve Idaho Power’s native load. As a result, and
in order to provide the requested Network Integration Transmission Service, a more robust
ring-bus configuration was required, as opposed to the previously identified tap configuration for
ER service, totaling approximately $11 million in network upgrades in order to serve Idaho
Power load as a Designated Network Resource. Due to the project’s status as a non-PURPA NR,
the identified Network Upgrades are funded by the Transmission Provider, Idaho Power
Transmission, as required by the OATT. Based on this change, the company updated cost inputs
associated with Jackpot Solar to reflect the incremental transmission investment that would be
funded by Idaho Power.
3. Removal of Franklin Solar
On October 23, 2019, Idaho Power filed comments in IPUC Case No. IPC-E-19-14, updating the
IPUC that on October 18, 2019, it delivered notice stating that the company elected not to
exercise its right and option to purchase the 100 MW of additional output related to the Franklin
Solar project. Because Idaho Power elected to forego this project, it was removed from the stack
of available resources within the LTCE model.
4. Corrected Online Date for Jackpot Solar
The current scheduled operating date for Jackpot Solar is December 1, 2022. In initial modeling
runs, the selection of a 2022 operating year within the model resulted in a scenario in which
generation started at the beginning of the year, or eleven months prior to the scheduled operating
date indicated in the contract. To better align the modeled online date with the expected online
date from the contract, the modeled year was adjusted to 2023 with generation output starting
January 1, 2023, or one month after the scheduled operating date.
5. Peak Capacity Credit for Solar Resources
The solar peak-hour capacity credit on a by-project basis is provided in tabular and graphic
format in the Supply-Side Resource Data section of the Amended 2019 IRP Appendix C:
Technical Report. In the initial application, Jackpot Solar comprised projects 1 through 3,
Franklin Solar comprised projects 4 and 5, and generic solar comprised projects 6 through 24. In
the latest portfolios developed by AURORA, Franklin Solar was removed and generic solar now
comprises projects 4 through 24.
AURORA has the ability to individually model the capacity value for each project, but these
values are directly assigned. Therefore, if Jackpot is not selected, the values for the other projects
remain as assigned. The current version of AURORA lacks the capability to dynamically adjust
peak-hour solar capacity contributions when Jackpot is not selected, but other solar resources are
selected in later years. It should be noted, however, that the impact of this modeling limitation in
AURORA is relatively small, as the difference in capacity value between the average of
projects 1 through 3 (Jackpot Solar) and Project 4 (the next project in the queue) is only 2.9 MW
(see the Amended 2019 IRP Appendix C: Technical Report).
Idaho Power Company Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 5
6. B2H Transmission Revenue Credits
For modeling purposes in the filed June 2019 IRP, transmission revenue credits associated with
B2H were excluded because Idaho Power initially felt that a conservative approach was
appropriate for evaluating this resource. These credits reflect the estimated incremental
transmission wheeling revenue from non-native load customers as a result of B2H.
However, through the Idaho Power’s comprehensive re-evaluation of all inputs into its IRP
modeling runs, it determined that it is appropriate to include all relevant cost and benefit
information associated with each resource type, including incremental transmission revenues
from B2H. Therefore, portfolios developed as part of the Amended 2019 IRP now include these
amounts, which is consistent with the methodology utilized in the 2017 IRP.
7. Discount Rate Modification
The discount rate used to develop the Amended 2019 IRP was reduced from 9.59 to 7.12
percent, reflecting the after-tax weighted-average cost of capital (WACC). The original discount
rate used in the 2019 IRP financial modeling utilized Idaho Power’s WACC plus a tax gross-up
for the equity-financed portion of the overall costs. This represented a change from prior IRPs, in
which the traditional WACC was used for all discounting calculations. While both methods (pre-
tax and post-tax) are reasonably considered and analytically sound, Idaho Power originally
believed the higher discount rate may better align with the customer cost perspective, as it
reflects the total financing costs customers will actually pay through rates.
However, while conducting the supplemental IRP analyses following the filing of the 2019 IRP,
Idaho Power observed that the use of the higher discount rate was having a material impact on
the timing and nature of investments included in the various portfolio runs, particularly those
portfolios modeled under expected case assumptions. It was not Idaho Power’s intent for the
change in discount rate methodology to serve as a major driver of changes to its long-term
planning outcomes, especially at a time when other significant modifications to the analytical
framework were being implemented, such as the introduction of computer-based LTCE
modeling. As a result, Idaho Power has returned to the prior practice of applying its internal
after-tax WACC as the discount rate for the Amended 2019 IRP until more evaluation and
vetting of alternative methodologies can occur. This approach remains consistent with prior
years’ IRPs and may be more understandable as a general indicator of value in the near-term.
8. Natural Gas Pipeline and Capacity Considerations
While reviewing the modeling inputs, Idaho Power determined that certain costs associated with
the procurement of incremental natural gas supply should be incorporated into the model;
therefore, additional fixed costs associated with future natural gas resources have been added.
These modifications, discussed in depth in Chapter 7, reflect the cost of ensuring pipeline
transportation capacity utilizing existing infrastructure, as well as the cost of pipeline expansion
if projected gas generation exceeds a certain threshold.
Regulatory History
Idaho Power filed its original IRP with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) and the
Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) on June 28, 2019 and its Amended 2019 IRP on
Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 6 Second Amended 2019 IRP
January 31, 2020. In June of 2020, the Company identified necessary changes in the Amended
2019 IRP, which prompted Idaho Power to initiate a comprehensive review of its modeling and
analysis. This final 2019 IRP document—the Second Amended 2019 IRP—reflects the
culmination of prior IRP learnings and subsequent adjustments related to the recent IRP review
process. The IRP review and outcomes are outlined below, while a more detailed account is
provided in the separate 2019 IRP Review Report, filed alongside the Second Amended 2019
IRP.
Comprehensive 2019 IRP Review Process
Idaho Power’s 2019 IRP review, conducted in July 2020, involved a comprehensive four-step
process to deconstruct and examine all aspects of this IRP cycle, from model inputs to model
outputs. To conduct this review, the company formed a multidisciplinary team (IRP Review
Team) of subject matter experts from its Planning, Engineering and Construction and Power
Supply departments and Finance departments. Additional support and consultation were
provided throughout each step of the process by members of the company’s Internal Audit and
Regulatory Affairs departments to ensure a consistent and methodical review.
The company identified several objectives for the 2019 IRP review:
Provide clarity over the entire IRP development process
Verify the accuracy and modeling of key inputs
Validate model outputs
Make processes more visible across the company
Create consistency in the manner each step is performed
Ensure compliance with industry standards/regulations
Detailed in the following sections are the specific actions taken within each step of the review
process:
Input Data and Source Review
The IRP Review Team began with a full examination of input data related to the IRP process. A
total of 11 sub-teams were formed, each with appropriate subject matter experts, to examine
individual categories of input data used in the company’s long-term planning tool, the AURORA
model. The following are categories of inputs reviewed:
Forecast inputs for natural gas price (sub-team 1), hydrologic system and stream flow
(sub-team 2), and the company’s load forecast (sub-team 3)
Supply-side inputs related to the company’s coal units (sub-team 4), natural gas plants
(sub-team 5), and co-generator & small power producers and PURPA contracts (sub-team
6)
Idaho Power Company Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 7
Demand-side inputs related to demand response and energy efficiency programs
(sub-team 7)
Transmission system-related inputs (sub-team 8), including those related to the B2H
project (sub-team 9)
Financial inputs and Future Supply-Side Resources (sub-team 10) related to items such as
the Weighted Average Cost of Capital, fixed and operations and maintenance (O&M)
costs, property tax treatment, and modeled future supply-side resources
Reliability inputs (sub-team 11) related to the company’s regulating reserve requirements
The sub-teams reviewed all aspects of these inputs, including cross-verification against source
materials, examination and investigation of supporting models that produce AURORA input data
(e.g., two hydrologic and streamflow models), review of regulatory decisions and orders that
determined specific AURORA input treatment, and evaluation of internal methodologies and
processes for developing Idaho Power-specific data (e.g., the company load forecast).
Feeding Data into the Model
In the second step of the review, the IRP Review Team examined the ways in which the above
inputs are incorporated into the AURORA model. This step involved validating any necessary
data transformations or conversions to make the inputs “model ready.” For instance, some inputs
must be converted from one unit to another to meet AURORA specifications. The IRP Review
Team ensured that all such conversions and transformations were conducted properly and that
data fed into AURORA were accurate.
Model Settings and Processing
Next, the IRP Review Team analyzed how the AURORA model treats data within the model
itself—referred to as modeling logic. For this step, the team worked in consultation with Energy
Exemplar, the developers of the AURORA model, to further verify model processes and
specifications. Additionally, this step of the review involved a thorough assessment of AURORA
system settings to ensure that data within the model were interacting in a logical manner and
consistent with Idaho Power’s knowledge of its own system and resources.
Model Output Review
Finally, the IRP Review Team examined the consistency and accuracy of the AURORA model
outputs to ensure that the model was producing logical and consistent results.
Ultimately, the company believes that this review process has provided increased transparency
into the complexities of the IRP development and has provided valuable lessons and insights that
will be applied to future IRP processes.
IRP Review Results
Through the above four-step review process, the company identified several appropriate changes
to model inputs and treatment of data within the model. Some of these changes were identified
by the company prior to the review process and were the basis for the July 1, 2020, Motion to
Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 8 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Suspend. Each of these identified issues were carefully documented and resolved, as more fully
described in the 2019 IRP Review Report. A summary of the identified adjustments is shown
below.
Coal Plant Inputs & Cost Treatment
Idaho Power identified adjustments related to the treatment of its coal plants in the IRP modeling
process:
Jim Bridger Power Plant (Bridger)
1. The financial assumptions used to calculate the revenue requirement for the Bridger coal
units did not match the financial assumptions used to calculate the revenue requirement
for all supply-side resources. These assumptions were reviewed, corrected, and now are
consistent with the treatment of other supply-side resources.
2. In the portfolio costing, AURORA truncated fixed costs at the point a Bridger unit is shut
down, resulting in avoided O&M and forecasted capital additions. As a result, the
remaining net book value of the unit at the time of its exit must be added back to the total
portfolio cost. This adjustment was made, and portfolio costs reflect the appropriate
NBV.
3. In the remaining net book value added back to the total portfolio cost, common facility
costs were truncated for Bridger units that retired early. As a result, the truncated
common facility costs must be included in the remaining net book value added back to
the total portfolio cost. This adjustment was made, and portfolio costs reflect the
appropriate NBV.
4. Idaho Power’s share of the variable operations and maintenance (O&M) costs associated
with the Bridger units should have been modeled as one-third of the total projected costs.
This adjustment was made and now reflects the appropriate Idaho Power one-third share.
5. The fixed cost rates for Bridger Unit 4 were inadvertently referencing the table of fixed
costs for Bridger Unit 3 within AURORA. This adjustment was made and the fixed cost
rates for Unit 4 now reference the correct table.
Valmy Fixed Costs
1. The financial assumptions to calculate the incremental revenue requirement for
Valmy did not match the financial assumptions used to calculate the revenue
requirement for all supply-side resources.
2. The Valmy fixed O&M rate needed to be updated to adequately capture savings
associated with the exit of Unit 2 prior to 2025.
It should be noted that after making these adjustments, Idaho Power identified the potential for
additional savings associated with a Unit 2 exit as early as 2022. This issue is discussed in
greater detail in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date section of Chapter 1.
Idaho Power Company Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 9
Bridger, Valmy and Boardman Variable O&M
The variable O&M rates for Bridger, Valmy, and Boardman should have been input as a nominal
2012 amount and escalated to a 2019 amount rather than reflected as a 2019 nominal amount, as
per the AURORA model input requirements. This adjustment was made, and the variable O&M
rates entered into the model reflect the 2012 nominal values.
Natural Gas Plant Inputs
Three adjustments were identified in the review of various natural gas inputs:
1. Natural Gas Transport Costs: Variable transport costs were inadvertently not included in
the model. This small cost stream was reviewed for accuracy and added to the natural gas
input costs.
2. Natural Gas Peaker Plant Start-Up Costs: The maintenance costs associated with natural
gas peaker plants were captured only as a variable cost applied directly to the runtime of
the unit. Startup costs were not included, which resulted in more frequent dispatch of the
peaker plants and for shorter durations than expected. After identifying the issue, the
startup costs were entered, resulting in a reduction in peaker dispatch and reflecting a
logical and expected outcome.
3. Langley Gulch Ramp Rate: The ramp rate for the Langley Gulch natural gas plant was set
for 100 percent. Upon review, this rate was reduced to 60 percent to better reflect actual
plant operations.
Demand Response
In the review process, Idaho Power tested an alternative approach to modeling demand response
(DR). In prior versions of the 2019 IRP, expanded DR programs were modeled such that
dispatch of said programs would only execute when Idaho Power’s resources were in deficit.
That is, expanded DR was being treated as a last-resort resource. In the IRP review, which
analyzed the treatment of all resources, Idaho Power opted to treat DR as a resource to offset
peak load. While the prior approach was not incorrect, the revised approach is more consistent
with the way Idaho Power’s DR programs work in practice.
Financial Assumptions and Future Supply-Side Resources
Two adjustments were identified related to the financial assumptions of new resource additions
in AURORA:
1. Property tax rates were outdated. Upon review, the rates were adjusted to reflect
information available when the 2019 IRP analysis was originally performed.
2. Annual insurance premium rates inadvertently reflected the wrong decimal place value.
This issue was corrected during the review process.
Transmission Inputs
In the review process, two categories of necessary adjustments were identified related to
transmission characteristics:
Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 10 Second Amended 2019 IRP
1. The loss and/or wheeling rates applied to some transmission lines required adjustment.
Rates were adjusted as appropriate and now reflect correct information.
2. The following adjustments to transmission capacity were identified in the review process
and have been entered into AURORA:
a. Following exit from the Boardman coal plant, available transmission capacity was
understated (53 megawatts (MW)).
b. The Idaho Power transmission export capacity on Boardman to Hemingway was
understated (85 MW).
c. Idaho to Northwest west-to-east capacity in January through May and September
through December post July 2026 was understated (200 MW).
d. The transmission capacity on Bridger West was adjusted to reflect Idaho Power’s
ownership share.
Reliability Inputs
Two adjustments were identified:
1. The solar and wind allocation factors for downward regulation referenced the upward
allocation factors. These allocation factors are now referencing downward regulation.
2. Valmy Unit 2 was modeled with the ability to provide regulation reserves, but the unit
cannot provide regulation reserves. This adjustment was made, and Valmy Unit 2 is now
modeled appropriately.
Impact to Preferred Portfolio
While the review process helped identify a number of important adjustments and refinements to
the IRP process, the Preferred Portfolio remains very similar to the portfolio selected in the
Amended 2019 IRP.
The final 2019 Preferred Portfolio is a manually optimized scenario conducted under planning
gas and planning carbon conditions with the selection of the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H)
transmission line. As such, the Preferred Portfolio is referenced as PGPC B2H (1). This portfolio
was built off the combination of Western Electricity Coordination Council (WECC)-optimized
Portfolios 13 and 14, which were grouped together for the manual adjustment process due to
their similarities.
The remainder of this document reflectsdetails the overall process and results of Idaho Power’s
Second Amended 2019 IRP, incorporating all modeling and input changes detailed in this
Executive Summary. It is important to note that while there were multiple changes to the
analysis, it resulted in only two changes impactingone potential change to Idaho Power’s
Preferred Portfolio near-term 2019–2026 Action Plan. —the exit timing of Valmy Unit 2, which
is explored in greater detail in Chapter 1.
Idaho Power Company Second Amended 2019 IRP Executive Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 11
First, Idaho Power elected to forego the option to enter into a PPA with the 100 MW Solar
Franklin facility. Because this resource is no longer an option, it was removed from the modeling
and the subsequent preferred portfolio. Second, the preferred portfolio in Idaho Power’s filed
IRP included the addition of 5 MW of demand response (DR) in 2026; in the Amended 2019
IRP, the procurement of DR shifted later in the planning period, to 2031.
Overall, the results of the Second Amended 2019 IRP reflectcontinue to support a number of key
components that position Idaho Power to reliably and cost-effectively serve load incustomers
across the 20-year planning period. The B2H transmission line continues to be a top performing
resource alternative, providing Idaho Power access to clean and low-cost energy in the Pacific
Northwest wholesale electric market. The Second Amended 2019 IRP also indicates favorable
economics associated with Idaho Power’s exit from five of seven coal-fired generating units by
the end of 2026 and exit from the remaining two units at the Jim Bridger facility by the end of
the 2020s. The 2019–2026 Action Plan also includes theyear-end 2030. Additionally, the
Preferred Portfolio includes 15 MW of additional demand response compared to the Preferred
Portfolio identified in the Amended 2019 IRP. This Preferred Portfolio also supports the
expanded use of renewables and energy storage, and the 2019–2026 Action Plan continues to
reflect the important addition of 120 MW of solar through the construction of the Jackpot Solar
Facility at year-end 2022.
Conclusion
Completion of Idaho Power’s 2019 IRP has taken more than 18 months. While the company
recognizes that this is an abnormal timeframe to complete a resource plan, Idaho Power is
grateful for the opportunity to pause and review the company’s resource planning practices in
full, particularly in light of the new modeling elements. The IRP review process has helped
ensure that Idaho Power’s IRP efforts moving forward are more efficient, transparent, and
replicable.
Further, Idaho Power appreciates the patience of the Idaho and Oregon public utility
commissions, their staffs, members of the IRP Advisory Council (IRPAC,), and other
stakeholders as Idaho Powerthe company worked through the modeling challenges presented by
its first year utilizingtime using a computer-based optimizer to construct resource portfolios.
From Idaho Power’s concentrated efforts on the IRP, Idaho Power has learned valuable lessons
throughout this process and believes the resulting Second Amended 2019 IRP presents the least-
cost, least-risk future for Idaho Power and its customers.
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 12 Second Amended 2019 IRP
1. OVERVIEW
Introduction
The 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is Idaho Power’s 14th resource plan prepared in
accordance with regulatory requirements and guidelines established by the Idaho Public Utilities
Commission (IPUC) and the Public Utility Commission of Oregon (OPUC). Idaho Power’s
resource planning process has four primary goals:
1. Identify sufficient resources to reliably serve the growing demand for energy and flexible
capacity within Idaho Power’s service area throughout the 20-year planning period.
2. Ensure the selected resource portfolio balances cost, risk, and environmental concerns.
3. Give equal and balanced treatment to supply-side resources, demand-side measures, and
transmission resources.
4. Involve the public in the planning process in a meaningful way.
The 2019 IRP evaluates the 20-year planning period from 2019 through 2038. During this
period, Idaho Power’s load is forecasted to grow by 1.0 percent per year for average energy
demand and 1.2 percent per year for peak-hour demand. Total customers are expected to increase
from 550,000 in 2018 to 775,000 by 2038. Meeting this increased demand will require additional
resources will be needed to meet these increased demands.
Currently, Idaho Power owns and operates 17 hydroelectric projects, 3 natural gas-fired plants, 1
diesel-powered plant, and shares ownership in 3 coal-fired facilities. Hydroelectric generation is
a large part of Idaho Power’s generation fleet and depends on updated streamflow projections
and criteria to use in resource adequacy planning. Further discussion of Idaho Power’s IRP
planning criteria can be foundThe company’s existing supply-side resources are further detailed
in Chapter 3, while possible future supply-side resources, including storage, are explored in
Chapter 7.4.
Other resources relied on for planning include demand-side management (DSM) and
transmission resources., which are further explored in Chapters 5 and 6, respectively. The goal of
DSM programs is to achieve prudent, cost-effective energy efficiency savings and provide an
optimal amount of peak reduction from demand response programs. Idaho Power also strives to
provide customers with tools and information to help them manage their own energy use. The
company achieves these objectives through the implementation and careful management of
incentive programs and through outreach and education.
Idaho Power’s resource planning process also includes evaluating additional transmission
capacity as a resource alternative to serve retail customers. Transmission projects are often
regional resources, and Idaho Power coordinates transmission planning as a member of the
Northern Tier Transmission Group (NTTG). Idaho NorthernGrid. Idaho Power is obligated
under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulations to plan and expand its local
transmission system to provide requested firm transmission service to third parties and to
construct and place in service sufficient transmission capacity to reliably deliver energy and
Idaho Power Company 1. Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 13
capacity to network customers1 and Idaho Power retail customers.2 The delivery of energy, both
within the Idaho Power system and through regional transmission interconnections, is of
increasing importance for several reasons. First, adequate transmission is essential for robust
participation in the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) and second, it is necessary in a future with
high penetrations of variable energy resources (VER) and their associated intermittent
production. The timing of new transmission projects is subject to complex permitting, siting, and
regulatory requirements and coordination with co-participants.
Public Advisory Process
Idaho Power has involved representatives of the public in the resource planning process since the
early 1990s. The public forum is known as the IRP Advisory Council (IRPAC). The IRPAC
meets most months during the development of the resource plan, and the meetings are open to
the public. Members of the council include the staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
(IPUC) and the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC), political, environmental, and
customer representatives, as well as representatives of other public-interest groups. Many
members of the public also participate even though they are not members of the IRPAC. Some
individuals have participated in Idaho Power’s resource planning process for over 20 years. A
list of the 2019 IRPAC members can be found in Appendix C—Technical Appendix.
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power facilitated eight IRPAC meetings, and then two more for the
Amended 2019 IRP. In response to stakeholder feedback for the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power
implemented and maintained an online forum for stakeholders to submit requests for information
and for Idaho Power to provide responses to information requests. The forum allows
stakeholders to develop their understanding of the IRP process, particularly its key inputs,
consequently enabling more meaningful stakeholder involvement during the process. The
company makes presentation slides and other materials used at the IRPAC meetings, in addition
to the question-submission forum and other IRP documents, available to the public through its
website at idahopower.com/IRP.
IRP Methodology
The primary goal of the IRP is to ensure Idaho Power’s system has sufficient resources to
reliably serve customer demand and flexible capacity needs over the 20-year planning period.
The company has historically developed portfolios to eliminate resource deficiencies identified
in a 20-year load and resource balance. Under this process, Idaho Power developed portfolios
that were quantifiably demonstrated to eliminate the identified resource deficiencies, and
qualitatively varied by resource type, in which the considered resource types reflected Idaho
Power’s understanding that the economic performance of a resource class is dependent on future
conditions in energy markets and energy policy.
1 Idaho Power has a regulatory obligation to construct and provide transmission service to network or
wholesale customers pursuant to a FERC tariff.
2 Idaho Power has a regulatory obligation to construct and operate its system to reliably meet the needs of
native load or retail customers.
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 14 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Idaho Power received comments on the 2017 IRP encouraging the use of Capacity Expansion
Modeling (CEM) for 2019 IRP portfolio development. In response, the company elected to use
the AURORA model’s capacity expansion modeling capability to develop portfolios for the 2019
IRP. Under this process, the alternative future scenarios are formulated first, and then the
AURORA model is used to develop portfolios optimal to the selected alternative future
scenarios. For example, the AURORA (CEM) model can be expected under an alternative future
scenario havingusing a high natural gas price forecast and/or high cost of carbon to
developproduce a portfolio having substantial expansion of non-carbon emitting VERresources,
such as wind and solar generation, because a portfolio is likely to be economic under such a
scenario.
The use of capacity expansion modeling has resulted in a departure from Idaho Power’s formerly
employed practice of developing resource portfolios to specifically eliminate resource
deficiencies identified by a load and resource balance. Under the capacity expansion modeling
approach used for the 2019 IRP, the AURORA model selects from the variety of supply- and
demand-side resource options to develop portfolios that are least-cost for the given alternative
future scenarios with the objective of meeting a 15-percent planning margin and regulating
reserve requirements associated with balancing load and, wind-, and solar-plant output. The
model can also select to retire existing generation units, as well as build resources based on
economics absent a defined capacity need. The capacity expansion modeling process is discussed
in further detail in Chapter 8. As will be discussed in Chapter 9, to
To ensure the AURORA-produced portfolios provide customers reliable and affordable energy,
Idaho Power selected a subset of top-performing AURORA-produced portfolios to determine if
additional resource modifications—primarily accelerated coal retirements—could further reduce
costs and help achieve Idaho Power’s greenclean energy commitments more quickly. Going
forward, these modifications are referred to as “manual adjustments”..” Modeling analysis,
including in-depth discussion of manual adjustments, is examined in Chapter 9.
To meet objectives for planning margin and regulating reserve requirements, the AURORA
model accounts for the capability of the existing system and selects from the pool of new supply-
and demand-side resource options only when the existing system comes short of meeting the
objectives. Existing supply-side resources include generation resources and transmission import
capacity from regional wholesale electric markets. Existing demand-side resources include
current levels of demand response and savings from current energy efficiency programs and
measures.
Idaho Power conducts a financial analysis of costs and benefits of the developed portfolios. The
financial costs include construction, fuel, O&M, transmission upgrades associated with
interconnecting new resource options, natural gas pipeline reservation or new natural gas
pipeline infrastructure, projected wholesale market purchases, and anticipated environmental
controls. The financial benefits include economic resource options, projected wholesale market
sales, and the market value of renewable energy certificates (REC) for REC-eligible resources.
Idaho Power’s balancing area is part of the larger western interconnection. Idaho Power must
balance loads and generation per North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
system reliability standards. For example, during times of acute oversupply (with no ability to
sell into the market), Idaho Power must rely on available system resources to regain intra-hour
Idaho Power Company 1. Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 15
balance and must sometimes curtail intermittent resources like wind and solar. Power markets
are available via transmission lines to purchase or sell power inter-hour to balance the system.
An additional transmission connection to the Pacific Northwest has been part of Idaho Power’s
preferred resource portfolio since the 2006 IRP. By the 2009 IRP, Idaho Power determined the
approximate configuration and capacity of the transmission line. Since 2009, the addition has
been called the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H) Transmission Line Project and the project has
been included in the four subsequent IRPs. Idaho Power again evaluated the B2H transmission
line in the 2019 IRP to ensure the transmission addition remains a prudent resource acquisition.
Further discussion of the treatment of B2H in the 2019 IRP’s capacity expansion modeling is
provided in Chapter 8.
IRPs addressWhile an IRP addresses Idaho Power’s long-term resource needs., near-term energy
and capacity needs are planned in accordance with Idaho Power’sthe company’s Energy Risk
Management Policy and Energy Risk Management Standards. The risk management standards
were collaboratively developed in 2002 betweenamong Idaho Power, IPUC staff, and interested
customers (IPUC Case No. IPC-E-01-16). The Energy Risk Management Policy and Energy Risk
Management Standards provide guidelines for Idaho Power’s physical and financial hedging,
and are designed to systematically identify, quantify, and manage the exposure of the company
and its customers to uncertainties related to the energy markets in which Idaho Power is an active
participant. The Energy Risk Management Policy and Energy Risk Management Standards
specify an 18-month load and resource review period, and Idaho Power Power’s Risk
Management Committee assesses the resulting operations plan monthly.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Idaho Power’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emission levels have historically been well below the
national average for the 100-largest electric utilities in the United States (US), both in terms of
CO2 emissions intensity (pounds per megawatt-hour [MWh] generation) and total CO2 emissions
(tons) (see figures 1.1 and 1.2). The overall declining trends in terms of both CO2 emissions
intensity and total CO2 emissions demonstrates Idaho Power’s commitment to reducing
CO2carbon emissions. The Preferred Portfolio was selected in part to further the company’s
pathway to reduced emissions.
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 16 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 1.1 Estimated Idaho Power CO2 emissions intensity
Figure 1.2 Estimated Idaho Power CO2 emissions
CO2 Emissions Reduction
Idaho Power is committed to reducing the amount of CO2 emitted from energy-generating
sources emit. Since 2009, the company has met various voluntary goals, initiated by
shareholders, to realize its commitment to CO2 reduction. As of 2018, Idaho Power’s carbon
emissions intensity, expressed as pounds of CO2 per MWh generated, has decreased by 46
percent compared to 2005 levels.
Our current goal is to ensure the average CO2 emissions intensity of our energy sources from
2010 to 2020 is 15- to 20-percent lower than 2005 levels.
Generation and emissions from company-owned resources are included in the CO2 emissions
intensity calculation. Idaho Power’s progress toward achieving this intensity reduction goal and
additional information on Idaho Power’s CO2 emissions are reported on the company’s website.
500
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s
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Idaho Power Company 1. Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 17
Information related to Idaho Power’s CO2 emissions, voluntarily reported annually, is also
available through the Carbon Disclosure Project at cdp.net.
The portfolio analysis performed for the 2019 IRP assumes carbon emissions are subject to a
per-ton cost of carbon. The forecasts for carbon cost forecasts are provided in Chapter 8 of, while
the IRP. projected CO2 emissions for each analyzed resource portfolio are provided in Chapter 9
of the IRP.
Idaho Power Clean Energy Goal—
Clean Today. Cleaner Tomorrow.™
Developed based on customer and stakeholder input, In March 2019, Idaho Power announced a
goal to provide 100 percent clean energy by 2045. This goal furthers Idaho Power’s legacy of
being a leader in clean energy. Key to achieving this goal of 100 percent clean energy is the
company’s existing backbone of nearly 50 percent hydropower generation, as well as
continuingthe plan contained in the Preferred Portfolio to reducecontinue reducing carbon
emissions and exiting participation in its share of threeby ending reliance on coal plants. by year-
end 2030. In addition, Idaho Power is expanding its portfolio of renewables, having reached an
agreement to buy 120 megawatts (MW) of solar power from a private developer; this agreement
was recently approved by the IPUC in December 2019.
The Preferred Portfolio identified in this Second Amended 2019 IRP reflects a mix of generation
and transmission resources that ensures reliable, affordable energy using technologies available
today. Achieving our clean-energy goal, however, will require new technological advances and
reductions in cost-breakthroughs, as well as a continued focus on energy efficiency and demand-
response programs. As it has over the past decade, the advisory councilIRPAC will continue to
play a keyfundamental role in updating the IRP every two years, including analyzing new and
evolving technologies and continuing our to help the company on its path toward a cleaner
tomorrow while providing low-cost, reliable energy to our customers.
Portfolio Analysis Summary
Using the AURORA Long-Term Capacity Expansion (LTCE) model, Idaho Power produced 24
different potential resource portfolios using a combination of three natural gas price forecasts
and four cost of carbon emissions addersforecasts all under two futures: —one with B2H and one
without. The 24 portfolios include an increase in the types of resource additions and a wider
range of quantities of those resources compared to the 2017 IRP. Further, the 24 portfolios
forconsidered in the Second Amended 2019 IRP include a broader range of resource types, as
well as more varied amounts of nameplate generation additions:
Wind (between 0 and 1,200 MW)
Solar (between 0200 and 1,170 MW)
Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines (between 0 and 444333 MW)
Natural Gas Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbine (CCCT) (between 0 and 600 MW)
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 18 Second Amended 2019 IRP
DSM (between 0 and 50 MW)
Battery storage (between 0 and 160 MW)
Nuclear (between 0 and 180 MW)
Biomass (between 0 and 210900 MW)
Natural Gas Simple-Cycle Combustion Turbine (SCCT) (between 0 and 170 MW)
Pumped Hydro Storage (between 0 and 500 MW)
Nuclear (between 0 and 180 MW)
Biomass (between 0 and 210 MW)
Geothermal (between 0 and 30 MW)
Demand response (between 0 and 50 MW)
Battery storage (between 50 and 100 MW)
Accelerated Jim Bridger Coal unit retirements (between 0 and 708 MW)
Accelerated North Valmy Unit 2 exit (133 MW)
The diversity of resource mixes in the 24 portfolios is an important result from the
analysisLTCE. Each portfolio is built using the various natural gas and carbon scenarios within
an optimized Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) LTCE, illustrating the many
combinations of resources that could result in a reliable system for customers at varying costs.
The 2019 preferred portfolio continues the trend away from using existing coal units as has been
seen since the 2015 IRP, which found economic early exits from Valmy units 1 and 2. The 2017
IRP preferred portfolio included early exits from two units at Jim Bridger in 2028 and 2032.
The 2019 IRP analysis has determined it is economical to exit all four coal units early at
Jim Bridger.
The portfolios are also evaluated based on an assessment of the likelihood of the various natural
gas prices, carbon prices, and B2H futures. The planning case futures represent Idaho Power’s
assessment of the mostly likely future forecasts of the primary known variables. The portfolios
are also run against additionalAnalyzing a range of possible futures also allows Idaho Power to
identify the costscost sensitivity of various resource mixes to alternative futuresfuture scenarios
that helps inform Idaho Power’sthe company’s 20-year action plan. Identifying and focusing on
common near-term resource elements that appear in multiple futures, or identifying futures with
a low likelihood, but high costs is a pragmatic way to assess resource choices.
Based on the resultsoutcome of the additional modeling described in resulting from the IRP
Review (outlined in the Executive Summary and described in detail in Chapter 9, ), Scenario 1
under Planning Gas-Planning Carbon and B2H conditions (Portfolio 16(4) and Portfolio 14(7)
yieldPGPC-B2H1) proved to be optimal in the 2019Second Amended 2019 IRP preferred
Idaho Power Company 1. Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 19
portfolio.3. This Preferred Portfolio was derived from botha combination of the AURORA
LTCE-produced Portfolio 1613 and Portfolio 14, with additional manual adjustments to ensure
the portfoliosportfolio reflected a least-cost, least-risk future specifically for Idaho Power and its
customers. The manual adjustment process is discussed in more detail in Chapter 9 and the
Manually Built Portfolios section in Chapter 8.
Table 1.1, below shows the resource additions and coal exits that characterize the Preferred
Portfolio over the 20-year planning period:
Table 1.1 Preferred Portfolio additions and coal exits (MW)
Gas Solar Battery
Demand
Response Coal Exit
2019 -127 (Valmy)
2020 -58 (Boardman)
2021
2022 120 -177, -133 (Bridger, Valmy*)
2023
2024
2025
2026 -180 (Bridger)
2027
2028 -174 (Bridger)
2029 40 30
2030 300 40 30 5 -177 (Bridger)
2031 300 5
2032 80 5
2033 80 5
2034 40 20 5
2035 111 80 20 5
2036 120 10 5
2037 55.5 320 5
2038 55.5 300 440 5
Nameplate Total 411 300400 80 3045 -1,0261026
B2H (2026) 500
* Idaho Power identified the potential for additional savings from a Valmy Unit 2 exit date as early as 2022.
Further analysis must be conducted to determine optimal exit timing that weighs economics and system reliability,
and ensures adequate capacity. Valmy Unit 2 is discussed in detail in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date section later in
this chapter.
3 Portfolio 4 was selected as the Preferred Portfolio in the original 2019 IRP filed in June 2019.
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 20 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Comparison to Prior 2019 IRP Preferred Portfolios
The selected Preferred Portfolio of this Second Amended 2019 IRP is very similar to the
Preferred Portfolios associated with the Amended 2019 IRP and the original 2019 IRP.
Consistent with the Amended 2019 IRP, the Preferred Portfolio of this Second Amended 2019
IRP continues the company’s transition away from coal and shows a full exit from all coal power
plants by the end of 2030. Additionally, B2H was selected in this and prior Preferred Portfolios.
Additional information about Valmy and Bridger exits, as well as an update on B2H partnership
discussions, can be found below.
Total battery storage and gas additions remain the same as in the Amended 2019 IRP. Additional
sensitivities were conducted around gas additions to determine if reciprocating engines could
serve as a more cost-effective and reliable solution. Results of the sensitivities showed optimal
reciprocating engine additions in the final two years of the modeling period. While this and prior
Preferred Portfolios show adoption of natural gas resources, Idaho Power views these additions
as placeholders for lower-emission resources that may become cost effective in the coming years
as technological advancements occur. Idaho Power will conduct a thorough modeling
examination of flexible resources, as they become cost-effective, that would provide similar
reliability and dispatchability as natural gas, but without the carbon footprint.
One adjustment to this Preferred Portfolio is the replacement of wind and solar resources in the
outer years of the model time horizon in favor of demand response and adjusted transmission
capacity. Wind adoption drops from 300 MW in the Amended 2019 to 0 MW in this Preferred
Portfolio. Solar, meanwhile, drops from 1,160 MW to 400 MW in this Preferred Portfolio. While
these reductions may seem like fundamental differences across Preferred Portfolios, it is
important to consider Idaho Power’s existing system (including a significant volume of
purchased renewable energy under long-term purchase agreements), as well as other planned
resources, which greatly reduce renewables’ contribution to Idaho Power’s peak in the late
2030s. As an example, the last 40 MW of solar added in the Amended 2019 IRP had a peak
contribution of less than 3 MW. A combination of an expansion in demand response and a
transmission capacity adjustment of approximately 50 MW resulted in a lower resource
requirement.
The last notable difference between the Second Amended 2019 IRP and the Amended 2019 IRP
is an additional 15 MW of demand response, which brings the total amount of expanded demand
response to 45 MW.
More details about the Preferred Portfolio and resource additions and exits can be found in
Chapter 10.
Action Plan (20192020–2026)
The 2019 IRP action plan isfor the culmination of theSecond Amended 2019 IRP process
distilled intoreflects near-term actionable items of the Preferred Portfolio. The action plan
identifies key milestones to successfully position Idaho Power to provide reliable, economic, and
environmentally sound service to our customers into the future. The current regional electric
market, regulatory environment, pace of technological change and Idaho Power’s recently
Idaho Power Company 1. Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 21
announced goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2045 make the 2019 action plan especially
germane.
The action plan associated with the preferred portfolio is driven by its core resource actions
through the mid-2020s. These core resource actions include:
120 MW of added solar PV capacity (2022)
Exit from three coal-fired generating units by year-end 2022 (including Valmy 1 at
year-end 2019), and from five coal-fired generating units (total) by year-end 2026
B2H on-line in 2026
The Preferred Portfolio also is characterized by the following attributes:
Optionality
Flexible capacity
The action plan is the result of the above resource actions and portfolio attributes, which are
discussed in the following sections. Further discussion of the core resource actions and attributes
of the Preferred Portfolio is included in Chapter 10. A chronological listing of the plan’s actions
follows in Table 1.2.
Table 1.2 Action Plan (20192020–2026)
Year Action
20192020–
2022
Plan and coordinate with PacifiCorp and regulators for early exits from Jim Bridger units. Target dates
for early exits are one unit during 2022 and a second unit during 2026. Timing of exit from second unit
coincides with the need for a resource addition.
20192020-
2022
Incorporate solar hosting capacity into the customer-owned generation forecasts for the 2021 IRP.
2019 Jackpot Solar PPA regulatory approval*—on-line December 2022
2019 Exit Valmy Unit 1 by December 31, 2019.*
20192020–
2021
Conduct ongoing B2H permitting activities. Negotiate and execute B2H partner construction
agreement(s).
20192020–
2026
Conduct preliminary construction activities, acquire long-lead materials, and construct the B2H
project.
2019–2020 Monitor VER variability and system reliability needs, and study projected effects of additions of 120
MW of PV solar (Jackpot Solar) and early exit of Bridger units.
2020 Exit Boardman December 31, 2020.
2020 Bridger Unit 1 and Unit 2 Regional Haze Reassessment finalized.
2020 Conduct a VER Integration Study.
2020–2021 Conduct focused economic and system reliability analysis on timing of exit from Valmy Unit 2.
2021–2022 Continue to evaluate and coordinate with PacifiCorp for timing of exit/closure of remaining Jim Bridger
units.
2022 Subject to coordination with PacifiCorp, exit Jim Bridger unit (as yet undesignated) by December 31,
2022.
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 22 Second Amended 2019 IRP
2022 Jackpot Solar 120 MW on-line December 2022.
2023–2026 Procure or construct resources resulting from RFP (if needed).
20252022 Exit Valmy Unit 2 by December 31, 2025.2022.*
2026 Subject to coordination with PacifiCorp, exit Jim Bridger unit (as yet undesignated) by December 31,
2026. Timing of the exit from the second Jim Bridger unit is tied to the need for a resource addition
(B2H).
* These itemsJackpot Solar PPA and the Valmy Unit 1 exit were complete at the time the Second Amended 2019
IRP was filed on October 2, 2020.
* Further analysis will be conducted to evaluate the optimal exit date of Valmy Unit 2, weighing exit economics and
system reliability concerns. Further discussion of Valmy Unit 2 is provided below.
Given the complexities and ongoing-developments related to Valmy Unit 2, Bridger units, and
B2H, an update on each is provided below.
Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date
The IRP provides a robust method of assessing future resource options over a two-decade
timeframe. Although AURORA modeling has consistently showed an economic exit of Valmy
Unit 2 in 2025 in WECC-optimized runs, cost analyses specific to Idaho Power suggest the
potential for additional savings from earlier exit dates. Exiting Valmy Unit 2 in 2022, rather than
2025, would provide approximately $3 million in NPV savings due to avoided capital investment
and net O&M reductions.
However, potential savings based on a long-term analysis should not be the sole consideration.
Rather, near-term economic and reliability impacts of an earlier exit must also be evaluated using
data points such as forward market hub price forecasts, planned unit outages, Idaho Power’s
customer risk management processes, and recent market conditions, among other items. The
objective of this near-term analysis would be to identify any tradeoffs between an earlier exit
date and the ability to provide reliable, affordable power.
For these reasons, in the months ahead Idaho Power will conduct further analysis of Valmy Unit
2 exit timing. In particular, the company will assess the feasibility of a 2022 exit, which would
require 15 months of advance notice to the plant operator (i.e. a decision prior to September 30,
2021). The analysis will consider customer reliability, more current operating budgets and
economics to inform a decision that will minimize costs for customers while ensuring Idaho
Power can maintain system reliability.
As noted in the 2017 IRP, Idaho Power will also need to explore whether a long-term firm
purchase of transmission and energy in the South can adequately replace any deficit caused by an
earlier Valmy Unit 2 closure. Idaho Power may need to ensure availability by issuing a request
for proposal for a long-term purchase. Absent such long-term purchase, it may not be feasible to
exit the unit prior to the completion of B2H.
Bridger Unit Exit Dates
Idaho Power identified early Bridger unit exits in 2022, 2026, 2028, and 2030. The 2022 and
2026 exits will be Bridger Unit 1 and Bridger Unit 2, with the exit order to be determined. The
2028 and 2030 exits will be Bridger Unit 3 and Bridger Unit 4, with the order also to be
determined.
Idaho Power Company 1. Summary
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 23
Idaho Power owns one-third of each Bridger unit, and PacifiCorp owns two-thirds of each
Bridger unit and is the Bridger plant operator. In its 2019 IRP, PacifiCorp identified different
exit dates for each Bridger unit, with the first unit being exited in 2023, one year after Idaho
Power’s identified first unit exit date. Idaho Power and PacifiCorp have not developed
contractual terms that would be necessary to allow for the potential earlier exit of a Bridger unit
by one party, and not both parties. Any new contractual terms may impact the costs and
assumptions built into Idaho Power’s resource planning, and therefore the specific timing of exits
identified in this IRP.
Boardman to Hemingway Participant Update
The B2H permitting project’s co-participants are Idaho Power, BPA, and PacifiCorp. To date,
the co-participants’ contemplated ownership interests in B2H have generally corresponded with
their capacity needs, and with the current allocation of permitting costs borne by each co-
participant as follows: Idaho Power: 21 percent, BPA: 24 percent, and PacifiCorp: 55 percent.
However, the B2H co-participants are exploring an alternative asset, service, and ownership
arrangement under which Idaho Power would assume BPA’s contemplated 24 percent ownership
share in B2H, and Idaho Power would provide BPA and/or its customers with transmission
wheeling service across southern Idaho. As part of the terms of the contemplated transmission
service agreement, BPA and/or its customers would pay for transmission wheeling under the
provisions of Idaho Power’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT). Under this arrangement,
BPA and/or its customers’ OATT payments would, over time, ensure recovery of Idaho Power’s
revenue requirement associated with BPA’s respective usage of B2H.
Importantly, the contemplated arrangement will have an immaterial impact on Idaho Power’s
analysis of B2H in this Second Amended IRP. While Idaho Power’s formal ownership interest
and share of the cost of B2H would increase, the company’s original 21 percent ownership share
would continue to reflect the company’s approximate share of the costs for B2H used to serve
Idaho Power’s retail customers. The company’s assumption of BPA’s contemplated 24 percent
ownership would be offset by the transmission wheeling service to BPA and/or its customers.
Thus, Idaho Power’s share of the financial responsibility for B2H, as analyzed in this Second
Amended IRP, would remain unchanged. As a result, the Second Amended IRP’s use of a 21
percent ownership share for purposes of the IRP’s least-cost, least risk analysis is still
appropriate.
Moreover, the contemplated arrangement would provide a number of benefits to Idaho Power’s
customers that they would not realize under the original approach, including:
Ownership will be consolidated, simplifying design, construction, and operations. This
will reduce project costs. In particular, each owner has certain design standards. A
consolidation simplifies coordination and construction activities.
Without a federal owner, local property taxes will increase and provide additional value
to the communities along the line-route.
If Idaho Power determines that its customers will experience additional economic or other
benefits by virtue of owning 45 percent of B2H, the company will evaluate these net benefits in
future resource planning exercises.
1. Summary Idaho Power Company
Page 24 Second Amended 2019 IRP
As of the filing of this Second Amended IRP, regular discussions among the co-participants are
ongoing; however, no definitive agreements have been reached. The reason for the extended time
for deliberation is the complexity of the arrangement as it pertains to potential asset swaps,
legacy contracts, and extensive transmission planning studies. Idaho Power continues to believe
that B2H is the best path for its customers and looks forward to sharing additional specific terms
of arrangements with the parties as soon as possible. Idaho Power’s 21 percent share, as modeled
in this Second Amended IRP, remains the best and most up-to-date information for use in the IRP
process.
Idaho Power Company 2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 25
2. POLITICAL, REGULATORY, AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES
Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance
Under the umbrella of the Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR),
the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance (ISEA) was established to help develop effective and
long-lasting responses to existing and future energy challenges. The purpose of the ISEA is to
enable the development of a sound energy portfolio that emphasizes the importance of an
affordable, reliable, and secure energy supply.
The ISEA strategy to accomplish this purpose rests on three foundational elements: 1)
maintaining and enhancing a stable, secure, and affordable energy system; 2) determining how to
maximize the economic value of Idaho’s energy systems and in-state capabilities, including
attracting jobs and energy-related industries, and creating new businesses with the potential to
serve local, regional, and global markets; and 3) educating Idahoans to increase their knowledge
about energy and energy issues.
Idaho Power representatives serve on the ISEA Board of Directors and several volunteer task
forces on the following topics:
Energy efficiency and conservation
Wind
Geothermal
Hydropower
Baseload resources
Biogas
Biofuel
Solar
Transmission
Communication and outreach
Energy storage
Transportation
Idaho Energy Landscape
In 2019, the ISEA prepared the 2019 Idaho Energy Landscape Report. The 2019 report is a
resource to help Idahoans better understand the contemporary energy landscape in the state and
to make informed decisions about Idaho’s energy future.
The 2019 Idaho Energy Landscape Report concludes the health of Idaho’s economy and quality
of life depend on access to affordable and reliable energy resources. The report provides
information about energy resources, production, distribution, and use in the state. The report also
discusses the need for reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for individuals, families, and
businesses while protecting the environment to achieve sustainable economic growth and
maintain Idaho’s quality of life.
The 2019 report finds a weakening correlation between economic growth and energy
consumption due to technological changes and the increased use of energy efficiency. Idaho’s
gross domestic product grew 4.7 percent annually from 1997 to 2017, yet Idaho’s energy
2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues Idaho Power Company
Page 26 Second Amended 2019 IRP
consumption (transportation, heat, light, and power) grew just 1.1 percent annually from 1990 to
2016.
Despite the modest growth in energy consumption, Idaho continues to be a net importer of
energy, which requires a robust and well-maintained infrastructure of highways, railroads,
pipelines, and transmission lines. Based on Idaho’s 2016 electricity energy sources,
approximately 32 percent was comprised of market purchases and energy imports from out-of-
state generating resources owned by Idaho utilities.
The report states that low average rates for electricity and natural gas are the most important
feature of Idaho’s energy outlook. Large hydroelectric facilities on the Snake River and other
tributaries of the Columbia River provide energy and flexibility required to meet the demands of
this growing region. Based on 2017 data, hydroelectricity and coal are the two largest sources of
Idaho’s electricity, comprising 53 and 17 percent, respectively. Natural gas makes up 14 percent,
and non-hydro renewables, principally wind power, solar, geothermal, and biomass, account for
approximately 14 percent. Idaho’s electricity rates were the fifth lowest among the 50 states in
2017.
State of Oregon 2018 Biennial Energy Report
In 2017, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) introduced House Bill (HB) 2343, which
charges the ODOE to develop a new biennial report to inform local, state, regional, and federal
energy policy development and energy planning and investments. The inaugural 2018 biennial
report provides foundational energy data about Oregon and examines the existing policy
landscape while identifying several options for continued progress toward meeting the state’s
goals in the areas of climate change, renewable energy, transportation, energy resilience, energy
efficiency, and consumer protection.
The biennial report shows an evolving energy supply in Oregon. While Oregon’s 2017 energy
supply consisted primarily of hydroelectric power, coal, and natural gas, renewable energy
continues to make up an increasing share of the energy mix each year. Wind energy consumed in
Oregon increased 741 percent between 2004 and 2016, and solar generation increased from 28
MWh in 2008 to 266,000 MWh in 2016. With the increase in renewable energy sources, other
resources in the electricity mix have changed as well. The amount of coal included in Oregon’s
resource mix has dropped since 2005. Natural gas, a resource that can help to integrate variable
renewable resources, like wind and solar, into the grid has increased from 12.1 percent in 2012 to
18.4 percent in 2016.
The main theme of the 2018 biennial report was Oregon’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
According to the report, achieving Oregon’s energy and climate goals, while protecting
consumers, will take collaboration among state agencies, policy makers, state and local
governments, and private-sector business and industry leaders.
Idaho Power Company 2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 27
FERC Relicensing
Like other utilities that operate
non-federal hydroelectric projects on
qualified waterways, Idaho Power
obtains licenses from FERC for its
hydroelectric projects. The licenses last
for 30 to 50 years, depending on the size,
complexity, and cost of the project.
Idaho Power’s remaining and most
significant ongoing relicensing effort is
for the Hells Canyon Complex (HCC).
The HCC provides approximately 68
percent of Idaho Power’s hydroelectric
generating capacity and 32 percent of the
company’s total generating capacity. The original license for the HCC expired in July 2005.
Until the new, multi-year license is issued, Idaho Power continues to operate the project under
annual licenses issued by FERC. The HCC provides clean energy to Idaho Power’s system,
supporting Idaho Power’s long-term clean energy goals. The HCC also provides flexible
capacity critical to the successful integration of VER, further enabling the achievement of
Idaho Power’s clean energy goals.
The HCC license application was filed in July 2003 and accepted by FERC for filing in
December 2003. FERC has been processing the application consistent with the requirements of
the Federal Power Act of 1920, as amended (FPA); the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA); the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA); the Clean Water Act of
1972 (CWA); and other applicable federal laws. Since issuance of the final environmental impact
statement (EIS) (NEPA document) in 2007, FERC has been waiting for Idaho and Oregon to
issue a final Section 401 certification under the CWA. The states issued the final CWA 401
certification, subject to appeal, on May 24, 2019. FERC will now be able to continue with the
relicensing process, which includes consultation under the ESA, among other actions.
Efforts to obtain a new multi-year license for the HCC are expected to continue until a new
license is issued, which Idaho Power estimates will occur no earlier than 2022. In December
2017, Idaho Power filed with the IPUC a settlement stipulation signed by Idaho Power, IPUC
staff, and a third-party intervenor recognizing a total of $216.5 million in expenditures had been
reasonably incurred through year-end 2015, and therefore, should be eligible for inclusion in
customer rates at a later date. The IPUC approved the settlement in April 2018 (IPUC Order No.
34031).
After a new multi-year license is issued, further costs will be incurred to comply with the terms
of the new license. Because the new license for the HCC has not been issued and discussions on
protection, mitigation, and enhancement (PM&E) packages are still being conducted, Idaho
Power cannot determine the ultimate terms of, and costs associated with, any resulting long-term
license.
Hells Canyon Dam
2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues Idaho Power Company
Page 28 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Relicensing activities include the following:
1. Coordinating the relicensing process
2. Consulting with regulatory agencies, tribes, and interested parties on resource and legal
matters
3. Preparing and conducting studies on fish, wildlife, recreation, archaeological resources,
historical flow patterns, reservoir operation and load shaping, forebay and river
sedimentation, and reservoir contours and volumes
4. Analyzing data and reporting study results
5. Preparing all necessary reports, exhibits, and filings to support ongoing regulatory
processes related to the relicensing effort
Failure to relicense any of the existing hydroelectric projects at a reasonable cost will create
upward pressure on the electric rates of Idaho Power customers. The relicensing process also has
the potential to decrease available capacity and increase the cost of a project’s generation
through additional operating constraints and requirements for environmental PM&E measures
imposed as a condition of relicensing. Idaho Power’s goal throughout the relicensing process is
to maintain the low cost of generation at the hydroelectric facilities while implementing
non-power measures designed to protect and enhance the river environment. As noted earlier,
Idaho Power views the relicensing of the HCC as critical to its clean energy goals.
No reduction of the available capacity or operational flexibility of the hydroelectric plants to be
relicensed has been assumed in the 2019 IRP.
Idaho Water Issues
Power generation at Idaho Power’s hydroelectric projects on the Snake River and its tributaries is
dependent on the State water rights held by the company for these projects. The long-term
sustainability of the Snake River Basin streamflows, including tributary spring flows and the
regional aquifer system, is crucial for Idaho Power to maintain generation from these projects.
Idaho Power is dedicated to the vigorous defense of its water rights. Idaho Power’s ongoing
participation in water-right issues and ongoing studies is intended to guarantee sufficient water is
available for use at the company’s hydroelectric projects on the Snake River.
Idaho Power, along with other Snake River Basin water-right holders, was engaged in the Snake
River Basin Adjudication (SRBA), a general streamflow adjudication process started in 1987 to
define the nature and extent of water rights in the Snake River Basin. The initiation of the SRBA
resulted from the Swan Falls Agreement entered into by Idaho Power and the governor and
attorney general of the State of Idaho in October 1984. Idaho Power filed claims for all its
hydroelectric water rights in the SRBA. Because of the SRBA, Idaho Power’s water rights were
adjudicated, resulting in the issuance of partial water-right decrees. The Final Unified Decree for
the SRBA was signed on August 25, 2014.
In 1984, the Swan Falls Agreement resolved a struggle between the State of Idaho and Idaho
Power over the company’s water rights at the Swan Falls Hydroelectric Project (Swan Falls
Idaho Power Company 2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 29
Project). The agreement stated Idaho Power’s water rights at its hydroelectric facilities between
Milner Dam and Swan Falls entitled Idaho Power to a minimum flow at Swan Falls of 3,900
cubic feet per second (cfs) during the irrigation season and 5,600 cfs during the non-irrigation
season.
The Swan Falls Agreement placed the portion of the company’s water rights beyond the
minimum flows in a trust established by the Idaho Legislature for the benefit of Idaho Power and
Idahoans. Legislation establishing the trust granted the state authority to allocate trust water to
future beneficial uses in accordance with state law. Idaho Power retained the right to use water in
excess of the minimum flows at its facilities for hydroelectric generation until it was reallocated
to other uses.
Idaho Power filed suit in the SRBA in 2007 because of disputes about the meaning and
application of the Swan Falls Agreement. The company asked the court to resolve issues
associated with Idaho Power’s water rights and the application and effect of the trust provisions
of the Swan Falls Agreement. In addition, Idaho Power asked the court to determine whether the
agreement subordinated Idaho Power’s hydroelectric water rights to aquifer recharge.
A settlement signed in 2009 reaffirmed the Swan Falls Agreement and resolved the litigation by
clarifying the water rights held in trust by the State of Idaho are subject to subordination to future
upstream beneficial uses, including aquifer recharge. The settlement also committed the State of
Idaho and Idaho Power to further discussions on important water-management issues concerning
the Swan Falls Agreement and the management of water in the Snake River Basin. Idaho Power
and the State of Idaho are actively involved in those discussions. The settlement recognizes
water-management measures that enhance aquifer levels, springs, and river flows—such as
managed aquifer-recharge projects—to benefit agricultural development and hydroelectric
generation.
Idaho Power initiated and pursued a successful weather modification program in the Snake River
Basin. The company partnered with an existing program in the upper Snake River Basin and has
cooperatively expanded the existing weather-modification program, along with forecasting and
meteorological data support. In 2014, Idaho Power expanded its cloud-seeding program to the
Boise and Wood River basins, in collaboration with basin water users and the Idaho Water
Resource Board (IWRB). Wood River cloud seeding, along with the upper Snake River
activities, will benefit the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer (ESPA) Comprehensive Aquifer
Management Plan (CAMP) implementation through additional water supply.
Water-management activities for the ESPA are currently being driven by the recent agreement
between the Surface Water Coalition and the Idaho Ground Water Appropriators. This
agreement settled a call by the Surface Water Coalition against groundwater appropriators for the
delivery of water to its members at the Minidoka and Milner dams. The agreement provides a
plan for the management of groundwater resources on the ESPA with the goal of improving
aquifer levels and spring discharge upstream of Milner Dam. The plan provides short- and
long-term aquifer level goals that must be met to ensure a sufficient water supply for the Surface
Water Coalition. The plan also references ongoing management activities, such as aquifer
recharge. The plan provided the framework for modeling future management activities on the
ESPA. These management activities were included in the modeling to develop the flow file for
assessing hydropower production through the IRP planning horizon.
2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues Idaho Power Company
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On November 4, 2016, Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) Director Gary Spackman
signed an order creating a Ground Water Management Area (GWMA) for the ESPA. Spackman
told the Idaho Water Users Association at their November 2016 Water Law Seminar:
By designating a groundwater management area in the Eastern Snake Plain
Aquifer region, we bring all of the water users into the fold—cities, water districts
and others—who may be affecting aquifer levels through their consumptive use.
[…] As we’ve continued to collect and analyze water data through the years, we
don’t see recovery happening in the ESPA. We’re losing 200,000 acre-feet of
water per year.
Spackman said creating a GWMA will embrace the terms of a historic water settlement between
the Surface Water Coalition and groundwater users, but the GWMA for the ESPA will also seek
to bring other water users under management who have not joined a groundwater district,
including some cities.
Variable Energy Resource Integration
Since the mid-2000s, Idaho Power has completed multiple studies investigating the impacts and
costs associated with integrating VERs, such as wind and solar, without compromising
reliability. Idaho Power’s most recent VER study was completed in 2018. As suggested by
feedback from the 2017 IRP, as well as the results of Idaho Power’s 2018 Variable Energy
Resource Integration Analysis (2018 VER Study), several improvements were incorporated into
AURORA and the resource portfolio analysis of the 2019 IRP to model the adequate
maintenance of reserve margins as resources are added or removed in the IRP portfolios.
In compliance with Order Nos. 17-075 and 17-223 in Oregon Docket No. UM 1793, Idaho
Power filed the 2018 VER Study, which described the methods followed by Idaho Power to
estimate the amounts of regulating reserves necessary to integrate VER without compromising
system reliability. The methods followed in the 2018 VER Study (which were developed in
collaboration with the study’s technical review committee, including personnel from both the
Idaho and Oregon PUCs) yielded estimated regulating reserve requirements necessary to balance
the netted system of load, wind, and solar (net load). The 2018 VER Study expressed these
regulating reserve requirements as the dynamically varying function of several factors:
Season (spring, summer, fall, winter)
Load-base schedule (two-hour ahead schedule)
Time of day (for load)
Wind-base schedule
Solar-base schedule
The regulating reserve requirements necessary to balance net load for a given hour can be
expressed as dependent on the above five factors. The derivation of the regulating reserve
requirements from a net-load perspective captures the tendency of the three elements (i.e., load,
wind, and solar) to deviate from their respective base schedules in an offsetting manner.
Idaho Power Company 2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 31
Therefore, the amount of regulating reserve required for net load is less than the sum of the
individual requirements for each element.
The 2018 VER Study suggested a unified VER integration analysis may be a favored approach
for assessing impacts and costs for incremental wind and solar additions going forward. The
2018 VER Study also notes that Idaho Power’s system is nearing a point where the current
system of reserve-providing resources (i.e., dispatchable thermal and hydro resources) can no
longer integrate additional VERs without taking additional action to address potential reserve
requirement shortfalls. The 2018 VER Study concluded that additional investigation is warranted
into the combined effect of wind and solar, in a unified VER integration cost analysis, along with
the effects of Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) participation.
The 2018 VER Study also identified that, based on the current resources on Idaho Power’s
system, 173 MW of additional VERs could be integrated before reserve margin violations exceed
10 percent of the operating hours during the year. The study also concluded that at the high
relative penetration levels of variable wind and solar that currently exist on Idaho Power’s
system, additional analysis is warranted, and as Idaho Power gains more experience operating as
part of the EIM.
AURORA modeling used in the 2019 IRP has improved since the 2018 VER Study. The 2019
IRP uses the AURORA model Version 13.2.1001, which incorporates improvements in
modeling reserve requirements combined with Idaho Power’s own modeling improvements and
assumptions. Specifically, the HCC hydro units can use the hydro logic in AURORA, which
allows for spill. The resources dedicated to maintaining the additional reserves incur costs, such
as spill, which are captured within the model as increased cost to the portfolio. The model
version enhancements allow Idaho Power to include all 12 HCC hydro units as providing
reserves in the 2019 IRP LTCE process, which mirrors a more realistic HCC hydro operation.
The existing thermal units’ ability to provide reserves is nearly identical to the previous setup.,
except that Valmy does not provide reserves. The evolution of using the enhanced capabilities in
AURORA to define the resource portfolios using the LTCE logic while simultaneously
incorporating the VER dynamic reserve rules associated with varying quantities of VERs is a
significant advancement in portfolio design at Idaho Power.
For the 2019 IRP, integration charges for VERs are not used as an input into the AURORA
model because portfolio development for the 2019 IRP is being performed through LTCE
modeling. Under this approach, the model’s selection of resources is driven by the objective to
construct portfolios that are low cost and achieve the planning margin and regulating reserve
requirements. Based on approximations of the 2018 VER Study’s dynamically defined regulating
reserve requirements, the 2019 IRP includes hourly regulating reserves associated with current
levels of load, wind, and solar, as well as future portfolios having higher levels of load and
potentially higher levels of VERs.
For the 2019 IRP analysis, the 2018 VER Study provided the rules to define hourly reserves
needed to reliably operate the system based on current and future quantities of solar and wind
generation and load forecasted by season and time of day. Improvements in Version 13 of the
2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues Idaho Power Company
Page 32 Second Amended 2019 IRP
AURORA model, compared to when the study was performed,4 allow the 2018 VER Study
reserve rules to dynamically establish hourly reserves for different quantities of variable
resources in a portfolio. The reserves are defined separately, incorporating their combined
diversity benefits dynamically in the modeling. The reserve rules applied in the 2019 IRP include
defining hourly reserve requirements for “Load Up,” “Load Down,” “Solar Up,” “Solar Down,”
and “Wind Up.” The “Wind Down” reserves are included in the “Load Down” reserves, as
AURORA cannot dynamically apply the “Wind Down” reserves rules as defined and applied in
the study.
The 2019 IRP analysis is a step toward a unified VER integration cost analysis as concluded in
the 2018 VER Study. While the 2018 VER study provided valuable information regarding the
rules for reserve requirements, the modeling performed for the 2019 IRP provides more
information on how VERs affect Idaho Power’s system and the ability to maintain sufficient
reserves. The 2019 IRP has allowed Idaho Power, via the AURORA model, to quantitatively
capture and enforce the hourly flexibility requirements for a portfolio to dynamically change
regulating reserves in line with the 2018 VER Study reserve requirement rules.
The results of the 2019 IRP portfolio development show that additional VERs are selected in a
majority of LTCE portfolios, and many of the portfolios show new solar resources selected and
coal units being retired. This indicates the model has sufficient regulating reserves to
economically retire a reserve-contributing coal unit while adding new solar resources.
Additionally, Idaho Power’s load is forecast to grow through 2022 and 2023, which allows more
VERs to be successfully integrated. The additional VERs in the AURORA integrated portfolio
analysis dynamically increase the system reserves associated with increased VER energy by
applying the 2018 VER Study rules to model reliable system operations. However, when
additional incremental VERs are added to the system outside, or between, IRP cycles, there is
still a need to identify the incremental cost of maintaining adequate reserves for reliable
operations. This will require Idaho Power to continue to build on the advancements made by the
2019 IRP analysis of a unified VER integration cost first identified in the 2018 VER Study. As
noted in the near-term action plan, this will be performed in conjunction with the additional
experience the company gains from continued operation in the EIM, as well as with the
collaboration of a Technical Review Committee as part of an updated integration study.
Community Solar Pilot Program
Idaho
In response to customer interest, in June 2016, Idaho Power filed an application with the IPUC
requesting an order authorizing Idaho Power to implement an optional Community Solar Pilot
Program.
For the pilot program, Idaho Power proposed to build and own a 500-kilowatt (kW) single-axis
tracking community solar array in southeast Boise and allow a limited number of Idaho Power’s
Idaho customers to voluntarily subscribe to the generation output on a first-come basis.
4 The 2018 VER Study was performed using Version 12.1.1046 of the AURORA model.
Idaho Power Company 2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 33
Participating customers would be required to pay a one-time, upfront subscription fee, and in
return would receive a monthly bill credit for their designated share of the energy produced from
the array. Because the Idaho Power’s 2015 IRP did not reflect a load-serving need for the
proposed solar resource, the overall program design was intended to result in program
participants covering the full cost of the project with nominal impact to nonparticipating
customers.
The IPUC approved the pilot program on October 31, 2016, and marketing efforts for customer
subscriptions began immediately.
Due to insufficient program enrollment, in February 2019, Idaho Power filed with the IPUC to
suspend Schedule 63, Community Solar Pilot Program. The IPUC opened Case No. IPC-E-19-05
to process the request, and on April 26, 2019, issued Order No. 34317 approving the company’s
request to suspend Schedule 63. Idaho Power will continue to work with stakeholders to
determine a community solar program design that could be successful in a future offering.
Oregon
In 2016, the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill (SB) 1547, which requires the OPUC to
establish a program for the procurement of electricity from community solar projects.
Community solar projects provide electric company customers the opportunity to share in the
costs and benefits associated with the electricity generated by solar photovoltaic systems, as
owners of or subscribers to a portion of the solar project.
Since 2016, the OPUC has conducted an inclusive implementation process to carefully design
and execute a program that will operate successfully, expand opportunities, and have a fair and
positive impact across electric company ratepayers. After an inclusive stakeholder process, the
OPUC adopted formal rules for the CSP on June 29, 2017, through Order No. 17-232, which
adopted Division 88 of Chapter 860 of the Oregon Administrative Rules. The rules also define
the program size, community solar project requirements, program participant requirements, and
details surrounding the opportunity for low-income participants, as well as information regarding
on-bill crediting.
Under the Oregon Community Solar Program rules, Idaho Power’s initial capacity tier is 3.3
MW. As of the date of this filing, Idaho Power has completed the interconnection study process
for a 2.95 MW project that intends to participate in the community solar program. The company
believes that the project is well positioned to obtain the necessary certifications to participate in
the community solar program. The proposed 2.95 MW project will use all but 305 kW of Idaho
Power’s initial capacity allocation.
Renewable Energy Certificates
A REC, also known as a green tag, representrepresents the green or renewable attributes of
energy produced by a certified renewable resourcesresource. Specifically, a REC represents the
renewable attributes associated with the production of 1 MWh of electricity generated by a
qualified renewable energy resource, such as a wind turbine, geothermal plant, or solar facility.
The purchase of a REC buys the renewable attributes, or “greenness,” of that energy.
2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues Idaho Power Company
Page 34 Second Amended 2019 IRP
A renewable or green energy provider (e.g., a wind farm) is credited with one REC for every 1
MWh of electricity produced. RECs produced by a certified renewable resource can either be
sold together with the energy (bundled), sold separately (unbundled), or be retired to comply
with a state- or federal-level renewable portfolio standard (RPS). An RPS is a policy requiring a
minimum amount (usually a percentage) of the electricity each utility delivers to customers to
come from renewable energy resources. Retired RECs also enable the retiring entity to claim the
renewable energy attributes of the corresponding amount of energy delivered to customers.
A certifying tracking system gives each REC a unique identification number to facilitate tracking
purchases, sales, and retirements. The electricity produced by the renewable resource is fed into
the electrical grid, and the associated REC can then be used (retired), held (banked), or traded
(sold).
REC prices depend on many factors, including the following:
The location of the facility producing the RECs
REC supply/demand
Whether the REC is certified for RPS compliance
The generation type associated with the REC (e.g., wind, solar, geothermal)
Whether the RECs are bundled with energy or unbundled
When Idaho Power sells RECs, the proceeds are returned to Idaho Power customers through
each state’s power cost adjustment (PCA) mechanisms as directed by the IPUC in Order No.
32002 and by the OPUC in Order No. 11-086. Idaho Power cannot claim the renewable
attributes associated with RECs that are sold. The new REC owner has purchased the rights to
claim the renewable attributes of that energy.
Idaho Power customers who choose to purchase renewable energy can do so under Idaho
Power’s Green Power Program. Under this program, each dollar of green power purchased
represents 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy delivered to the regional power grid,
providing the Green Power Program participant associated claims for the renewable energy.
Most of the participant funds are used to purchase RECs from renewable projects in the
Northwest and to support Solar 4R Schools, a program designed to educate students about
renewable energy by placing solar installations on school property. A portion of the funds are
used to market the program, with the prospect of increasing participation in the program. On
behalf of program participants, Idaho Power obtains and retires RECs.
In 2018, Idaho Power purchased and subsequently retired 18,148 RECs on behalf of Green
Power participants. In 2018, all Green Power RECs were sourced from projects located in Idaho.
Renewable Portfolio Standard
As part of the Oregon Renewable Energy Act of 2007 (Senate Bill 838), the State of Oregon
established an RPS for electric utilities and retail electricity suppliers. Under the Oregon RPS,
Idaho Power is classified as a smaller utility because the company’s Oregon customers represent
Idaho Power Company 2. Political, Regulatory, and Operational Issues
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 35
less than 3 percent of Oregon’s total retail electric sales. In 2017, per U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA) data, Idaho Power’s Oregon customers represented 1.4 percent of
Oregon’s total retail electric sales. As a smaller utility in the state of Oregon, Idaho Power will
likely have to meet a 5-percent RPS requirement beginning in 2025.
In 2016, the Oregon RPS was updated by Senate Bill 1547 to raise the target from 25 percent by
2025 to 50 percent renewable energy by 2040; however, Idaho Power’s obligation as a smaller
utility does not change.
The State of Idaho does not currently have an RPS.
Carbon Adder/Clean Power Plan
In June 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released, under Section 111(d) of the
Clean Air Act of 1970 (CAA), a proposed rule for addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) from
existing fossil fuel-fired electric generating units (EGU). The proposed rule was intended to
achieve a 30-percent reduction in CO2 emissions from the power sector by 2030. In August
2015, the EPA released the final rule under Section 111(d) of the CAA, referred to as the Clean
Power Plan (CPP), which required states to adopt plans to collectively reduce 2005 levels of
power sector CO2 emissions by 32 percent by 2030.
The final rule provided states until September 2018 to submit implementation plans, phasing in
several compliance periods beginning in 2022 and achieving the final emissions goals by 2030.
In August 2018, the EPA proposed the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule to replace the CPP
under Section 111(d) of the CAA for existing electric utility generating units.
The new proposed rule is limited to reduction and compliance measures occurring at the physical
location of each plant, removing the proposal to require reductions outside the boundaries of
plants. The Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule also provides for more state-specific control
over implementation of the rule to address GHG emissions from existing coal-fired power plants,
with a focus on state evaluation of improvement potential, technical feasibility, applicability, and
remaining useful life of each unit.
Because the rule is premised on state implementation plans, the terms of which Idaho Power
does not control, and due to the existing and potential changes in legislation, regulation, and
government policy with respect to environmental matters as a result of the presidential
administration's executive orders and the EPA’s proposal to repeal and replace the CPP, as of the
date of this report and in light of these executive actions, Idaho Power is uncertain whether and
to what extent the replacement CPP may impact its operations in the near future. For the 2019
IRP, Idaho Power assumes a carbon adder to account for costs associated with CO2 emissions.
The analyzed carbon cost forecasts are discussed in Chapter 8.
3. Idaho Power Today Idaho Power Company
Page 36 Second Amended 2019 IRP
3. IDAHO POWER TODAY
Customer Load and Growth
In 1994, Idaho Power served approximately
329,000 general business customers.
TodayIn 2019, Idaho Power servesserved
more than 560,000 general business
customers in Idaho and Oregon. Firm peak-
hour load has increased from 2,245 MW in
1994 to about 3,400 MW. On July 7, 2017,
the peak-hour load reached 3,422 MW—
the system peak-hour record.
Average firm load increased from 1,375
average MW (aMW) in 1994 to 1,801
aMW in 2018 (load calculations exclude
the load from the former special-contract
customer Astaris, or FMC). Additional details of Idaho Power’s historical load and customer
data are shown in Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1. The data in Table 3.1 suggests each new customer
adds over 5.0 kW to the peak-hour load and over 3.0 average kW (akW) to the average load.
Since 1994, Idaho Power’s total nameplate generation has increased from 2,661 MW to 3,594
MW. Table 3.1 shows Idaho Power’s changes in reported nameplate capacity since 1994.
Additionally, Idaho Power has added about 228,000 new customers since 1994.
Idaho Power anticipates adding approximately 10,900 customers each year throughout the
20-year planning period. The expected-case load forecast for the entire system predicts summer
peak-hour load requirements will grow nearly 50 MW per year, and the average-energy
requirement is forecast to grow over 20 aMW per year. More detailed customer and load forecast
information is presented in Chapter 7 and in Appendix A—Sales and Load Forecast.
Residential construction growth in southern Idaho.
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 37
Figure 3.1 Historical capacity, load, and customer data
Table 3.1 Historical capacity, load and customer data
Year Total Nameplate Generation (MW) Peak Firm Load (MW) Average Firm Load (aMW) Customers1
1994 2,661 2,245 1,375 329,094
1995 2,703 2,224 1,324 339,450
1996 2,703 2,437 1,438 351,261
1997 2,728 2,352 1,457 361,838
1998 2,738 2,535 1,491 372,464
1999 2,738 2,675 1,552 383,354
2000 2,738 2,765 1,654 393,095
2001 2,851 2,500 1,576 403,061
2002 2,912 2,963 1,623 414,062
2003 2,912 2,944 1,658 425,599
2004 2,912 2,843 1,671 438,912
2005 3,085 2,961 1,661 456,104
2006 3,085 3,084 1,747 470,950
2007 3,093 3,193 1,810 480,523
2008 3,276 3,214 1,816 486,048
2009 3,276 3,031 1,744 488,813
2010 3,276 2,930 1,680 491,368
2011 3,276 2,973 1,712 495,122
2012 3,594 3,245 1,746 500,731
2013 3,594 3,407 1,801 508,051
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Cu
s
t
o
m
e
r
s
MW
Total Nameplate Generation (MW)Peak Firm Load (MW)Average Firm Load (aMW)Customers
3. Idaho Power Today Idaho Power Company
Page 38 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Year Total Nameplate Generation (MW) Peak Firm Load (MW) Average Firm Load (aMW) Customers1
2014 3,594 3,184 1,739 515,262
2015 3,594 3,402 1,748 524,325
2016 3,594 3,299 1,750 533,935
2017 3,594 3,422 1,807 544,378
2018 3,6592 3,392 1,810 556,926
1 Year-end residential, commercial, and industrial customers, plus the maximum number of active irrigation customers.
2 Reported nameplate capacity reflects recent modifications to hydroelectric facilities.
2018 Energy Sources
Idaho Power’s energy sources for 2018 are shown in Figure 3.2. Idaho Power-owned generating
capacity was the source for 71.4 percent of the energy delivered to customers. Hydroelectric
production from company-owned projects was the largest single source of energy at 46.4 percent
of the total. Coal contributed 17.5 percent, and natural gas- and diesel-fired generation
contributed 7.5 percent. Purchased power comprised 28.6 percent of the total energy delivered to
customers. Of the purchased power, 9.3 percent of the total delivered energy was from the
wholesale electric market. The remaining purchased power, 19.3 percent, was from long-term
energy contracts (Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 [PURPA] and PPAs) primarily
from wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass projects (in order of decreasing percentage).
While Idaho Power receives production from PURPA and PPA projects, the company sells the
RECs it receives associated with the production and does not represent the energy from these
projects as energy delivered to customers.
Figure 3.2 2018 energy sources
Existing Supply-Side Resources
Table 3.2 shows all of Idaho Power’s existing company-owned resources, nameplate capacities,
and general locations.
Hydroelectric,
46.4%
Coal, 17.5%
Natural Gas &
Diesel, 7.5%
Purchased
Power, 28.6%
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 39
Table 3.2 Existing resources
Resource Type
Generator Nameplate
Capacity (MW) Location
American Falls Hydroelectric 92.3 Upper Snake
Bliss Hydroelectric 75.0 Mid-Snake
Brownlee Hydroelectric 652.6 Hells Canyon
C. J. Strike Hydroelectric 82.8 Mid-Snake
Cascade Hydroelectric 12.4 North Fork Payette
Clear Lake Hydroelectric 2.5 South Central Idaho
Hells Canyon Hydroelectric 391.5 Hells Canyon
Lower Malad Hydroelectric 13.5 South Central Idaho
Lower Salmon Hydroelectric 60.0 Mid-Snake
Milner Hydroelectric 59.4 Upper Snake
Oxbow Hydroelectric 190.0 Hells Canyon
Shoshone Falls Hydroelectric 11.5 Upper Snake
Swan Falls Hydroelectric 27.2 Mid-Snake
Thousand Springs Hydroelectric 6.8 South Central Idaho
Twin Falls Hydroelectric 52.9 Mid-Snake
Upper Malad Hydroelectric 8.3 South Central Idaho
Upper Salmon A Hydroelectric 18.0 Mid-Snake
Upper Salmon B Hydroelectric 16.5 Mid-Snake
Boardman Coal 64.2 North Central Oregon
Jim Bridger Coal 770.5 Southwest Wyoming
North Valmy* Coal 283.5 North Central Nevada
Langley Gulch Natural Gas—CCCT 318.5 Southwest Idaho
Bennett Mountain Natural Gas—SCCT 172.8 Southwest Idaho
Danskin Natural Gas—SCCT 270.9 Southwest Idaho
Salmon Diesel Diesel 5.0 Eastern Idaho
Total existing nameplate capacity 3,658.6
* North Valmy Unit 1 was exited at the end of 2019.
The following sections describe Idaho Power’s existing supply-side resources and long-term
power purchase contracts.
Hydroelectric Facilities
Idaho Power operates 17 hydroelectric projects on the Snake River and its tributaries. Together,
these hydroelectric facilities provide a total nameplate capacity of 1,773 MW and annual
generation equal to approximately 1,000 aMW, or 8.7 million MWh, under median water
conditions.
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Page 40 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Hells Canyon Complex
The backbone of Idaho Power’s hydroelectric system is the HCC in the Hells Canyon reach of
the Snake River. The HCC consists of Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon dams and the
associated generation facilities. In a normal water year, the three plants provide approximately
70 percent of Idaho Power’s annual hydroelectric generation and enough energy to meet over 30
percent of the energy demand of retail customers. Water storage in Brownlee Reservoir also
enables the HCC projects to provide the major portion of Idaho Power’s peaking and load
following capability.
Idaho Power operates the HCC to comply with the existing annual FERC license, as well as
voluntary arrangements to accommodate other interests, such as recreational use and
environmental resources. Among the arrangements are the Fall Chinook Program, voluntarily
adopted by Idaho Power in 1991 to protect the spawning and incubation of fall Chinook salmon
below Hells Canyon Dam. The fall Chinook salmon is currently listed as threatened under the
ESA.
Brownlee Reservoir is the main HCC reservoir and Idaho Power’s only reservoir with significant
active storage. Brownlee Reservoir has 101 vertical feet of active storage capacity, which equals
approximately 1 million acre-feet of water. Both Oxbow and Hells Canyon reservoirs have
significantly smaller active storage capacities—approximately 0.5 percent and 1 percent of
Brownlee Reservoir’s volume, respectively.
Brownlee Reservoir is a year-round, multiple-use resource for Idaho Power and the Pacific
Northwest. Although its primary purpose is to provide a stable power source, Brownlee
Reservoir is also used for system flood risk management, recreation, and the benefit of fish and
wildlife resources.
Brownlee Dam is one of several Pacific Northwest dams coordinated to provide springtime flood
risk management on the lower Columbia River. Idaho Power operates the reservoir in accordance
with flood risk management guidance received from the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) as
outlined in Article 42 of the existing FERC license.
After flood risk management requirements have been met in late spring, Idaho Power attempts to
refill the reservoir to meet peak summer electricity demands and provide suitable habitat for
spawning bass and crappie. The full reservoir also offers optimal recreational opportunities
through the Fourth of July holiday.
The US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) releases water from USBR storage reservoirs in the
Snake River Basin above Brownlee Reservoir to augment flows in the lower Snake River to help
anadromous fish migrate past the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) projects. The
releases are part of the flow augmentation implemented by the 2008 FCRPS biological opinion.
Much of the flow augmentation water travels through Idaho Power’s middle Snake River (mid-
Snake) projects, with all the flow augmentation eventually passing through the HCC before
reaching the FCRPS projects.
Brownlee Reservoir’s releases are managed to maintain operationally stable flows below Hells
Canyon Dam in the fall because of the Fall Chinook Program adopted by Idaho Power in 1991.
The stable flow is set at a level to protect fall Chinook spawning nests, or redds. During fall
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 41
Chinook operations, Idaho Power attempts to refill Brownlee Reservoir by the first week of
December to meet wintertime peak-hour loads. The fall Chinook plan spawning flows establish
the minimum flow below Hells Canyon Dam throughout the winter until the fall Chinook fry
emerge in the spring.
Upper Snake and Mid-Snake Projects
Idaho Power’s hydroelectric facilities upstream from the HCC include the Cascade, Swan Falls,
C. J. Strike, Bliss, Lower Salmon, Upper Salmon, Upper and Lower Malad, Thousand Springs,
Clear Lake, Shoshone Falls, Twin Falls, Milner, and American Falls projects. Although the
upstream projects typically follow run-of-river (ROR) operations, a small amount of peaking and
load-following capability exists at the Lower Salmon, Bliss, and C. J. Strike projects. These three
projects are operated within the FERC license requirements to coincide with daily system peak
demand when load-following capacity is available.
Idaho Power completed a study to identify the effects of load-following operations at the Lower
Salmon and Bliss power plants on the Bliss Rapids snail, a threatened species under the ESA.
The study was part of a 2004 settlement agreement with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
to relicense the Upper Salmon, Lower Salmon, Bliss, and C. J. Strike hydroelectric projects.
During the study, Idaho Power annually alternated operating the Bliss and Lower Salmon
facilities under ROR and load-following operations. Study results indicated while load-following
operations had the potential to harm individual snails, the operations were not a threat to the
viability or long-term persistence of the species.
A Bliss Rapids Snail Protection Plan developed in consultation with the FWS was completed in
March 2010. The plan identifies appropriate protection measures to be implemented by Idaho
Power, including monitoring snail populations in the Snake River and associated springs. By
implementing the protection and monitoring measures, the company has been able to operate the
Lower Salmon and Bliss projects in load-following mode while protecting the stability and
viability of the Bliss Rapids snail. Idaho Power has received a license amendment from FERC
for both projects that allows load-following operations to resume.
Water Lease Agreements
Idaho Power views the rental of water for delivery through its hydroelectric system as a
potentially cost-effective power-supply alternative. Water leases that allow the company to
request delivery when the hydroelectric production is needed are especially beneficial. Acquiring
water through the water bank also helps the company improve water-quality and temperature
conditions in the Snake River as part of ongoing relicensing efforts associated with the HCC.
The company does not currently have any standing water lease agreements. However, single year
leases from the Upper Snake Basin are occasionally available, and the company plans to
continue to evaluate potential water lease opportunities in the future.
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Cloud Seeding
In 2003, Idaho Power implemented a cloud-seeding
program to increase snowpack in the south and middle
forks of the Payette River watershed. In 2008, Idaho Power
began expanding its program by enhancing an existing
program operated by a coalition of counties and other
stakeholders in the upper Snake River Basin above Milner
Dam. Idaho Power has continued to collaborate with the
IWRB and water users in the upper Snake, Boise, and
Wood river basins to expand the target area to include
those watersheds.
Idaho Power seeds clouds by introducing silver iodide
(AgI) into winter storms. Cloud seeding increases
precipitation from passing winter storm systems. If a storm
has abundant supercooled liquid water vapor and
appropriate temperatures and winds, conditions are optimal
for cloud seeding to increase precipitation. Idaho Power uses two methods to seed clouds:
1. Remotely operated ground generators releasing AgI at high elevations
2. Modified aircraft burning flares containing AgI
Benefits of either method vary by storm, and the combination of both methods provides the most
flexibility to successfully introduce AgI into passing storms. Minute water particles within the
clouds freeze on contact with the AgI particles and eventually grow and fall to the ground as
snow downwind.
AgI particles are very efficient ice nuclei, allowing minute quantities to have an appreciable
increase in precipitation. It has been used as a seeding agent in numerous western states for
decades without any known harmful effects.5 Analyses conducted by Idaho Power since 2003
indicate the annual snowpack in the Payette River Basin increased between 1 and 22 percent
annually, with an annual average of 11.3 percent. Idaho Power estimates cloud seeding provides
an additional 424,000 acre-feet in the upper Snake River, 113,000 acre-feet in the Wood River
Basin, 229,000 acre-feet in the Boise Basin, and 212,000 acre-feet from the Payette River Basin.
At program build-out (including additional aircraft and remote ground generators), Idaho Power
estimates additional runoff from the Payette, Boise, Wood, and Upper Snake projects will total
approximately 1,269,000 acre-feet. The additional water from cloud seeding fuels the
hydropower system along the Snake River.
Seeded and Natural Orographic Wintertime Clouds: the Idaho Experiment (SNOWIE) was a
joint project between National Science Foundation and Idaho Power. Researchers from the
Universities of Wyoming, Colorado, and Illinois used Idaho Power’s operational cloud seeding
project, meteorological tools, and equipment to identify changes within wintertime precipitation
5 weathermod.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/EnvironmentalImpact.pdf
Footnotes continued on the next page.
Cloud seeding ground generators
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 43
after seeding has taken place. Ground breaking discoveries continue to be evaluated from this
dataset collected in winter 2017. Multiple scientific publications have already been published,6
with more planned for submission about the effects and benefits of cloud seeding.
For the 2018 to 2019 winter season, Idaho Power continued to collaborate with the State of Idaho
and water users to augment water supplies with cloud seeding. The program included 32 remote
controlled, ground-based generators and two aircraft for Idaho Power-operated cloud seeding in
the central mountains of Idaho (Payette, Boise, and Wood River basins). The Upper Snake River
Basin program included 25 remote-controlled, ground-based generators and one aircraft operated
by Idaho Power targeting the Upper Snake, as well as 25 manual, ground-based generators
operated by a coalition of stakeholders in the Upper Snake. The 2018 to 2019 season provided
abundant storms and seeding opportunities. Suspension criteria were met in some areas in early
February, and operations were suspended for the season for all target areas by early March.
Coal Facilities
Jim Bridger
Idaho Power owns one-third, or 771 MW (generator nameplate rating), of the Jim Bridger
coal-fired power plant located near Rock Springs, Wyoming. The Jim Bridger plant consists of
four generating units. PacifiCorp has two-thirds ownership and is the operator of the Jim Bridger
facility. For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power used the AURORA model’s capacity expansion
capability to evaluate a range of exit dates for the company’s participation in the Jim Bridger
units, where the evaluated exit dates were determined by the model within feasibility guidelines.
North Valmy
Idaho Power owns 50 percent, or 284 MW (generator nameplate rating), of the North Valmy
coal-fired power plant located near Winnemucca, Nevada. The North Valmy plant consists of
two generating units. NV Energy has 50 percent ownership and is the operator of the North
Valmy facility. For the AURORA-based capacity expansion modeling performed for the
2019 IRP, Idaho Power assumes an exit from Unit 1 participation at year-end 2019 and from
Unit 2 participation no later than year-end 2025. Pre-2025 exit from Unit 2 was an option
selectable by the AURORA model; however, the model did not select pre-2025 exit for
any portfolios.
Boardman
Idaho Power owns 10 percent, or 64.2 MW (generator nameplate rating), of the Boardman
coal-fired power plant located near Boardman, Oregon. The plant consists of a single generating
unit. Portland General Electric has 90 percent ownership and is the operator of the Boardman
facility.
6 French, J. R., and Coauthors, 2018: Precipitation formation from orographic cloud seeding. Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA, 115, 1168–1173, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1716995115.
Tessendorf, S.A., and Coauthors, 2019: Transformational approach to winter orographic weather
modification research: The SNOWIE Project. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 100, 71–92,
journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0152.1.
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The 2019 IRP assumes Idaho Power’s share of the Boardman plant will not be available after
December 31, 2020. An agreement reached between the Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality (ODEQ), PGE, and the EPA related to compliance with Regional Haze Best Available
Retrofit Technology (RH BART) rules on particulate matter, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen
oxide (NOx) emissions, requires the Boardman facility to cease coal-fired operations by year-end
2020.
Jim Bridger
Idaho Power owns one-third, or 771 MW (generator nameplate rating), of the Jim Bridger
coal-fired power plant located near Rock Springs, Wyoming. The Jim Bridger plant consists of
four generating units. PacifiCorp has two-thirds ownership and is the operator of the Jim Bridger
facility. For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power used the AURORA model’s capacity expansion
capability to evaluate a range of exit dates for the company’s participation in the Jim Bridger
units, where the evaluated exit dates were determined by the model within feasibility guidelines.
North Valmy
Idaho Power currently owns 50 percent, or 284 MW (generator nameplate rating), of the second
generating unit at the North Valmy coal-fired power plant located near Winnemucca, Nevada.
The North Valmy plant consisted of two generating units. NV Energy has 50 percent ownership
and is the operator of the North Valmy facility. For the AURORA-based capacity expansion
modeling performed for the 2019 IRP analysis, Idaho Power captured the exit from Unit 1
participation at year-end 2019 and assumed an exit from Unit 2 participation no later than year-
end 2025 and no earlier than year-end 2022. The exit from Unit 1 occurred as planned at year-
end 2019. Precise exit timing of Valmy Unit 2 will be examined by Idaho Power in the coming
months to determine an optimized exit strategy that considers economics of the exit and the
requirement for the provision of affordable, reliable power. See Chapter 1 Summary, section
Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date for further discussion of Valmy Unit 2.
Natural Gas Facilities and Salmon Diesel
Langley Gulch
Idaho Power owns and operates the Langley Gulch plant, a nominal 318-MW natural gas-fired
CCCT. The plant consists of one 187-MW Siemens STG-5000F4 combustion turbine and one
131.5-MW Siemens SST-700/SST-900 reheat steam turbine. The Langley Gulch plant, located
south of New Plymouth in Payette County, Idaho, became commercially available in June 2012.
Danskin
The Danskin facility is located northwest of Mountain Home, Idaho. Idaho Power owns and
operates one 179-MW Siemens 501F and two 46-MW Siemens–Westinghouse W251B12A
combustion turbines at the facility. The two smaller turbines were installed in 2001, and the
larger turbine was installed in 2008. Idaho Power is currently evaluating options to repower the
two smaller Danskin turbines to improve efficiency and start capability, expand dispatch
flexibility, and lower emissions. The Danskin units are dispatched when needed to support
system load.
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
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Bennett Mountain
Idaho Power owns and operates the Bennett Mountain plant, which consists of a 173-MW
Siemens–Westinghouse 501F natural gas-fired Simple-Cycle Combustion Turbine (SCCT)
located east of the Danskin plant in Mountain Home, Idaho. The Bennett Mountain plant is also
dispatched as needed to support system load.
Danskin
The Danskin facility is located northwest of Mountain Home, Idaho. Idaho Power owns and
operates one 179-MW Siemens 501F and two 46-MW Siemens–Westinghouse W251B12A
SCCTs at the facility. The two smaller turbines were installed in 2001, and the larger turbine was
installed in 2008. Idaho Power is currently evaluating options to repower the two smaller
Danskin turbines to improve efficiency and start capability, expand dispatch flexibility, and
lower emissions. The Danskin units are dispatched when needed to support system load.
Langley Gulch
Idaho Power owns and operates the Langley Gulch plant which utilizes a nominal 318-MW
natural gas-fired Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbine (CCCT). The plant consists of one 187-
MW Siemens STG-5000F4 combustion turbine and one 131.5-MW Siemens SST-700/SST-900
reheat steam turbine. The Langley Gulch plant, located south of New Plymouth in Payette
County, Idaho, became commercially available in June 2012.
Salmon Diesel
Idaho Power owns and operates two diesel generation units in Salmon, Idaho. The Salmon units
have a combined generator nameplate rating of 5 MW and are operated during emergency
conditions, primarily for voltage and load support.
Solar Facilities
In 1994, a 25-kW solar PV array with 90 panels was installed on the rooftop of Idaho Power’s
corporate headquarters (CHQ) in Boise, Idaho. The 25-kW solar array is still operational, and
Idaho Power uses the hourly generation data from the solar array for resource planning.
In 2015, Idaho Power installed a 50-kW solar array at its new Twin Falls Operations Center. The
array came on-line in October 2016.
Idaho Power also has solar lights in its parking lot and uses small PV panels in its daily
operations to supply power to equipment used for monitoring water quality, measuring
streamflows, and operating cloud-seeding equipment. In addition to these solar PV installations,
Idaho Power participates in the Solar 4R Schools Program and owns a mobile solar trailer that
can be used to supply power for concerts, radio remotes, and other events.
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Solar End-of-Feeder Project
The Solar End-of-Feeder Pilot Project is a
small-scale (18 kWAC) proof-of-concept
PV system evaluated as a non-wires
alternative to traditional methods to
mitigate low voltage near the end of a
distribution feeder. The purpose of the
pilot was to evaluate its operational
performance and its cost-effectiveness
compared to traditional low-voltage
mitigation methods. Traditional methods
for mitigating low voltage include the
addition of capacitor banks, voltage
regulators, or reconductoring. Capacitor
banks and voltage regulators are relatively
inexpensive solutions compared to reconductoring, but these solutions were not viable options
for this location due to distribution feeder topology.
The Solar End-of-Feeder Project was installed and has been in operation since October 2016.
The project has operated as expected through the first two years of operation by effectively
mitigating low voltage. The Solar End-of-Feeder Pilot Project is considered complete and will
continue to be monitored internally in the following years.
Customer Generation Service
Idaho Power’s on-site generation and net metering services allow customers to generate power
on their property and connect to Idaho Power’s system. For participating customers, the energy
generated is first consumed on the property itself, while excess energy flows out to the
company’s grid. Most customers use solar PV systems. As of March 31, 2019, there were 3,595
solar PV systems interconnected through the company’s customer generation tariffs with a total
capacity of 30.356 MW. At that time, the company had received completed applications for an
additional 436 solar PV systems, representing an incremental capacity of 7.213 MW. For further
details regarding customer-owned generation resources interconnected through the company’s
on-site generation and net metering services, see tables 3.3 and 3.4.
Solar installation as part of the Solar End-of-Feeder
Project.
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 47
Table 3.3 Customer generation service customer count as of March 31, 2019
Resource Type Active Pending Total
Idaho Total 3,589 429 4,018
Solar PV 3,541 428 3,969
Wind 38 0 38
Other/hydroelectric 10 1 11
Oregon Total 55 8 63
Solar PV 54 8 62
Wind 1 0 1
Other/hydroelectric 0 0 0
Total 3,644 437 4,081
Table 3.4 Customer generation service generation capacity (MW) as of March 31, 2019
Resource Type Active Pending Total
Idaho Total 29.533 7.125 36.658
Solar PV 29.189 7.113 36.302
Wind 0.198 0.000 0.198
Other/hydroelectric 0.146 0.012 0.158
Oregon Total 1.170 0.100 1.270
Solar PV 1.167 0.100 1.267
Wind 0.002 0.000 0.002
Other/hydroelectric 0.000 0.000 0.000
Total 30.703 7.225 37.928
Oregon Solar Program
In 2009, the Oregon Legislature passed Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 757.365 as amended by
HB 3690, which mandated the development of pilot programs for electric utilities operating in
Oregon to demonstrate the use and effectiveness of volumetric incentive rates for electricity
produced by solar PV systems.
As required by the OPUC in Order Nos. 10-200 and 11-089, Idaho Power established the Oregon
Solar PV Pilot Program in 2010, offering volumetric incentive rates to customers in Oregon.
Under the pilot program, Idaho Power acquired 400 kW of installed capacity from solar PV
systems with a nameplate capacity of less than or equal to 10 kW. In July 2010, approximately
200 kW were allocated, and the remaining 200 kW were offered during an enrollment period in
October 2011. However, because some PV systems were not completed from the 2011
enrollment, a subsequent offering was held on April 1, 2013, for approximately 80 kW.
3. Idaho Power Today Idaho Power Company
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In 2013, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2893, which increased Idaho Power’s required
capacity amount by 55 kW. An enrollment period was held in April 2014, and all capacity was
allocated, bringing Idaho Power’s total capacity in the program to 455 kW.
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act
In 1978, the US congress passed PURPA, requiring investor-owned electric utilities to purchase
energy from any qualifying facility (QF) that delivers energy to the utility. A QF is defined by
FERC as a small renewable-generation project or small cogeneration project. Cogeneration and
small power producers (CSPP) isare often associated with PURPA. Individual states were tasked
with establishing PPA terms and conditions, including price, that each state’s utilities are
required to pay as part of the PURPA agreements. Because Idaho Power operates in Idaho and
Oregon, the company must adhere to IPUC rules and regulations for all PURPA facilities located
in Idaho, and to OPUC rules and regulations for all PURPA facilities located in Oregon. The
rules and regulations are similar but not identical for the two states.
Under PURPA, Idaho Power is required to pay for generation at the utility’s avoided cost, which
is defined by FERC as the incremental cost to an electric utility of electric energy or capacity
which, but for the purchase from the QF, such utility would generate itself or purchase from
another source. The process to request an Energy Sales Agreement for Idaho QFs is described in
Schedule 73, and for Oregon QFs, Schedule 85. QFs also have the option to sell energy “as-
available” under Schedule 86.
As of April 1, 2019, Idaho Power had 133 PURPA contracts with independent developers for
approximately 1,148 MW of nameplate capacity. These PURPA contracts are for hydroelectric
projects, cogeneration projects, wind projects, solar projects, anaerobic digesters, landfill gas,
wood-burning facilities, and various other small, renewable-power generation facilities. Of the
133 contracts, 127 were on-line as of April 1, 2019, with a cumulative nameplate rating of
approximately 1,119 MW. Figure 3.3 shows the percentage of the total PURPA nameplate
capacity of each resource type under contract.
Figure 3.3 PURPA contracts by resource type
Wind
55%Solar
28%
Hydro
13%
Biomass
3%Cogen/Thermal
1%
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 49
Idaho Power cannot predict the level of future PURPA development; therefore, only signed
contracts are accounted for in Idaho Power’s resource planning process. Generation from
PURPA contracts is forecasted early in the IRP planning process to update the accounting of
supply-side resources available to meet load. The PURPA forecast used in the 2019 IRP was
completed in October 2018. Detail on signed PURPA contracts, including capacity and
contractual delivery dates, is included in Appendix C—Technical Appendix.
Non-PURPA Power Purchase Agreements
Elkhorn Wind
In February 2007, the IPUC approved a PPA with Telocaset Wind Power Partners, LLC, for 101
MW of nameplate wind generation from the Elkhorn Wind Project located in northeastern
Oregon. The Elkhorn Wind Project was constructed during 2007 and began commercial
operations in December 2007. Under the PPA, Idaho Power receives all the RECs from the
project. Idaho Power’s contract with Telocaset Wind Power Partners, LLC, expires December
2027.
Raft River Unit 1
In January 2008, the IPUC approved a PPA with Raft River Energy I, LLC, for approximately 13
MW of nameplate generation from the Raft River Geothermal Power Plant Unit 1 located in
southern Idaho. The Raft River project began commercial operations in October 2007 under a
PURPA contract with Idaho Power that was canceled when the new PPA was approved by the
IPUC. Idaho Power is entitled to 51 percent of all RECs generated by the project for the
remaining term of the agreement. Idaho Power’s contract with Raft River Energy I, LLC, expires
April 2033.
Neal Hot Springs
In May 2010, the IPUC approved a PPA with USG Oregon, LLC, for approximately 22 MW of
nameplate generation from the Neal Hot Springs Unit 1 geothermal project located in eastern
Oregon. The Neal Hot Springs Unit 1 project achieved commercial operation in November 2012.
Under the PPA, Idaho Power receives all RECs from the project. Idaho Power’s contract with
USG Oregon, LLC expires November 2037.
Jackpot Solar
On March 22, 2019, Idaho Power and Jackpot Holdings, LLC entered a 20-year PPA for the
purchase and sale of 120 MW of solar electric generation from the Jackpot Solar facility located
north of the Idaho–Nevada state line near Rogerson, Idaho. Under the terms of the PPA, Idaho
Power will receive all RECs from the project. Jackpot Solar is scheduled to be on-line December
2022.
An application was submitted to the IPUC on April 4, 2019, requesting an order that approves
the PPA and on December 24, 2019, the IPUC issued Order No. 34515 approving the Jackpot
Solar PPA. On the same day as the IPUC application, Idaho Power submitted a notice to the
OPUC, in accordance with OAR 860-089-100(3) and (4), of an exception from Oregon’s
competitive-bidding requirements for electric utilities as the PPA with Jackpot Holdings, LLC
presents a time-limited opportunity to acquire a resource of unique value to Idaho Power
3. Idaho Power Today Idaho Power Company
Page 50 Second Amended 2019 IRP
customers. On December 24, 2019, the IPUC issued Order No. 34515 approving the PPA with
Jackpot Holdings, LLC.
Clatskanie Energy Exchange
In September 2009, Idaho Power and the Clatskanie People’s Utility District (Clatskanie PUD)
in Oregon entered into an energy exchange agreement. Under the agreement, Idaho Power
receives the energy as it is generated from the 18-MW power plant at Arrowrock Dam on the
Boise River; in exchange, Idaho Power provides the Clatskanie PUD energy of an equivalent
value delivered seasonally, primarily during months when Idaho Power expects to have surplus
energy. An energy bank account is maintained to ensure a balanced exchange between the parties
where the energy value will be determined using the Mid-Columbia market price index. The
Arrowrock project began generating in January 2010, with the initial exchange agreement with
Idaho Power ending in 2015. At the end of the initial term, Idaho Power exercised its right to
extend the agreement through 2020. Idaho Power holds one more option to extend through 2025,
exercisable in 2020. The Arrowrock project is expected to produce approximately 81,000 MWh
annually.
Wholesale Contracts
Idaho Power currently has no long-term wholesale energy contracts (no long-term wholesale
sales contracts and no long-term wholesale purchase contracts).
Power Market Purchases and Sales
Idaho Power relies on regional power markets to supply a significant portion of energy and
capacity needs during certain times of the year. Idaho Power is especially dependent on the
regional power market purchases during peak-load periods. The existing transmission system is
used to import the power purchases. A reliance on regional power markets has benefited Idaho
Power customers during times of low prices through the import of low-cost energy. Customers
also benefit from sales revenues associated with surplus energy from economically dispatched
resources.
Transmission MW Import Rights
Idaho Power’s interconnected transmission system facilitates market purchases to access
resources to serve load. Five transmission paths connect Idaho Power to neighboring utilities:
1. Idaho–Northwest (Path 14)
2. Idaho–Nevada (Path 16)
3. Idaho–Montana (Path 18)
4. Idaho–Wyoming (Path 19)
5. Idaho–Utah (Path 20).
Idaho Power’s interconnected transmission facilities were all jointly developed with other
entities and act to meet the needs of the interconnecting participants. Idaho Power owns various
amounts of capacity across each transmission path; the paths and their associated capacity are
Idaho Power Company 3. Idaho Power Today
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 51
further described in Chapter 6. Idaho Power reserves portions of its transmission capacity to
import energy for load service (network set-aside); this set-aside capacity along with existing
contractual obligations consumes nearly all of Idaho Power’s import capacity on all paths (see
Table 6.1 in Chapter 6).
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4. FUTURE SUPPLY-SIDE GENERATION AND STORAGE
RESOURCES
Generation Resources
Supply-side generation resources include traditional generation resources, renewable resources,
and storage resources. Idaho Power gives equal treatment to both supply-side and demand-side
resources. As discussed in Chapter 5, demand-side programs are an essential and valuable
component of Idaho Power’s resource strategy. The following sections describe the supply-side
resources and energy-storage technologies considered when Idaho Power developed and
analyzed the resource portfolios for the 2019 IRP. Not all supply-side resources described in this
section were included in the modeling, but every resource described was considered.
The primary source of cost information for the 2019 IRP is the 2018 Annual Technology
Baseline (ATB) report released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in July
2018.7 Other information sources were relied on or considered on a case-by-case basis depending
on the credibility of the source and the recency of the information. For a full list of all the
resources considered and cost information, refer to Chapter 7. All cost information presented are
in nominal dollars with an on-line date of 2023 for all levelized cost of energy (LCOE)
calculations. Provided levelized cost figures are based on Idaho Power’s cost of capital and may
differ from other reported levelized costs.
Renewable Resources
Renewable energy resources serve as the foundation of Idaho Power’s existing portfolio. The
company emphasizes a long and successful history of prudent renewable resource development
and operation, particularly as related to its fleet of hydroelectric generators. In the 2019 IRP, a
variety of renewable resources were included in many of the portfolios analyzed. Renewable
resources are discussed in general terms in the following sections.
Solar
The primary types of solar generation technology are utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) and
distributed PV. In general, PV technology absorbs solar energy collected from sunlight shining
on panels of solar cells, and a percentage of the solar energy is absorbed into the semiconductor
material. The energy accumulated inside the semiconductor material creates an electric current.
The solar cells have one or more electric fields that force electrons to flow in one direction as a
direct current (DC). The DC energy passes through an inverter, converting it to alternating
current (AC) that can then be used on site or sent to the grid.
Solar insolation is a measure of solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface and is used to
evaluate the solar potential of an area. Typically, insolation is measured in kWh per square meter
(m2) per day (daily insolation average over a year). The higher the insolation number, the better
7 atb.nrel.gov/
Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 53
the solar-power potential for an area. NREL insolation charts show the desert southwest has the
highest solar potential in the continental US.
Modern solar PV technology has existed for several years but has historically been cost
prohibitive. Recent improvements in technology and manufacturing, combined with increased
demand, have made PV resources more cost competitive with other renewable and conventional
generating technologies.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for utility-scale PV resources is $1,334 per kW8
for PV with a single-axis tracking system. The 30-year LCOE for PV with single-axis tracking is
$67 per MWh assuming a 26-percent annual capacity factor.
Rooftop solar was considered in two forms as part of the 2019 IRP. The capital-cost estimate
used for residential rooftop solar PV resources is $2,947 per kW for PV. The 25-year LCOE for
residential rooftop solar PV resources is $180 per MWh assuming a 21-percent annual capacity
factor. The capital-cost estimate used for commercial and industrial rooftop solar PV resources is
$2,160 per kW. The 25-year LCOE for commercial and industrial rooftop solar PV resources is
$133 per MWh assuming a 21-percent annual capacity factor. Rooftop solar is assumed to be
fixed tilt and south facing.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for utility-scale PV resources, see the
Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C: Technical Report of the Second Amended 2019
IRP.
Rooftop solar was considered in two forms as part of the 2019 IRP.
In addition to generic locations for solar PV arrays, the 2019 IRP analyzed select areas that are
reflective of a targeted siting for solar capacity within Idaho Power’s service area. Targeted solar
is a process of identifying select locations on the delivery system where a solar facility could
defer growth or reliability investments on the distribution or transmission system. These select
areas are limited in size at 0.5 MW, with a total of 10 MW for the 20-year planning period.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for a targeted siting for grid benefit PV resource
is $1,734 per kW. The 30-year LCOE is $77 per MWh assuming a 26-percent annual capacity
factor. See the Targeted Grid Solar section later in this chapter for further discussion.
Advancements in energy storage technologies have focused on coupling storage devices with
solar PV resources to mitigate and offset the effects of an intermittent generation source. This
coupling or pairing of resources was modeled and considered in the 2019 IRP. For a more
complete description of battery storage, please refer to the Storage Resources section of this
chapter.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for a 40 MW single-axis tracking, utility-scale PV
resources coupled with a 10 MW (40 MWh) lithium ion (Li) battery is $1,575 per kW.
The LCOE is $90 per MWh assuming a 22-percent annual capacity factor for the entire facility.
8 Capital costs for solar PV expressed in terms of dollars per AC kW, assume DC:AC ratio of 1.3:1.
4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources Idaho Power Company
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The levelized cost of energy assumes a 30-year economic life on the solar PV equipment and a
20-year economic life on the batteries with full battery-replacement costs incurred after year 10.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for a 40 MW single-axis tracking, utility-scale PV
resources coupled with a 20 MW (80 MWh) Li battery is $1,735 per kW. The LCOE is $120 per
MWh assuming an 18-percent annual capacity factor for the entire facility. The LCOE assumes a
30-year economic life on the solar PV equipment and a 20-year economic life on the batteries
with full battery-replacement costs incurred after year 10.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for a 40 MW single-axis tracking, utility-scale PV
resources coupled with a 30 MW (120 MWh) Li battery is $1,849 per kW. The LCOE is
$152 per MWh assuming a 15-percent annual capacity factor for the entire facility. The LCOE
assumes a 30-year economic life on the solar PV equipment and a 20-year economic life on the
batteries with full battery-replacement costs incurred after year 10.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for single-axis tracking, utility-scale
PV resources, see the Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C: Technical Report of the
Second Amended 2019 IRP.
Solar-Capacity Value
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power updated the capacity value of solar using the 8,760-based method
developed by NREL9 and detailed herein. The NREL method is specifically described as a
technique for representing VER capacity value in capacity expansion modeling, such as
conducted using the AURORA model for the 2019 IRP. The capacity value of solar PV
generation is a measurement of the contribution of solar PV capacity to meet system demand
(including planning reserves). The capacity value of the solar PV is expressed as the percentage
of nameplate AC capacity that contributes to the top peak net-load hours.
Capacity Value for Solar PV Methodology
The methodology employed by Idaho Power to calculate the capacity value for solar PV uses an
Idaho Power system load-duration curve (LDC) and a net load-duration curve (NLDC),
representing the net of system load and solar PV generation, for an entire year. The LDC reflects
the total system load, sorted by hour, from the highest load to the lowest load. The NLDC
represents the total system load minus the time-synchronized contribution from solar PV
generation. The resulting net load is then sorted by hour, from the highest load to the lowest load.
As shown in Figure 4.1, the capacity value of existing solar PV generation is the difference in the
areas between the LDC (System Load) and NLDC (Net Load) during the top 100 hours of the
duration curves divided by the rated AC capacity of the solar PV generation installed. These 100
hours can be a proxy for the hours with the highest risk for loss of load.
𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 % ∑𝐿𝐷𝐶∑𝑁𝐿𝐷𝐶
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑃𝑉
9 nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/68869.pdf
Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
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Figure 4.1 Capacity value of solar PV
In a similar fashion, the capacity value of the next solar PV plant, or the marginal capacity value
(δ) of incremental solar PV, can be calculated using the same methodology. The marginal NLDC
(δ) of incremental solar PV is calculated by subtracting the time-synchronized generation of
incremental solar capacity from the NLDC. The resulting time series is again sorted by hour,
from the highest load to the lowest load.
As shown in Figure 4.2, the marginal capacity value of incremental solar PV is the difference in
the areas between the NLDC (net load) and the NLDC (δ) (Net load [δ]) divided by the rated AC
incremental solar PV capacity.
Figure 4.2 Marginal capacity value
2,500
2,600
2,700
2,800
2,900
3,000
3,100
3,200
3,300
3,400
3,500
1 102 202 302 402
De
m
a
n
d
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4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 56 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Results
Capacity value was derived for three categories: 1) existing operational solar PV, 2) solar PV
projects in construction, and 3) the future PV projects capacity value. The marginal capacity
value of future PV projects was calculated in 40 MW alternating current (MWAC) increments.
The capacity value of the existing operational solar PV was first calculated by applying the
method to the 2017 system load. The capacity value was also calculated using 2018 system load.
The final capacity value was obtained by averaging the capacity value obtained for both years.
Table 4.1 shows the capacity value for the solar PV presently connected and for the solar PV
projects in construction. The existing operational solar PV was evaluated as a single solar PV
generator with 289.5 MWAC, representing the sum of the rated capacity of the existing
operational solar PV generation on Idaho Power’s systems as of June 2019.
The capacity value of the projects under construction was calculated as a single solar PV
generator with a rated capacity of 26.5 MWAC, representing the rated capacity of the sum of the
solar PV generation projects under construction.
Table 4.1 Summary of capacity value results
Capacity Value (% of Nameplate Capacity)
Existing operational solar PV (289.5 MW) 61.86%
Projects under construction (26.5 MW) 47.92%
Idaho Power calculated the marginal capacity value of incremental solar PV projects each with a
capacity rating of 40 MWAC. As the overall system peak load is decreased by the addition of
incremental amounts of solar PV, eventually the top 100 hours of peak load contain fewer and
fewer hours when solar PV may contribute to reducing the peak load. Therefore, the incremental
capacity value of solar decreases as more solar is added to the system. Figure 4.3 shows the
resulting capacity value for every 40 MWAC increment of solar PV.
Figure 4.3 Capacity value of incremental solar PV projects (40 MW each)
0
10
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60
0 5 10 15 20 25
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Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 57
Targeted Grid Solar
Idaho Power analyzed transmission and distribution (T&D) deferral benefits associated with
targeted solar. The analysis included the following:
1. Deferrable Investments: Potentially deferrable infrastructure investments were
identified spanning a 20-year period from 2002 through 2021. The infrastructure
investments served as a test bed to identify the attributes of investments required to serve
Idaho Power’s growing customer base and whether those investments could have been
(or could be) deferred with solar. Transmission, substation, and distribution projects
driven by capacity growth were analyzed. The limiting capacity was identified for each
asset along with the recommended in-service date, projected cost, peak loading, peak
time of day, and projected growth rate.
2. Solar Contribution: The capacity demand reduction from varying amounts of solar was
analyzed. Irradiance data was assumed to be consistent throughout the service area. The
following was assumed for solar projects:
Rooftop solar: fixed, south facing
Large-scale solar: single-axis tracking
3. Methodology: If the net forecast (electrical demand minus an assumed solar generation
contribution) was below the facility limiting capacity, the project could have been (or
could be) deferred. The financial savings of deferring the project were then calculated.
Idaho Power selected five infrastructure investments from the data set that could have been
deferred with varying amounts of solar. The selection was made to represent different areas,
solar project sizes, and deferral periods, as well as the frequency at which projects are likely to
be deferrable on Idaho Power’s system. The solar generation required to achieve each deferral
and the value of each deferral varied.
Table 4.2 Solar capacity required to defer infrastructure investments
Location
Years
Deferred
Deferral
Savings Solar Project Size (kW) Capacity Value ($/kW)
Blackfoot 8 $79,550 964 $82.52
Siphon (Pocatello) 4 $107,789 4,472 $24.10
Wye (Boise) 3 $19,767 2,339 $8.45
Nampa 2 $66,516 1,516 $43.87
Dietrich 2 $16,965 229 $74.08
The average capacity value of the identified investments was $46.60 per kW. This value was
used for the T&D deferral locational value and reflected in Targeted Solar.
It is anticipated that a locational value of T&D deferral may apply to an annual average of 500
kW of solar over the 20-year IRP forecast for a total potential of 10 MW of solar. This resource
option was added to the AURORA LTCE model.
4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 58 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Geothermal
Potential for commercial geothermal generation in the Pacific Northwest includes both flashed
steam and binary cycle technologies. Based on exploration to date in southern Idaho,
binary-cycle geothermal development is more likely than flashed steam within Idaho Power’s
service area. The flashed steam technology requires higher water temperatures. Most optimal
locations for potential geothermal development are believed to be in the southeastern part of the
state; however, the potential for geothermal generation in southern Idaho remains somewhat
uncertain. The time required to discover and prove geothermal resource sites is highly variable
and can take years.
The overall cost of a geothermal resource varies with resource temperature, development size,
and water availability. Flashed steam plants are applicable for geothermal resources where the
fluid temperature is 300º Fahrenheit (F) or greater. Binary-cycle technology is used for lower
temperature geothermal resources. In a binary-cycle geothermal plant, geothermal water is
pumped to the surface and passed through a heat exchanger where the geothermal energy is
transferred to a low-boiling-point fluid (the secondary fluid). The secondary fluid is vaporized
and used to drive a turbine/generator. After driving the generator, the secondary fluid is
condensed and recycled through a heat exchanger. The secondary fluid is in a closed system and
is reused continuously in a binary-cycle plant. The primary fluid (the geothermal water) is
returned to the geothermal reservoir through injection wells.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters used for binary-cycle geothermal
generation in, see the 2019 IRP assume a capital-costSupply-Side Resource section of $6,495 per
kW, andAppendix C–Technical Appendix of the 25-year LCOE is $144 per MWh based on an
88-percent annual capacity factorSecond Amended 2019 IRP.
Hydroelectric
Hydroelectric power is the foundation of Idaho Power’s electrical generation fleet. The existing
generation is low cost and does not emit potentially harmful pollutants. The development of new,
large hydroelectric projects is unlikely due to a lack of adequate sites and hurdles associated with
regulatory, environmental, and permitting challenges that accompany new, large hydroelectric
facilities. However, small-scale hydroelectric projects have been extensively developed in
southern Idaho on irrigation canals and other sites; many of which have PPA contracts with
Idaho Power.
Small Hydroelectric
Small hydroelectric projects, such as ROR and projects requiring limited or no impoundments,
do not have the same level of environmental and permitting issues as large hydroelectric
projects. The potential for new, small hydroelectric projects was studied by the ISEA’s
Hydropower Task Force, and the results released in May 2009 indicate between 150 to 800 MW
of new hydroelectric resources could be developed in Idaho. The reported figures are based on
potential upgrades to existing facilities, undeveloped existing impoundments and water delivery
systems, and in-stream flow opportunities. The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for
small hydroelectric resources is a range from $4,000 per kW to $8,400 per kW, and an associated
75-year economic life.
Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 59
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for small hydroelectric resources, see
the Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended
2019 IRP.
Wind
Modern wind turbines effectively collect and transfer energy from windy areas into electricity. A
typical wind development consists of an array of wind turbines ranging in size from 1 to 3 MW
each. Most potential wind sites in southern Idaho lie between the south-central and the
southeastern part of the state. Productive wind energy sites are in areas that receive consistent,
sustained winds greater than 15 miles per hour and are the best candidates for wind development.
Upon comparison with other renewable energy alternatives, wind energy resources are well
suited for the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest regions, as demonstrated by the large number
of existing projects. Wind resources present unique operational challenges for electric utilities
and system operators due to the intermittent and variable nature of wind-energy generation. To
adequately account for the unique characteristics of wind energy, resource planning of new wind
resources requires estimates of the expected annual energy and peak-hour capacity. For the 2019
IRP, Idaho Power applied a capacity factor of 5 percent for peak-hour planning. The 2019 IRP
assumed an annual average capacity factor of 35 percent for projects sited in Idaho and 45
percent for projects sited in Wyoming. The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for wind
resources is $1,722 per kW, regardless of geographic location. The 25-year LCOE is $114 per
MWh for projects located in Idaho and $94 per MWh for projects located in Wyoming.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for wind resources, see the Supply-
Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019 IRP.
Biomass
The 2019 IRP includes anaerobic digesters as a resource alternative. Multiple anaerobic digesters
have been built in southern Idaho due to the size and proximity of the dairy industry and the
large quantity of fuel available. Of the biomass technologies available, the 2019 IRP considers
anaerobic digesters as a best fit for biomass resources within the service area.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for an anaerobic digester project is $3,902 per kW
for a 35-MW facility. The anaerobic digester is expected to have an annual capacity factor of
85 percent. Based on the annual capacity factors, the 30-year LCOE is $101 per MWh for the
anaerobic digester.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for an anerobic digester, see the
Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019
IRP.
Thermal Resources
While renewable resources have garnered significant attention in recent years, conventional
thermal generation resources are essential to providing dispatchable capacity, which is critical in
maintaining the reliability of a bulk-electrical power system. and to the ability to integrate
4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 60 Second Amended 2019 IRP
renewable energy into the grid. Conventional thermal generation technologies include natural
gas-fired resources, nuclear, and coal.
Natural gas resources are identified in many modeled portfolios, but Idaho Power considers these
resources proxies for future resources that can meet system needs and help accomplish the
company’s clean energy goals while imposing the least cost on customers. The company is
looking for ways to meet or offset its future dispatchable resource needs in accordance with its
2045 goals but acknowledges advances in technology and cost reductions may be required.
Natural Gas-Fired Resources
Natural gas fired resources burn natural gas in a combustion turbine to generate electricity.
CCCTs are commonly used for baseload energy, while less-efficient SCCTs are used to generate
electricity during peak-load periods. Additional details related to the characteristics of both types
of natural gas resources are presented in the following sections. CCCT and SCCT resources are
typically sited near existing natural gas transmission pipelines. All of Idaho Power’s existing
natural gas generators are located adjacent to a major natural gas pipeline.
Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbines
CCCT plants have been the preferred choice for new commercial, dispatchable power generation
in the region. CCCT technology benefits from a relatively low initial capital cost compared to
other baseload resources, has high thermal efficiencies, is highly reliable, provides significant
operating flexibility, and when compared to coal, emits fewer emissions and requires fewer
pollution controls. Modern CCCT facilities are highly efficient and can achieve efficiencies of
approximately 60 percent (lower heating value) under ideal conditions.
A traditional CCCT plant consists of a natural gas turbine/generator equipped with a heat
recovery steam generator (HRSG) to capture waste heat from the turbine exhaust. The HRSG
uses waste heat from the combustion turbine to drive a steam turbine generator to produce
additional electricity. In a CCCT plant, heat that would otherwise be wasted to the atmosphere is
reclaimed and used to produce additional power beyond that typically produced by an SCCT.
New CCCT plants can be constructed or existing SCCT plants can be converted to
combined-cycle units by adding a HRSG.
Multiple CCCT plants, like Idaho Power’s Langley Gulch project, are planned in the region due
to a sustained depression in natural gas prices, the demand for baseload energy, and additional
operating reserves necessary to integrate intermittent resources. While there is not currently a
scarcity of natural gas, fuel supply is a critical component of the long-term operation of a CCCT.
The capital-cost estimate used in the 2019 IRP for a CCCT resource is $1,182 per kW, and the
30-year LCOE at a 60-percent annual capacity factor is $71 per MWh.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for a CCCT resource, see the Supply-
Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019 IRP.
Simple-Cycle Combustion Turbines
SCCT natural gas technology involves pressurizing air that is then heated by burning gas in fuel
combustors. The hot, pressurized air expands through the blades of the turbine that connects by a
shaft to the electric generator. Designs range from larger, industrial machines at 80 to 200 MW
Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 61
to smaller machines derived from aircraft technology. SCCTs have a lower thermal efficiency
than CCCT resources and are typically less economical on a per MWh basis. However, SCCTs
can respond more quickly to grid fluctuations and can assist in the integration of variable and
intermittent resources.
Several natural gas-fired SCCTs have been brought on-line in the region in the past two decades,
primarily in response to the regional energy crisis of 2000–2001. High electricity prices
combined with persistent drought conditions during 2000–2001, as well as continued
summertime peak-load growth, created an appetite for generation resources with low capital
costs and relatively short construction lead times.
Idaho Power currently owns and operates approximately 430 MW of SCCT capacity. As peak
summertime electricity demand continues to grow within Idaho Power’s service area, SCCT
generating resources remain a viable option to meet peak load during critical high-demand
periods when the transmission system is constrained. The SCCT plants may also be dispatched
based on economics during times when regional energy prices peak due to weather, fuel supply
shortages, or other external grid influences.
The 2019 IRP evaluated a 170-MW industrial-frame (F class) SCCT unit. The capital-cost
estimate used in the 2019 IRP is $1,009 per kW. The industrial-frame unit is expected to have an
annual capacity factor of 5 percent.
Based on an annual capacity factor of 5 percent, the 35-year LCOE is $386 per MWh for the
industrial-frame SCCT unit. If Idaho Power were to identify the need, it would evaluate the two
types of SCCT technologies in greater detail prior to issuing an RFP to determine which
technology would provide the greatest benefit.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for a SCCT unit, see the Supply-Side
Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019 IRP.
Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines
Reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) generation sets are typically multi-fuel engines
connected to a generator through a flywheel and coupling. They are typically capable of burning
natural gas. They are mounted on a common base frame resulting in the ability for an entire unit
to be assembled, tuned, and tested in the factory before prior to delivery to the power plant
location. This production efficiency minimizes capital costs. Operationally, reciprocating engines
are typically installed in configurations with multiple identical units, allowing each engine to be
operated at its highest efficiency level once started. As demand for grid generation increases,
additional units can be started sequentially or simultaneously. This configuration also allows for
relatively inexpensive future expansion of the plant capacity. Reciprocating engines provide
unique benefits to the electrical grid. They are extremely flexible in the sense they can provide
ancillary services to the grid in just a few minutes. Engines can go from a cold start to full-load
in 10 minutes.
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power modeled RICE facilities of 55 MW and 111.1 MW nameplate
capacity. The capital-cost estimate used for a reciprocating engine resource of 55 MW is
$1,077 per kW. The 55 MW facility has a corresponding 40-year LCOE, assuming a 15-percent
annual capacity factor, of $164 per MWh. Larger facilities can benefit from various economies
4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 62 Second Amended 2019 IRP
of scale. The capital-cost estimate used for a RICE resource of 111.1 MW is $959 per kW.
The 111.1 MW facility has a corresponding 40-year LCOE, assuming a 15-percent annual
capacity factor, of $155 per MWh.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for RICE facilities, see the Supply-
Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019 IRP.
Combined Heat and Power
Combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, typically refers to simultaneous production of
both electricity and useful heat from a single plant. CHP plants are typically located at, or near,
commercial or industrial facilities capable of utilizing the heat generated in the process. These
facilities are sometimes referred to as the steam host. Generation technologies frequently used in
CHP projects are gas turbines or engines with a heat-recovery unit.
The main advantage of CHP is that higher overall efficiencies can be obtained because the steam
host can use a large portion of the waste heat that would otherwise be lost in a typical generation
process. Because CHP resources are typically located near load centers, investment in additional
transmission capacity can also often be avoided. In addition, reduced costs for the steam host
provide a competitive advantage that would ultimately help the local economy.
In the evaluation of CHP resources, it became evident that CHP could be a relatively high-cost
addition to Idaho Power’s resource portfolio if the steam host’s need for steam forced the
electrical portion of the project to run at times when electricity market prices were below the
dispatch cost of the plant. To find ways to make CHP more economical, Idaho Power is
committed to working with individual customers to design operating schemes that allow power
to be produced when it is most valuable, while still meeting the needs of the steam host’s
production process. This would be difficult to model for the IRP because each potential CHP
opportunity could be substantially different. While not expressly analyzed in the 2019, Idaho
Power will continue to evaluate CHP projects on an individual basis as they are proposed to the
company.
Nuclear Resources
The nuclear power industry has been working to develop and improve reactor technology for
many years and Idaho Power continues to evaluate various technologies in the IRP process. Due
to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site located in eastern Idaho, the IRP has typically
assumed that an advanced-design or small modular reactor (SMR) could be built on the site. In
the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan relating to the Fukushima nuclear plant,
global concerns persist over the safety of nuclear power generation. While there have been new
design and safety measures implemented, it is difficult to estimate the full impact this disaster
will have on the future of nuclear power generation in the US. Idaho Power continues to monitor
the advancement of SMR technology and will continue to evaluate it in the future as the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission reviews proposed SMR designs in the coming years.
For the 2019 IRP, a 60-MW small-modular plant was analyzed. Grid services provided by the
SMR include baseload energy, peaking capacity, and flexible capacity. The capital-cost
estimate used in the IRP for an advanced SMR nuclear resource is $4,683 per kW, and the
40-year LCOE, evaluated at an annual capacity factor of 90 percent, is $121 per MWh.
Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 63
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for an advanced SMR nuclear
resource, see the Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the
Second Amended 2019 IRP.
Coal Resources
Conventional coal-fired generation resources have been a part of Idaho Power’s generation
portfolio since the early 1970s. Growing concerns over emissions and climate change coupled
with historic-low natural gas prices, have made it imprudent to consider building any new
conventional coal generation resources.
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) is an evolving coal-based technology designed
to substantially reduce CO2 emissions. As the regulation of CO2 emissions eventually makes
conventional coal resources obsolete, the commercialization of this technology may allow the
continued use of coal resources. IGCC technology is also dependent on the development of
carbon capture and sequestration technology that would allow CO2 to be stored underground for
long periods of time.
Coal gasification is a relatively mature technology, but it has not been widely adapted as a
resource to generate electricity. IGCC technology involves turning coal into a synthetic gas or
“syngas” that can be processed and cleaned to a point that it meets pipeline quality standards. To
produce electricity, the syngas is burned in a conventional combustion turbine that drives a
generator.
The addition of CO2-capture equipment decreases the overall efficiency of an IGCC plant by as
much as 15 percent. In addition, once the carbon is captured, it must either be used or stored for
long periods of time. CO2 has been injected into existing oil fields to enhance oil recovery;
however, if IGCC technology were widely adopted by utilities for power production, the
quantities of CO2 produced would require the development of underground sequestration
methods. Sequestration methods are currently being developed and tested; however,
commercialization of the technology is not expected to happen for some time. No new coal-
based energy resources were modeled as part of the 2019 IRP.
Storage Resources
RPSs have spurred the development of renewable resources in the Pacific Northwest to the point
where there is an oversupply of energy during select times of the year. Mid-Columbia wholesale
market prices for electricity continue to remain relatively low. The oversupply issue has grown
to the point where at certain times of the year, such as in the spring, low customer demand
coupled with large amounts of hydro and wind generation cause real time and day ahead
wholesale market prices to be negative.
As increasing amounts of intermittent renewable resources like wind and solar continue to be
built within the region, the value of an energy storage project increases. There are many
energy-storage technologies at various stages of development, such as hydrogen storage,
compressed air, flywheels, battery storage, pumped hydro storage, and others. The 2019 IRP
considered a variety of energy-storage technologies and modeled battery storage and pumped
hydro storage.
4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 64 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Battery Storage
Just as there are many types of storage technologies being researched and developed, there are
numerous types of battery-storage technologies at various stages of development. Commonly
studied technologies include vanadium redox-flow battery (VRB), Lithium-Ion (Li) battery
systems and Zinc battery systems.
Advantages of the VRB technology include its low cost, long life, and easy scalability to
utility/grid applications. Most battery technologies are not a good fit for utility-scale applications
because they cannot be easily or economically scaled to much larger sizes. The VRB overcomes
much of this issue because the capacity of the battery can be increased just by increasing the size
of the tanks that contain the electrolytes, which also helps keep the cost relatively low. VRB
technology also has an advantage in maintenance and replacement costs, as only certain
components need replaced about every 10 years, whereas other battery technologies require a
complete replacement of the battery and more frequently depending on use. Idaho Power
recognizes the continued technological development of VRB and will continue to monitor price
trends and utility scalability of this technology in the coming years.
In recent years Li battery systems have been installed commercially in the US. Li battery storage
systems realize high charging and discharging efficiencies. Li-based energy storage devices
present potential safety concerns due to overheating. Costs for Li battery systems are still
relatively high. Idaho Power recognizes the continued technological development of Li batteries
used in utility-scale storage facilities. Idaho Power will continue to monitor price trends and
scalability of this technology in the coming years.
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power modeled Li battery technology in two arrangements. The first
arrangement assumes 5 MW capacity with 20 MWh (4 hours) of energy. The capital-cost
estimate for Li battery storage is $1,813 per kW. The 10-year LCOE, evaluated at an annual
capacity factor of 11 percent, is $232 per MWh10.
The second Li battery-storage arrangement modeled in the 2019 IRP analysis has a capital-cost
estimate of $2,947 per kW. The 10-year LCOE, evaluated at an annual capacity factor of
23 percent, is $250 per MWh. This arrangement assumes 5 MW capacity with 40 MWh (8 hours)
of energy.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for Li battery technology, see the
Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019
IRP.
10 The levelized energy costs for energy storage are driven overwhelmingly by fixed costs, particularly
capital costs. Consequently, levelized costing for energy storage technologies in this chapter does not
include the cost of recharge energy. While not insignificant, recharge energy costs are expectedly
relatively small given the utilization of energy storage to recharge during acute periods of grid
energy abundance.
Idaho Power Company 4. Future Supply-Side Generation and Storage Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 65
Pumped-Storage Hydro
Pumped hydro storage is a type of hydroelectric power generation that is capable of consuming
electricity during times of low value and generating electricity during periods of high value. The
technology stores energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a
higher elevation. Lower cost, off-peak electricity is used to pump water from the lower reservoir
to the upper reservoir. During higher-cost periods of high electrical demand, the water stored in
the upper reservoir is used to produce electricity.
For pumped storage to be economical, there must be a significant differential (arbitrage) in the
value of electricity between peak and off-peak times to overcome the costs incurred due to
efficiency and other losses that make pumped storage a net consumer of energy overall. Typical
round-trip cycle efficiencies are between 75 and 82 percent. The efficiency of a pumped hydro-
storage facility is dependent on system configuration and site-specific characteristics.
Historically, the differential between peak and off-peak energy prices in the Pacific Northwest
has not been sufficient enough to make pumped storage an economically viable resource. Due to
the recent increase in the number of wind and solar projects on the regional grid, the amount of
intermittent generation provided, and the ancillary services required, Idaho Power will continue
to monitor the viability of pumped hydro storage projects in the region. The capital-cost estimate
used in the 2019 IRP for pumped hydro storage is $1,964 per kW, and the 75-year LCOE is
$175 per MWh.
For Idaho Power’s cost estimates and operating parameters for pumped hydro storage, see the
Supply-Side Resource section of Appendix C–Technical Appendix of the Second Amended 2019
IRP.
5. Demand-Side Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 66 Second Amended 2019 IRP
5. DEMAND-SIDE RESOURCES
Demand-Side Management Program Overview
DSM resources offset future energy loads by reducing
energy demand through either efficient equipment
upgrades (energy efficiency) or peak-system demand
reduction (demand response). DSM resources have
been a leading resource in IRPs since 2004, providing
average cumulative system load reductions of over
240 aMW by year-end 2018. Historically,
DSM energy efficiency potential resources have first
been forecasted, screened for cost-effectiveness, and
then all available DSMenergy efficiency potential
resources are included into the IRP before considering
new supply-side resources. In the 2019 IRP, based on
input from the IRPAC, two alternative approaches to
estimate energy efficiency potential were tested and
considered.
Included in the preferred portfolio is 44045 MW of
peak summer capacity reduction from demand
response and 234 aMW of average annual load
reduction from energy efficiency. Additionally, energy
efficiency will reduce peak by 367 MW.
Energy Efficiency Forecasting—Potential Assessment
While Idaho Power tested alternative energy efficiency potential forecasting methods in the 2019
IRP, the underlying initial potential study was the same as the 2017 IRP methodology and served
as a base case for comparison purposes. For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power’s third-party contractor
(contractor), provided a 20-year forecast of Idaho Power’s energy efficiency potential from a
total resource cost (TRC) perspective. The contractor also provided additional forecasts based on
different economic scenarios.
For the initial study, the contractor developed three levels of energy efficiency potential:
technical, economic, and achievable. The three levels of potential are described below.
1. Technical—Technical potential is defined as the theoretical upper limit of energy
efficiency potential. Technical potential assumes customers adopt all feasible measures
regardless of cost. In new construction, customers and developers are assumed to choose
the most efficient equipment available. Technical potential also assumes the adoption of
every applicable measure available. The retrofit measures are phased in over several
years, which is increased for higher-cost measures.
2. Economic—Economic potential represents the adoption of all cost-effective energy
efficiency measures. In the potential study, the contractor applies the TRC test for cost-
effectiveness, which compares lifetime energy and capacity benefits to the incremental
Idaho Power’s Irrigation Peak Rewards
program helps offset energy use on
high-use days.
Idaho Power Company 5. Demand-Side Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 67
cost of the measure. Economic potential assumes customers purchase the most cost-
effective option at the time of equipment failure and adopt every cost-effective and
applicable measure.
3. Achievable—Achievable potential considers market adoption, customer preferences for
energy-efficient technologies, and expected program participation. Achievable potential
estimates a realistic target for the energy efficiency savings a utility can achieve through
its programs. It is determined by applying a series of annual market-adoption factors to
the cost-effective potential for each energy efficiency measure. These factors represent
the ramp rates at which technologies will penetrate the market.
Alternative DSMEnergy Efficiency Modeling Methods
Idaho Power tested two alternate DSMenergy efficiency modeling approaches in the 2019 IRP.
In addition to the baseline potential study which assessed technical, economic, and achievable
potential in a manner consistent with past IRPs, the company tested a sensitivity modeling
method and a technically achievable potential supply curve bundling technique.
Sensitivity Modeling
The first alternative energy efficiency potential assessment method tested was a sensitivity
modeling analysis. Under this approach, the contractor created three levels of achievable energy
efficiency potential based on three different alternate cost forecasts. Each forecast corresponded
to different natural gas price forecasts. The goal was to create differing levels of cost-effective
energy efficiency based on the three sets of alternate costs that would be further analyzed in the
AURORA portfolio selection process. Based on input from the IRPAC, the sensitivity approach
was not adopted in the final IRP modeling because the method was observed to inappropriately
screen energy efficiency potential at multiple steps in the process.
Technically Achievable Supply Curve Bundling
Based on input from IRPAC, a second approach was tested that established bundles of
technically achievable energy efficiency potential. Technically achievable applies a market
adoption factor intended to estimate those customers likely to participate in programs
incentivizing more efficient processes and/or equipment, similar to the approach used when
forecasting achievable potential.
The contractor created 10 technical achievable bundles of energy efficiency potential based on
increasing efficiency costs and bundled by percentile. These technical achievable potential
bundles were based on net levelized TRC across the 20-year planning period (0–10th percentile,
10th–20th percentile, etc.). An 11th bundle captured extremely high-cost measures above $250 per
MWh. The bundles of energy efficiency measures or technologies were created across customer
class and building types. For example, one cost bundle could contain residential, commercial,
industrial, and irrigation measures if the underlying measures had similar costs. Table 5.1 lists
the cumulative bundle resource potential in aMW over 20 years and the weighted average net
levelized TRC over the same period.
5. Demand-Side Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 68 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Table 5.1 Technical achievable bundles size and average cost
5-Year Potential (aMW)
Bundle 2019 2023 2028 2033 2038
20 Year Net
Average Real Cost
($/MWh)
0–10th Percentile 1 7 17 27 33 -$102
10–20th Percentile 3 8 17 27 33 -$18
20–30th Percentile 3 12 22 29 34 $14
30–40th Percentile 1 8 18 27 33 $32
40–50th Percentile 2 8 16 25 34 $38
50–60th Percentile 1 7 14 22 33 $48
60–70th Percentile 2 11 21 28 33 $69
70–80th Percentile 3 16 27 32 34 $131
80–90th Percentile 2 13 26 31 34 $133
90–100th Percentile 2 11 24 30 33 $189
High Cost 2 14 27 35 41 $2,235
Idaho Power makes every effortstrives to ensure all cost-effective energy efficiency potential is
fully accounted for in resource planning. Because Idaho Power’s load forecast includes a level of
cost-effective energy efficiency expected to occur during a given forecast period, an important
step in this process was to compare the level of future cost-effective energy efficiency included
in the 2019 IRP load forecast to bundled levels of efficiency represented in Table 5.1. This
comparison concluded the amount of energy efficiency included in the first seven bundles of
energy efficiency potential was approximately equal to the amount of efficiency potential
included in the load forecast and the economic-achievable potential identified in the initial
potential assessment. Thus, energy efficiency bundles for the zero through the 70th percentile are
considered reflected in all IRP resource portfolios. The higher cost bundles, 8 through 11, were
available to be selected by the AURORA model in the LTCE process but were shown to not be
economically competitive against other resources.
The 0 to 10th and 10 to 20th percentile bundles’ average TRCs are negative because the non-
energy impacts exceed the cost. Figure 5.21 shows cumulative technical achievable energy
efficiency potential beginning in 2019. The energy efficiency bundles from 0 to 70th percentile
bundle are representative of the levels of energy efficiency included in 2019 IRP portfolios.
Higher-cost bundles beyond the 60 to 70th percentile bundle were determined not to be
economically competitive when compared with other resources. Table 5.1 shows that bundles
beyond the 60 to 70th percentile bundle have weighted average measure costs of $131 per MWh
or greater.
Idaho Power Company 5. Demand-Side Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 69
Figure 5.1 Energy-efficient bundles selected by the IRP model and bundles that were not
economically competitive and were not selected for the 2019 IRP portfolios
Future Energy Efficiency Potential
The 20-year energy efficiency potential included in the 2019 IRP declined from 273 aMW in
2017 IRP to 234 aMW in the 2019 IRP. System on-peak potential from energy efficiency also
declined from 483 MW to 367 MW from the 2017 IRP to the 2019 IRP. Most of the decline in
energy efficiency potential was due to the reduction of the number of residential lighting
measures that will be available for Idaho Power energy efficiency programs. The 2007 Energy
Independence and Security Act manufacturing standard that will take effect in 2020 will increase
efficiency standards for residential lighting. It is assumed this standard will only allow LED
bulbs to meet manufacturing standards for most light bulbs that consumers purchase. Although
the reduction from energy efficiency potential available for Idaho Power’s programs will be
reduced, the energy savings will still reduce overall load without utility intervention. A detailed
discussion about the impacts on programs from codes and standards changes is available in the
2018 Energy Efficiency Potential Study.
DSM Program Performance and Reliability
Energy Efficiency Performance
Energy efficiency investments since 2002 have resulted in a cumulative average annual load
reduction of 242 aMW, or over 2 million MWh, of reduced supply-side energy production to
customers through 2018. Figure 5.32 shows the cumulative annual growth in energy efficiency
effects over the 17-year period from 2002 through 2018, along with the associated IRP targets
developed as part of the IRP process since 2004.
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
2019 2023 2028 2033 2038
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0
0
0
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0-70th Percentile Bundles (included)70th+ Percentile (not selected)
5. Demand-Side Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 70 Second Amended 2019 IRP
* IPCIdaho Power savings include Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) non-code/federal standards savings
Figure 5.2 Cumulative annual growth in energy efficiency compared with IRP targets
Idaho Power’s energy efficiency portfolio is currently a cost-effective and low-cost resource.
Table 5.2 shows the 2018 year-end program results, expenses, and corresponding benefit-cost
ratios.
Table 5.2 Total energy efficiency portfolio cost-effectiveness summary, 2018 program
performance
Customer Class
2018 Savings
(MWh) TRC ($000s)
Total Benefits
($000s)
(20-Year NPV*)
TRC:
Benefit/
Cost Ratio
TRC Levelized
Costs
(cents/kWh)
Residential 43,651 $13,634 $43,310 3.2 2.7
Industrial/commercial 95,759 $37,567 $70,324 1.9 3.2
Irrigation 19,001 $11,948 $36,344 3.0 7.6
Total 158,411 $63,149 $149,978 2.4 3.4
* NPV=Net Present Value
Note: Excludes market transformation program savings.
Energy Efficiency Reliability
The company contracts with third-party contractors to conduct energy efficiency program impact
evaluations to verify energy savings and process evaluations to assess operational efficiency on a
scheduled and as-required basis.
Idaho Power uses industry-standard protocols for its internal and external evaluation efforts,
including the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency—Model Energy Efficiency Program
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Cu
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*IPC Savings IRP Targets
Idaho Power Company 5. Demand-Side Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 71
Impact Evaluation Guide, the California Evaluation Framework, the International Performance
Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP), the Database for Energy Efficiency
Resources, and the Regional Technical Forum’s (RTF) evaluation protocols.
Timing of impact evaluations are based on protocols from these industry standards with large
portfolio contributors being evaluated more often and with more rigor. Smaller portfolio
contributors are evaluated less often and require less analysis as most of the program measure
savings are deemed savings from the RTF or other sources. Evaluated savings are expressed
through a realization rate (reported savings divided by evaluated savings). Realized savings of
programs evaluated between 2017 and 2018 ranged between 84 and 101 percent. The savings
weighted realized savings average over the same period is 100 percent.
Demand Response Performance
Demand response resources have been part of the demand-side portfolio since the 2004 IRP. The
current demand response portfolio is comprised of three programs. Table 5.3 lists the three
programs that make up the current demand response portfolio, along with the different program
characteristics. The Irrigation Peak Rewards program represents the largest percent of potential
demand reduction. During the 2018 summer season, Irrigation Peak Rewards participants
contributed 82 percent of the total potential demand-reduction capacity, or 313 MW. More
details on Idaho Power’s demand response programs can be found in Appendix B—Demand-Side
Management 2018 Annual Report.
Table 5.3 2018 Demand response program capacity
Program Customer Class
Reduction
Technology
2018 Total Demand
Response Capacity (MW)
Percent of Total
2018 Capacity*
A/C Cool Credit Residential Central A/C 37 10%
Flex Peak Program Commercial, industrial Various 33 9%
Irrigation Peak Rewards Irrigation Pumps 313 82%
Total 383 100%
*Values may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
Figure 5.43 shows the historical annual demand response program capacity between 2004 and
2018. The demand-response capacity was lower in 2013 because of the one-year suspension of
both the irrigation and residential programs. The temporary program suspension was due to a
lack of near-term capacity deficits in the 2013 IRP.
5. Demand-Side Resources Idaho Power Company
Page 72 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 5.3 Historic annual demand response program performance
Demand Response Resource Potential
Under the current program design and participation levels, demand response from all programs is
committed to provide 390 MW of peak capacity during June and July throughout the IRP
planning period, with reduced amount of program potential available during August. The
committed demand response included in the IRP has a capacity cost of $29 per kW-year.
As part of the IRP’s rigorous examination of the potential for expanded demand response, the
company first evaluated additional demand-response capacity need outside of the AURORA
model to determine any constraints needed in the modeling process. The company considered
achievability and operability to properly model the potential expansion of demand response.
Based on this analysis, the company made available 5 MWsMW blocks of incremental new
demand response each year for selection in AURORA starting in 2023. at a cost of $60 per kW-
year. This additional demand response, beyond the 390 MWsMW the company considers a
committed resource, was usedselected in various amounts by the AURORA LTCE model in
2322 of the 24 potential portfolios forand was nearly maximized with a total of 42045 MW
available in the Preferred Portfolio. This expanded DR will require additional customer
participation and was modeled in AURORA at a cost of $60 per kW-year.
T&D Deferral Benefits
Idaho Power determined the T&D deferral benefits associated with energy efficiency using
historical and projected investments over a 20-year period from 2002 to 2021. Transmission,
substation, and distribution projects at various locations across the company’s system were
represented. The limiting capacity (determined by distribution circuit or transformer) was
identified for each project along with the anticipated in-service date, projected cost, peak load,
and projected growth rate.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Pe
a
k
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Actual load reduction
Available capacity
Idaho Power Company 5. Demand-Side Resources
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 73
Varying amounts of incremental energy efficiency were used and spread evenly across customer
classes on all distribution circuits. Peak demand reduction was calculated and applied to summer
and winter peaks for the distribution circuits and substation transformers. If the adjusted forecast
was below the limiting capacity, it was assumed an associated project—the distribution circuit,
substation transformer, or transmission line—could be deferred. The financial savings of
deferring the project were then calculated.
The total savings from all deferrable projects were divided by the total annual energy efficiency
reduction required to obtain the deferral savings over the service area.
Idaho Power calculated the corresponding T&D deferral value for each year in the 20-year
forecast of incremental achievable energy efficiency. The calculated T&D deferral values range
from $6.52 per kW-year to $1.40 per kW-year based on a forecasted incremental reduction in
system sales of between 0.86 percent to 0.43 percent from energy efficiency programs. The 20-
year average is $3.74 per kW-year. These values will be used in the calculation of energy
efficiency cost-effectiveness.
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 74 Second Amended 2019 IRP
6. TRANSMISSION PLANNING
Past and Present Transmission
High-voltage transmission lines are vital to the
development of energy resources for Idaho Power
customers. The Transmission lines made it possible
to develop a network of hydroelectric projects in the
Snake River system, supplying reliable, low-cost
energy. In the 1950s and 1960s, regional
transmission lines stretching from the Pacific
Northwest to the HCC and to the Treasure Valley
were central for the development of the HCC
projects. In the 1970s and 1980s, transmission lines
allowed partnerships in three coal-fired power
plants in neighboring states to deliver energy to
Idaho Power customers. Today, transmission lines
connect Idaho Power to wholesale energy markets
and help economically and reliably mitigate
variability of intermittent resources, and
consequently are critical to Idaho Power’s achievement of its goal to provide 100-percent clean
energy by 2045.
Idaho Power’s transmission interconnections provide economic benefits and improve reliability
through the transfer of electricity between utilities to serve load and share operating reserves.
Historically, Idaho Power experiences its peak load at different times of the year than most
Pacific Northwest utilities; as a result, Idaho Power can purchase energy from the Mid-Columbia
energy trading market during its peak load and sell excess energy to Pacific Northwest utilities
during their peak. Additional regional transmission connections to the Pacific Northwest would
benefit the environment and Idaho Power customers in the following ways:
Delay or avoid construction of additional resources to serve peak demand
Increase revenue from off-system sales during the winter and spring credited to
customers through the PCA
Increase revenue from sales of transmission system capacity credited to Idaho Power
customers
Increase system reliability
Increase the ability to integrate intermittent resources, such as wind and solar
Improve the ability to more efficiently implement advanced market tools, such as the
EIM
500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line near Melba,
Idaho
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 75
Transmission Planning Process
FERC mandates several aspects of the transmission planning process. FERC Order No. 1000
requires Idaho Power to participate in transmission planning on a local, regional, and
interregional basis, as described in Attachment K of the Idaho Power Open-Access Transmission
Tariff (OATT) and summarized in the following sections.
Local Transmission Planning
Idaho Power uses a biennial process to create a local transmission plan (LTP) identifying needed
transmission system additions. The LTP is a 20-year plan that incorporates planned supply-side
resources identified in the IRP process, transmission upgrades identified in the local-area
transmission advisory process, forecasted network customer load (e.g., Bonneville Power
Administration [BPA] customers in eastern Oregon and southern Idaho), Idaho Power’s retail
customer load, and third-party transmission customer requirements. By evaluating these inputs,
required transmission system enhancements are identified that will ensure safety and reliability.
The LTP is shared with the regional transmission planning process.
A local-area transmission advisory process is performed every 10 years for each of the load
centers identified, using unique community advisory committees to develop local-area plans. The
community advisory committees include jurisdictional planners, mayors, city council members,
county commissioners, and representatives from large industry, commercial, residential, and
environmental groups. Plans identify transmission and substation infrastructure needed for full
development of the local area, accounting for land-use limits, with estimated in-service dates for
projects. Local-area plans are created for the following load centers:
1. Eastern Idaho
2. Magic Valley
3. Wood River Valley
4. Eastern Treasure Valley
5. Western Treasure Valley
6. West Central Mountains
Regional Transmission Planning
Idaho Power is active in the NTTGNorthernGrid, a regional transmission planning
group.association of 13 member utilities. The NTTGNorthernGrid was formed in 2007early
2020. Previously, dating back to improve the operation and expansion of the high-voltage
transmission system that delivers power to consumers in seven western states. NTTG2007, Idaho
Power was a member of the Northern Tier Transmission Group. NorthernGrid membership
includes Idaho Power, DeseretAvista, BPA, Chelan County PUD, Grant County PUD, Idaho
Power Electric Cooperative, , Montana–Alberta Tie Line (MATL), NorthWestern Energy, PGE,
PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power), Montana–Alberta Tie Line (MATL),
and the Utah Associated MunicipalPortland General Electric, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City
Light, Snohomish County PUD, and Tacoma Power Systems (UAMPS).. Biennially, the NTTG
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 76 Second Amended 2019 IRP
developsNorthernGrid will develop a regional transmission plan using a public stakeholder
process to evaluate transmission needs resulting from members’ load forecasts, LTPs, IRPs,
generation interconnection queues, other proposed resource development, and forecast uses of
the transmission system by wholesale transmission customers. customers. The next regional
transmission plan is expected to be published at the end of 2021.
Existing Transmission System
Idaho Power’s transmission system extends from eastern Oregon through southern Idaho to
western Wyoming and is composed of 115-, 138-, 161-, 230-, 345-, and 500-kV transmission
facilities. Sets of lines that transmit power from one geographic area to another are known as
transmission paths. Transmission paths are evaluated by WECC utilities to obtain an approved
power transfer rating. Idaho Power has defined transmission paths to all neighboring states and
between specific southern Idaho load centers as shown in Figure 6.1.
Figure 6.1 Idaho Power transmission system map
The transmission paths identified on the map are described in the following sections, along with
the conditions that result in capacity limitations.
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 77
Idaho– to Northwest Path
The Idaho– to Northwest transmission path consists of the 500-kV Hemingway–Summer Lake
line, the three 230-kV lines between the HCC and the Pacific Northwest, and the 115-kV
interconnection at Harney Substation near Burns, Oregon. The Idaho– to Northwest path is
capacity-limited during summer months due to energy imports from the Pacific Northwest to
serve Idaho Power retail load and transmission-wheeling obligations for the BPA load in eastern
Oregon and southern Idaho. Additional transmission capacity is required to facilitate additional
market purchases from northwest entities to serve Idaho Power’s growing customer base.
Brownlee East Path
The Brownlee East transmission path is on the east side of the Idaho to Northwest path shown in
Figure 6.1. Brownlee East is comprised of the 230-kV and 138-kV lines east of the HCC and
Quartz Substation near Baker City, Oregon. When the Hemingway–Summer Lake 500-kV line is
included with the Brownlee East path, the path is typically referred to as the Total Brownlee East
path.
The Brownlee East path is capacity-limited during the summer months due to a combination of
HCC hydroelectric generation flowing east into the Treasure Valley concurrent with
transmission-wheeling obligations for BPA southern Idaho load and Idaho Power energy imports
from the Pacific Northwest. Capacity limitations on the Brownlee East path limit the amount of
energy Idaho Power can transfer from the HCC, as well as energy imports from the Pacific
Northwest. If new resources, including market purchases, are located west of the path, additional
transmission capacity will be required to deliver the energy to the Treasure Valley load center.
Idaho–Montana Path
The Idaho–Montana transmission path consists of the Antelope–Anaconda 230-kV and Goshen–
Dillon 161-kV transmission lines. The Idaho–Montana–Idaho path is also capacity-limited
during the summer months as Idaho Power, BPA, PacifiCorp, and others move energy south
from Montana into Idaho.
Borah West Path
The Borah West transmission path is internal to Idaho Power’s system and is jointly owned
between Idaho Power and PacifiCorp. Idaho Power owns 1,467 MW of the path, and PacifiCorp
owns 1,090 MW of the path. The path is comprised of 345-kV, 230-kV, and 138-kV
transmission lines west of the Borah Substation located near American Falls, Idaho. Idaho
Power’s one-third share of energy from the Jim Bridger plant flows over this path, as well as
energy from east-side resources and imports from Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. Heavy path
flows are also likely to exist during the light-load hours of the fall and winter months as high
eastern thermal and wind production move west across the system to the Pacific Northwest.
Additional transmission capacity will likely be required if new resources or market purchases are
located east of the Borah West path.
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 78 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Midpoint West Path
The Midpoint West transmission path is internal to Idaho Power’s system and is a jointly owned
path between Idaho Power and PacifiCorp. Idaho Power owns 1,710 MW of the path and
PacifiCorp owns 1,090 MW of the path (all on the Midpoint–Hemingway 500-kV line). The path
is comprised of 500-kV, 230-kV, and 138-kV transmission lines west of Midpoint Substation
located near Jerome, Idaho. Like the Borah West path, the heaviest path flows are likely to exist
during the fall and winter when significant wind and thermal generation is present east of the
path. Additional transmission capacity will likely be required if new resources or market
purchases are located east of the Midpoint West path.
Idaho–Nevada Path
The Idaho–Nevada transmission path is comprised of the 345-kV Midpoint–Humboldt line.
Idaho Power and NV Energy are co-owners of the line, which was developed at the same time
the North Valmy Power Plant was built in northern Nevada. Idaho Power is allocated 100
percent of the northbound capacity, while NV Energy is allocated 100 percent of the southbound
capacity. Currently,By the availableend of 2020, the import, or northbound, capacity on the
transmission path is fully subscribed with Idaho Power’s share of the North360 MW, of which
Valmy generation plant. However, due to infrastructure improvements, in 2020 the northbound
path limit will be increased from 262 to 360 MW.Unit 2 utilizes approximately 130 MW.
The Jackpot Solar Project, described in the Power Purchase Agreements subsection of Chapter 3,
will interconnect to this path at a substation north of the Idaho–Nevada border.
Idaho–Wyoming Path
The Idaho–Wyoming path, referred to as Bridger West, is comprised of three 345-kV
transmission lines between the Jim Bridger generation plant and southeastern Idaho. Idaho
Power owns 800 MW of the 2,400-MW east-to-west capacity. PacifiCorp owns the remaining
capacity. The Bridger West path effectively feeds into the Borah West path when power is
moving east to west from Jim Bridger; consequently, the import capability of the Bridger West
path can be limited by Borah West path capacity constraints.
Idaho–Utah Path
The Idaho–Utah path, referred to as Path C, is comprised of 345-, 230-, 161-, and 138-kV
transmission lines between southeastern Idaho and northern Utah. PacifiCorp is the path owner
and operator of all the transmission lines. The path effectively feeds into Idaho Power’s Borah
West path when power is moving from east to west; consequently, the import capability of Path
C can be limited by Borah West path capacity constraints.
Table 6.1 summarizes the import capability for paths impacting Idaho Power operations and lists
their total capacity and available transfer capability (ATC); most of the paths are completely
allocated with no capacity remaining.
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 79
Table 6.1 Transmission import capacity
Transmission Path Import Direction Capacity (MW) ATC (MW)*
Idaho–Northwest West to east 1,200 0Varies by Month
Idaho–Nevada South to north 262360 0Varies by Month
Idaho–Montana North to south 383 0Varies by Month
Brownlee East West to east 1,915 Internal Path
Midpoint West East to west 1,710 Internal Path
Borah West East to west 2,557 Internal Path
Idaho–Wyoming (Bridger West) East to west 2,400 86 (Idaho Power Share)
Idaho–Utah (Path C) South to north 1,250 PacifiCorp Path
* The ATC of a specific path may change based on changes in the transmission service and generation interconnection request
queue (i.e., the end of a transmission service, granting of transmission service, or cancelation of generation projects that have
granted future transmission capacity).
Boardman to Hemingway
In the 2006 IRP process, Idaho Power identified the need for a transmission line to the Pacific
Northwest electric market. At that time, a 230-kV line interconnecting at the McNary Substation
to the greater Boise area was included in IRP portfolios. Since its initial identification, the
project has been refined and developed, including evaluating upgrade options of existing
transmission lines, evaluating terminus locations, and sizing the project to economically meet the
needs of Idaho Power and other regional participants. The project, identified in 2006, has
evolved into what is now B2H. The project, which is expected to provide a total of 2,050 MW of
bidirectional capacity11, involves permitting, constructing, operating, and maintaining a new,
single-circuit 500-kV transmission line approximately 300-miles long between the proposed
Longhorn Station near Boardman, Oregon, and the existing Hemingway Substation in southwest
Idaho. The new line will provide many benefits, including the following:
Greater access to the Pacific Northwest electric market to economically serve homes,
farms, and businesses in Idaho Power’s service area
Improved system reliability and resiliency
Reduced capacity limitations on the regional transmission system as demands on the
system continue to grow
Flexibility to integrate renewable resources and more efficiently implement advanced
market tools, such as the EIM
The benefits of B2H in aggregate reflect its importance to the achievement of Idaho Power’s
goal to provide 100-percent clean energy by 2045 without compromising the company’s
commitment to reliability and affordability.
11 B2H is expected to provide 1,050 MW of capacity in the West-to-East direction, and 1,000 MW of
capacity in the East-to-West direction.
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 80 Second Amended 2019 IRP
The B2H project has been identified as a preferred resource in the past five IRPs since 2009 and
ongoing permitting activities have been acknowledged in every IRP shortnear-term action plan
since 2009. The 2017 IRP was the first IRP to include constructed activities in the near-term
action plan. The 2017 IRP shortnear-term action plan, and thus, B2H construction related
activities, was acknowledged by both Idaho and Oregon PUCs.
Given the importance of the B2H project, the company provides a dedicated IRP appendix,
Appendix D: B2H Supplement, that provides granular detail regarding the Idaho Power’s need
for the project, co-participants, project history, benefits, risks, and more.
B2H is a regionally significant project; it has been identified as producing a more efficient or
cost-effective plan in every NTTGNorthern Tier Transmission Group (NTTG) biennial regional
transmission plan for the past 10 years. NTTG regional transmission plans produce ana more
efficient or cost-effective regional transmission plan meeting the transmission requirements
associated with the load and resource needs of the NTTG footprint.
The B2H project was selected by the Obama administration as one of seven nationally significant
transmission projects that, when built, will help increase electric reliability, integrate new
renewable energy into the grid, create jobs, and save consumers money. In a November 17, 2017,
US Department of the Interior press release,12 B2H was held up as “a Trump Administration
priority focusing on infrastructure needs that support America’s energy independence…” The
release went on to say, “This project will help stabilize the power grid in the Northwest, while
creating jobs and carrying low-cost energy to the families and businesses who need it…”
B2H Value
In the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power requests acknowledgement of B2H based on the evaluation of
Idaho Power’s Oregon and Idaho native load customers funding 21 percent of the B2H project.
B2H’s value to Idaho Power’s customers is substantial and it is a key least-cost resource.
The best future resource portfolio that included B2H was significantly better than the best
future resource portfolio that did not include B2H.
B2H provides is a big step in moving Idaho Power toward our 2045 clean energy goal
The B2H 500-kV line adds significant regional capacity with some remaining unallocated
capacity.
Additional parties may reduce costs and further optimize the project for all participants.
Project Participants
In January 2012, Idaho Power entered into a joint funding agreement with PacifiCorp and BPA
to pursue permitting of the project. The agreement designates Idaho Power as the permitting
12 blm.gov/press-release/doi-announces-approval-transmission-line-project-oregon-and-idaho
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 81
project manager for the B2H project. Table 6.2 shows each party’s B2H capacity and permitting
cost allocation.
Table 6.2 B2H capacity and permitting cost allocation
Idaho Power BPA PacifiCorp
Capacity (MW) west to east 350: 200 winter/500 summer 400: 550 winter/250 summer 300
Capacity (MW) east to west 85 97 818
Permitting cost allocation 21% 24% 55%
Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was executed between Idaho Power,
BPA, and PacifiCorp to explore opportunities for BPA to serve eastern Idaho load from the
Hemingway Substation. BPA identified six solutions—including two B2H options—to meet its
load-service obligations in southeast Idaho. On October 2, 2012, BPA publicly announced the
preferred solution to be the B2H project. The participation of three large utilities working toward
the permitting of B2H further demonstrates the regional significance and regional benefits of the
project. As of SeptemberJune 30, 20192020, BPA and PacifiCorp have collectively invested over
$71 74 million towards project activities. Please refer to Appendix D for more information on
project co-participants.
Figure 6.2 shows the transmission line route submitted to the ODOE in 2017.
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 82 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 6.2 B2H route submitted in 2017 EFSC Application for Site Certificate
Permitting Update
The permitting phase of the B2H project is subject to review and approval by, among other
government entities, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service (USFS),
Department of theUS Navy, and ODOE. The federal permitting process is dictated primarily by
the Federal Land Policy Management Act and National Forest Management Act and is subject to
NEPA review. The BLM is the lead agency in administering the NEPA process for the B2H
project. On November 25, 2016, BLM published the Final EIS, and the BLM issued a Record of
Decision (ROD) on November 17, 2017.
The USFS issued a separate ROD on November 13, 2018 for lands administered by the USFS
based on the analysis in the Final EIS. The USFS ROD approves the issuance of a special-use
authorization for a portion of the project that crosses the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest.
The Department of Defense issued a separate ROD on September 25, 2019 for lands
administered by the US Navy, based on the analysis in the Final EIS. The US Navy ROD
approves the issuance of a right-of-way easement for a portion of the project that crosses the
Naval Weapons System Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon.
For the State of Oregon permitting process, Idaho Power submitted the preliminary Application
for Site Certificate (pASC) to the ODOE in February 2013 and submitted an amended pASC in
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 83
summer 2017. The amended pASC was deemed complete by ODOE in September 2018. The
ODOE and Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) reviewed Idaho Power’s application for
compliance with state energy facility siting standards and released a Draft Proposed Order
(DPO) for B2H on May 22, 2019. The EFSC will reviewreviewed the DPO findings and
consider, considered public testimony in its review and issueissued a Proposed Order, which is
expected in early on July 2, 2020. A contested case on the Proposed Order has been initiated and
is being presided over by an EFSC-appointed Administrative Law Judge. Idaho Power currently
expects the EFSC to issue a final order and site certificate in the second half of 2021. Permitting
in Idaho will consist of a Conditional Use Permit issued by Owyhee County.
The Oregon permitting process is expected to last through 2021. Permitting in Idaho will consist
of a Conditional Use Permit issued by Owyhee County.
Idaho Power expects construction to begin in 2023, with the line in service in 2026.
Next Steps
With the DPO from the ODOEissuance of a Proposed Order, sufficient route certainty exists to
begin preliminary construction activities. These activities include, but are not limited to, the
following:
Geotechnical surveys
Detailed ground surveys (light detection and ranging [LiDAR] surveys)
Sectional surveys
Right-of-way (ROW) activities
Detailed design
Construction bid package development
After the B2H project receives a Final Order and Site Certificate from EFSC, construction
activities will commence. Construction activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Long-lead material acquisition
Transmission line construction
Substation construction or upgrades
The specific timing of each of the preliminary construction and construction activities will be
coordinated with the project co-participants. Additional project information is available at
boardmantohemingway.com.
B2H Cost Treatment in the IRP
The B2H transmission line project is modeled in AURORA as additional transmission capacity
available for Idaho Power energy purchases from the Pacific Northwest. In general, for new
supply-side resources modeled in the IRP process, surplus sales of generation are included as a
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 84 Second Amended 2019 IRP
cost offset in the AURORA portfolio modeling. Transmission wheeling revenues, however, are
not included in AURORA calculations. To remedy this inconsistency, in the 2017 IRP, Idaho
Power modeled incremental transmission wheeling revenue from non-native load customers as
an annual revenue credit for B2H portfolios. In the 2019this Second Amended 2019 IRP, Idaho
Power continued to model expected incremental third-party wheeling revenues as a reduction in
costs ultimately borne by retail customers.
Idaho Power’s transmission assets are funded by native load customers, network customers, and
point-to-point transmission wheeling customers based on a ratio of each party’s usage of the
transmission system. Portfolios involving B2H result in a higher FERC transmission rate than
portfolios without B2H. Although B2H provides significant incremental capacity, and will likely
result in increased transmission sales, Idaho Power assumed flat sales volume as a conservative
assumption. The flat sales volume, applied to the higher FERC transmission rate, results in the
cost offset for IRP portfolios with B2H.
In IRP modeling, Idaho Power assumes a 21.2-percent share of the direct expenses
corresponding to Idaho Power’s interest in the B2H Permit Funding Agreement, plus its entire
AFUDC cost, which equates to approximately $292 million. Idaho Power also included costs for
local interconnection upgrades totaling $21 million.
Gateway West
The Gateway West transmission line project is a joint project between Idaho Power and
PacifiCorp to build and operate approximately 1,000 miles of new transmission lines from the
planned Windstar Substation near Glenrock, Wyoming, to the Hemingway Substation near
Melba, Idaho. PacifiCorp has been designated the permitting project manager for Gateway West,
with Idaho Power providing a supporting role.
Figure 6.3 shows a map of the project identifying the authorized routes in the federal permitting
process based on the BLM’s November 2013 ROD for segments 1 through 7 and 10. Segments 8
and 9 were further considered through a Supplemental EIS by the BLM. The BLM issued a ROD
for segments 8 and 9 on January 19, 2017. In March 2017, this ROD was rescinded by the BLM
for further consideration. On May 5, 2017, the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey
National Conservation Area Boundary Modification Act of 2017 (H.R. 2104) was enacted. H.R.
2104 authorized the Gateway West route through the Birds of Prey area that was proposed by
Idaho Power and PacifiCorp and supported by the Idaho Governor’s Office, Owyhee County and
certain other constituents. On April 18, 2018, the BLM released the Decision Record granting
approval of a ROW for Idaho Power’s proposed routes for segments 8 and 9.
In its 2017 IRP, PacifiCorp announced plans to construct a portion of the Gateway West
Transmission Line in Wyoming. PacifiCorp has subsequently worked towards construction of
the 140-mile segment between the planned Aeolus substation near Medicine Bow, Wyoming,
and the Jim Bridger power plant near Point of Rocks, Wyoming.
Idaho Power has a one-third interest in the segments between Midpoint and Hemingway, Cedar
Hill and Hemingway, and Cedar Hill and Midpoint. Further, Idaho Power has sole interest in the
segment between Borah and Midpoint (segment 6), which is an existing transmission line
operated at 345 kV but constructed at 500 kV.
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 85
Figure 6.3 Gateway West map
Unlike the B2H project, Gateway West will not provide direct access to a liquid market;
however, it will provide many benefits to Idaho Power customers, including the following:
Relieve Idaho Power’s constrained transmission system between the Magic Valley
(Midpoint) and the Treasure Valley (Hemingway). Transmission connecting the Magic
Valley and Treasure Valley is part of Idaho Power’s core transmission system,
connecting two major Idaho Power load centers.
Provide the option to locate future generation resources east of the Treasure Valley.
Provide future load-service capacity to the Magic Valley from the Cedar Hill Substation.
Help meet the transmission needs of the future, including transmission needs associated
with intermittent resources.
Phase 1 of the Gateway West project is expected to provide up to 1,500 MW of additional
transfer capacity between Midpoint and Hemingway. The fully completed project would provide
a total of 3,000 MW of additional transfer capacity. Idaho Power has a one-third interest in these
capacity additions.
The Gateway West and B2H projects are complementary and will provide upgraded transmission
paths from the Pacific Northwest across Idaho and into eastern Wyoming.
More information about the Gateway West project can be found at gatewaywestproject.com.
6. Transmission Planning Idaho Power Company
Page 86 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Nevada Transmission without North Valmy
The Idaho–Nevada transmission path is co-owned by Idaho Power and NV Energy, with Idaho
Power having full allocation of northbound capacity and NV Energy having full allocation of
southbound capacity.
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power believes the retirement of North Valmy generation plant can be
adequately replaced with wholesale capacity imports across the Idaho–Nevada transmission
path.Because the depth of the market and associated availability of resources is not as certain for
the Idaho–Nevada path as it is for the Idaho-Northwest path during summer peak hours so,
import availability will continue to be evaluated in the futureaforementioned near-term analysis
related to Valmy Unit 2. More detail on this study is provided in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date
section of Chapter 1 of this document.
Transmission Assumptions in the IRP Portfolios
Idaho Power makes resource location
assumptions to determine transmission
requirements as part of the IRP development
process. Supply-side resources included in the
resource stack typically require local transmission
improvements for integration into Idaho Power’s
system. Additional transmission improvement
requirements depend on the location and size of
the resource. The transmission assumptions and
transmission upgrade requirements for
incremental resources are summarized in Table
6.3. The assumptions about the geographic area
where supply-side resources are developed
determine the transmission upgrades required.
Table 6.3 Transmission assumptions and requirements
Resource
Capacity
(MW) Cost Assumption Notes
Local Interconnection
Assumptions
Backbone Transmission
Assumptions
Biomass indirect—
Anaerobic digester
35 Distribution feeder
locations in the Magic
Valley; displaces
equivalent MW of portfolio
resources in same region.
$3.5 million of
distribution feeder
upgrades and $1.2
million in substation
upgrades.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Geothermal
(binary-cycle)—Idaho
35 Raft River area location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
Requires 5-mile, 138-kV
line to nearby station
with new 138-kV
substation line terminal
bay.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Hydro—Canal drop
(seasonal)
1 Magic Valley location
connecting to 46-kV sub-
transmission or local
distribution feeder.
4 miles of distribution
rebuild at $150,000 per
mile plus $100,000 in
substation upgrades.
No backbone upgrades
required.
Transmission lines under construction at the
Hemingwa substation.
Idaho Power Company 6. Transmission Planning
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 87
Resource
Capacity
(MW) Cost Assumption Notes
Local Interconnection
Assumptions
Backbone Transmission
Assumptions
Natural gas—SCCT
frame F class (Idaho
Power's peaker plants
use this technology)
170 Mountain Home location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
2-mile, 230-kV line
required to connect to
nearby station.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Natural gas—
Reciprocating gas
engine Wärtsilä 34SG
18 Mountain Home location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
Interconnecting at
230-kV Rattle Snake
Substation.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Natural gas—CCCT
(1x1) F class with duct
firing
300 Langley Gulch location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
New Langley–Garnet
230-kV line with Garnet
230/138 transformer
and Garnet 138-kV tap
line. Bundle conductor
on the Langley–
Caldwell 230-kV line.
Reconductor Caldwell–
Linden.
No additional backbone
upgrades required.
Natural gas—CCCT
(1x1) F class with duct
firing
300 Mountain Home location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
Assume 2-mile, 230-kV
line required to connect
to nearby station.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Natural gas—CCCT
(2x1) F class
550 Build new facility south of
Boise (assume Simco
Road area).
New 230-kV switching
station with a 22-mile
230-kV line to Boise
Bench Substation.
Connect the 230-kV
Danskin Power Plant to
Hubbard line in-and-out
of the new station.
Rebuild Rattle Snake to
DRAM 230-kV line, rebuild
Boise Bench to DRAM
230-kV line, rebuild Micron
to Boise Bench 138-kV
line.
Natural gas—CHP 35 Location in Treasure
Valley.
1-mile tap to existing
138-kV line and new
138-kV source
substation.
No backbone upgrades
required.
Nuclear—SMR 50 Tie into Antelope 230-kV
transmission substation;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources east of
Boise.
Two 2-mile, 138-kV
lines to interconnect to
Antelope Substation.
New 138-kV terminal at
Antelope Substation.
New 55-mile 230-kV line
from Antelope to Brady
Substation. New 230-kV
terminal at Brady
Substation. Assigns pro-
rata share for transmission
upgrades identified for
resources east of Boise.
Pumped storage—New
upper reservoir and new
generation/
pumping plant
100 Anderson Ranch location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
18-mile, 230-kV line to
connect to Rattle Snake
Substation.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Solar PV—Utility-scale
1-axis tracking
30 Magic Valley location;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
1-mile, 230-kV line and
associated stations
equipment.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
Wind—Idaho 100 Location within 5 miles of
Midpoint Substation;
displaces equivalent MW of
portfolio resources in same
region.
5-mile, 230-kV
transmission from
Midpoint Substation to
project site.
Assigns pro-rata share for
transmission upgrades
identified for resources
east of Boise.
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 88 Second Amended 2019 IRP
7. PLANNING PERIOD FORECASTS
The IRP process requires Idaho Power to
prepare numerous forecasts and
estimates, which can be grouped into four
main categories:
1. Load forecasts
2. Generation forecast for existing
resources
3. Natural gas price forecast
4. Resource cost estimates
The load and generation forecasts—
including supply-side resources, DSM,
and transmission import capability—are used to estimate surplus and deficit positions in the load
and resource balance. The identified deficits are used to develop resource portfolios evaluated
using financial tools and forecasts. The following sections provide details on the forecasts
prepared as part of the 2019 IRP. A more detailed discussion on these topics is included in
Appendix A—Sales and Load Forecast.
Load Forecast
Each year, Idaho Power prepares a forecast of sales and demand of electricity using the
company’s electrical T&D network. This forecast is a product of historical system data and
trends in electricity usage along with numerous external economic and demographic factors.
Idaho Power has its annual peak demand in the summer, with peak loads driven by irrigation
pumps and air conditioning (A/C) in June, July, and August. Historically, Idaho Power’s growth
rate of the summertime peak-hour load has exceeded the growth of the average monthly load.
Both measures are important in planning future resources and are part of the load forecast
prepared for the 2019 IRP.
The expected-case average energy (average load) and expected peak-hour demand forecast
represent Idaho Power’s most probable outcome for load requirements during the planning
period. In addition, Idaho Power prepares other probabilistic load forecasts that address the load
variability associated with abnormal weather and economic scenarios.
The expected, or median, case forecast for system load growth is determined by summing the
load forecasts for individual classes of service, as described in Appendix A—Sales and Load
Forecast. For example, the expected annual average system load growth of 1.0 percent (over the
period 2019 through 2038) is comprised of a residential load growth of 1.1 percent, a
commercial load growth of 1.1 percent, an irrigation load growth of 0.8 percent, an industrial
load growth of 0.6 percent, and an additional firm load growth of 1.2 percent.
Chobani plant near Twin Falls, Idaho.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 89
The number of residential customers in Idaho Power’s service area is expected to increase 1.7
percent annually from 464,670 at the end of 2018 to nearly 649,000 by the end of the planning
period in 2038. Growth in the number of customers within Idaho Power’s service area, combined
with an expected declining consumption per customer, results in a 1.1-percent average annual
residential load-growth rate over the forecast term.
Significant factors that influenced the outcome of the 2019 IRP load forecast include, but are not
limited to, the following:
Weather plays a primary role in the load forecast on a monthly and seasonal basis. In the
expected case load forecast of energy and peak-hour demand, Idaho Power assumes
average temperatures and precipitation over a 30-year meteorological measurement
period (i.e., normal climatology). Probabilistic variations of weather are also analyzed.
The economic forecast used for the 2019 IRP reflects the continued expansion of the
Idaho economy in the near-term and reversion to the long-term trend of the service area
economy. Customer growth was at a near standstill until 2012, but since then acceleration
of net migration and business investment has resulted in renewed positive activity. Idaho
has been the fastest growth rate state in the US in terms of population in both the 2017
and 2018 measurement periods. Going into 2017, customer additions have approached
sustainable growth rates experienced prior to the housing bubble (2000 to 2004) and are
expected to continue.
Conservation impacts, including DSM energy efficiency programs, codes and standards,
and other naturally occurring efficiencies, are integrated into the sales forecast. These
impacts are expected to continue to erodereduce use per customer over much of the
forecast period. Impacts of demand response programs (on peak) are accounted for in the
load and resource balance analysis within supply-side planning (i.e., are treated as a
supply-side peaking resource).
There continues to be significant uncertainty associated with the industrial and special
contract sales forecasts due to the number of parties that contact Idaho Power expressing
interest in locating operations within Idaho Power’s service area, typically with an
unknown magnitude of the energy and peak-demand requirements. The expected-case
load forecast reflects only those industrial customers that have made a sufficient and
significant binding investment indicating a commitment of the highest probability of
locating in the service area. The large numbers of prospective businesses that have
indicated an interest in locating in Idaho Power’s service area but have not made
sufficient commitments are not included in the current sales and load forecast.
The electricity price forecast used to prepare the sales and load forecast in the 2019 IRP
reflects the additional plant investment and variable costs of integrating the resources
identified in the 2017 IRP preferred portfolio. When compared to the electricity price
forecast used to prepare the 2017 IRP sales and load forecast, the 2019 IRP price forecast
has higher future prices. The retail prices are slightly higher throughout the planning
period which can impact the sales forecast, a consequence of the inverse relationship
between electricity prices and electricity demand.
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 90 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Weather Effects
The expected-case load forecast assumes average temperatures and precipitation over a 30-year
meteorological measurement period, or normal climatology. This implies a 50-percent chance
loads will be higher or lower than the expected-case load forecast due to colder-than-normal or
hotter-than-normal temperatures and wetter-than-normal or drier-than-normal precipitation.
Since actual loads can vary significantly depending on weather conditions, additional scenarios
for an increased load requirement were analyzed to address load variability due to abnormal
weather—the 70th- and 90th-percentile load forecasts. Seventieth-percentile weather means that in
7 out of 10 years, load is expected to be less than forecast, and in 3 out of 10 years, load is
expected to exceed the forecast. Ninetieth-percentile load has a similar definition with a 1-in-10
likelihood the load will be greater than the forecast.
Idaho Power's operating results fluctuate seasonally and can be adversely affected by changes in
weather conditions and climate. Idaho Power's peak electric power sales are bimodal over a year,
with demand in Idaho Power's service area peaking during the summer months. Currently,
summer months exhibit a reliance on the system for cooling load in tandem with requirements
for irrigation pumps. A secondary peak during the winter months also occurs driven primarily by
colder temperatures and heating. As Idaho Power has become a predominantly summer peaking
utility, timing of precipitation and temperature can impact which of those months demand on the
system is greatest. Idaho Power tests differing weather probabilities hinged on a 30-year normal
period. A more detailed discussion of the weather based probabilistic scenarios and seasonal
peaks is included in Appendix A—Sales and Load Forecast.
Weather conditions are the primary factor affecting the load forecast on a monthly or seasonal
basis. During the forecast period, economic and demographic conditions also influence the load
forecast.
Economic Effects
Numerous external factors influence the sales and load forecast that are primarily economic and
demographic in nature. Moody’s Analytics serves as the primary provider for these data. The
national, state, metropolitan statistical area (MSA), and county economic and demographic
projections are tailored to Idaho Power’s service area using an in-house economic database.
Specific demographic projections are also developed for the service area from national and local
census data. Additional data sources used to substantiate Moody’s data include, but are not
limited to, the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Idaho Department of
Labor, Woods & Poole, Construction Monitor, and Federal Reserve economic databases.
The state of Idaho had the highest (or tied) growth rate of any state in the US for both 2017 and
2018. The number of households in Idaho is projected to grow at an annual rate of 1.3 percent
during the forecast period, with most of the population growth centered on the Boise City–
Nampa MSA. The Boise MSA (or the Treasure Valley) is an area that encompasses Ada, Boise,
Canyon, Gem, and Owyhee counties in southwestern Idaho. In addition to the number of
households, incomes, employment, economic output, and electricity prices are economic
components used to develop load projections.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 91
Idaho Power continues to manage a pipeline of prospective large load customers (over 1 MW)–
both existing customers anticipating expansion and companies considering new investment in the
state—that are attracted to Idaho’s positive business climate and low electric prices. Idaho
Power’s business development strategy is focused on maximizing Idaho Power’s generation
resources and infrastructure by attracting new business opportunities to our service area in both
Idaho and Eastern Oregon. The business development team benchmarks Idaho Power’s service
offerings against other utilities, partners with the states and communities to support local
economic development strategies, and coordinates with large load customers engaged in a site
selection process to locate in Idaho Power’s service area.
The 2019 IRP average annual system load forecast reflects continued improvement in the
service-area economy. The improving economic and demographic variables driving the 2019
forecast are reflected by a positive sales outlook throughout the planning period.
Average-Energy Load Forecast
Potential monthly average-energy use by customers in Idaho Power’s service area is defined by
three load forecasts that reflect load uncertainty resulting from different weather-related
assumptions. Figure 7.1 and Table 7.1 show the results of the three forecasts used in the 2019
IRP as annual system load growth over the planning period. There is an approximately
50-percent probability Idaho Power’s load will exceed the expected-case forecast, a 30-percent
probability of load exceeding the 70th-percentile forecast, and a 10-percent probability of load
exceeding the 90th-percentile forecast. The projected 20-year compound annual growth rate in
the expected case forecast is 1.0 percent during the 2019 through 2038 period. The projected
20-year average compound annual growth rate in the 70th- and 90th-percentile forecasts is 1.0
percent over the 2019 through 2038 period.
Figure 7.1 Average monthly load-growth forecast
700
1,000
1,300
1,600
1,900
2,200
2,500
1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013 2018 2023 2028 2033 2038
aM
W
WA less Astaris Weather Adjusted Expected Case 70th Percentile 90th Percentile
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 92 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Table 7.1 Load forecast—average monthly energy (aMW)
Year Median 70th Percentile 90th Percentile
2019 1,833 1,878 1,939
2020 1,849 1,895 1,957
2021 1,876 1,922 1,985
2022 1,899 1,946 2,010
2023 1,923 1,970 2,035
2024 1,946 1,994 2,059
2025 1,972 2,021 2,087
2026 1,990 2,039 2,106
2027 2,008 2,057 2,125
2028 2,022 2,072 2,140
2029 2,048 2,098 2,167
2030 2,066 2,117 2,187
2031 2,084 2,136 2,206
2032 2,096 2,148 2,218
2033 2,117 2,169 2,241
2034 2,134 2,187 2,259
2035 2,154 2,208 2,280
2036 2,168 2,222 2,295
2037 2,194 2,249 2,322
2038 2,212 2,267 2,342
Growth Rate (2019–2038) 1.0% 1.0% 1.0%
Peak-Hour Load Forecast
The average-energy load forecast, as discussed in the preceding section, is an integral component
to the load forecast. The peak-hour load forecast is similarly integral. Peak-hour forecasts are
expressed as a function of the sales forecast, as well as the impact of peak-day temperatures.
The system peak-hour load forecast includes the sum of the individual coincident peak demands
of residential, commercial, industrial, and irrigation customers, as well as special contracts.
Idaho Power’s system peak-hour load record—3,422 MW—was recorded on Friday, July 7,
2017, at 5:00 p.m. Summertime peak-hour load growth accelerated in the previous decade as
A/C became standard in nearly all new residential home construction and new commercial
buildings. System peak demand slowed considerably in 2009, 2010, and 2011—the
consequences of a severe recession that brought new home and new business construction to a
standstill. Demand response programs operating in the summer have also been effective at
reducing peak demand. The 2019 IRP load forecast projects annual peak-hour load to grow by
nearly 50 MW per year throughout the planning period assuming a 1 in 20 (95th percentile)
weather probability case on the day in which the annual peak-hour occurs. The peak-hour load
forecast does not reflect the company’s demand response programs, which are accounted for in
the load and resource balance in a manner similar to a supply-side resource.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 93
Idaho Power’s winter peak-hour load record is 2,527 MW, recorded on January 6, 2017, at 9:00
a.m., matching the previous record peak dated December 10, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. Historical winter
peak-hour load is much more variable than summer peak-hour load. The winter peak variability
is due to peak-day temperature variability in winter months, which is far greater than the
variability of peak-day temperatures in summer months.
Figure 7.2 and Table 7.2 summarize three forecast outcomes of Idaho Power’s estimated annual
system peak load—median, 90th percentile, and 95th percentile. As an example, the 95th-
percentile forecast uses the 95th-percentile peak-day average temperature to determine monthly
peak-hour demand. Alternative scenarios are based on their respective peak-day average
temperature probabilities to determine forecast outcomes.
Figure 7.2 Peak-hour load-growth forecast (MW)
Table 7.2 Load forecast—peak hour (MW)
Year Median 90th Percentile 95th Percentile
2018 (Actual) 3,392 3,392 3,392
2019 3,479 3,610 3,634
2020 3,528 3,659 3,683
2021 3,576 3,707 3,731
2022 3,627 3,757 3,782
2023 3,677 3,808 3,832
2024 3,732 3,863 3,887
2025 3,780 3,911 3,935
2026 3,825 3,956 3,980
2027 3,870 4,001 4,026
2028 3,918 4,048 4,073
2029 3,966 4,097 4,121
1,500
1,900
2,300
2,700
3,100
3,500
3,900
4,300
4,700
5,100
1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013 2018 2023 2028 2033 2038
MW
Actual less Astaris Actual 50th Percentile 90th Percentile 95th Percentile
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 94 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Year Median 90th Percentile 95th Percentile
2030 4,012 4,143 4,167
2031 4,058 4,189 4,213
2032 4,103 4,234 4,258
2033 4,146 4,277 4,301
2034 4,193 4,324 4,348
2035 4,242 4,372 4,397
2036 4,291 4,422 4,446
2037 4,340 4,471 4,495
2038 4,388 4,519 4,544
Growth Rate (2019–2038) 1.2% 1.2% 1.2%
The median or expected case peak-hour load forecast predicts that peak-hour load will grow
from 3,479 MW in 2019 to 4,388 MW in 2038—an average annual compound growth rate of 1.2
percent. The projected average annual compound growth rate of the 95th-percentile peak forecast
is also 1.2 percent.
Additional Firm Load
The additional firm-load category consists of Idaho Power’s largest customers. Idaho Power’s
tariff requires the company to serve requests for electric service greater than 20 MW under a
special-contract schedule negotiated between Idaho Power and each large-power customer. The
contract and tariff schedule are approved by the appropriate state commission. A special contract
allows a customer-specific cost-of-service analysis and unique operating characteristics to be
accounted for in the agreement.
Individual energy and peak-demand forecasts are developed for special-contract customers,
including Micron Technology, Inc.; Simplot Fertilizer Company (Simplot Fertilizer); and the
INL. These three special-contract customers comprise the entire forecast category labeled
additional firm load.
Micron Technology
Micron Technology represents Idaho Power’s largest electric load for an individual customer and
employs 5,900 to 6,000 workers in the Boise MSA. The company operates its research and
development fabrication facility in Boise and performs a variety of other activities, including
product design and support; quality assurance (QA); systems integration; and related
manufacturing, corporate, and general services. Micron Technology’s electricity use is a function
of the market demand for their products.
Simplot Fertilizer
This facility named the Don Plant is located just outside Pocatello, Idaho. The Don Plant is one
of four fertilizer manufacturing plants in the J.R. Simplot company’s Agribusiness Group. Vital
to fertilizer production at the Don Plant is phosphate ore mined at Simplot’s Smoky Canyon
Mine on the Idaho–Wyoming border. According to industry standards, the Don Plant is rated as
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 95
one of the most cost-efficient fertilizer producers in North America. In total, J.R. Simplot
company employees over 3,500 workers throughout its locations.
INL
INL is one of the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratories and is the nation’s
lead laboratory for nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration. The DOE, in
partnership with its contractors, is focused on performing research and development in energy
programs and national defense. Much of the work to achieve this mission at INL is performed in
government-owned and leased buildings on the Research and Education Campus in Idaho Falls,
Idaho, and on the INL Site, located approximately 50 miles west of Idaho Falls. INL is
recognized as a critical economic driver and important asset to the state of Idaho and is the fifth
largest employer in the state of Idaho with an estimated 4,100 employees.
Generation Forecast for Existing Resources
Hydroelectric Resources
Idaho Power uses two primary models to
develop future flows for the IRP. The
Snake River Planning Model (SRPM) is
used to determine surface-water flows,
and the Enhanced Snake Plain Aquifer
Model (ESPAM) is used to determine the
effect of various aquifer management
practices on Snake River reach gains.
The two models are used in combination
to produce a normalized hydrologic
record for the Snake River Basin from
1928 through 2009. The record is
normalized to account for specified
conditions relating to Snake River reach
gains, water-management facilities, irrigation facilities, and operations. The 50th-, 70th-, and
90th-percentile modeled streamflowsstream flows are derived from the normalized hydrologic
record. Further discussion of flow modeling for the 2019 IRP is included in Appendix C—
Technical Appendix.
Streamflow trends in the upper Snake River Basin have been in decline for several years. Those
declines are mirrored in documented declines in the ESPA. Water supply increased in 2016 and a
significant runoff in 2017 resulted in Snake River flows at the King Hill gage exceeding 32,000
cfs (average peak 22,900 cfs). Water conditions in 2016 and 2017 allowed for large volumes of
water to be diverted to aquifer recharge operations. The large runoff event in 2017 also resulted
in a significant natural recharge event. Since 2015, water levels have improved throughout much
of the ESPA. Improvement was noted in reach gains in 2016 and 2017; however, 2015 had near-
record lows for some gaged springs. The increases are significant, but reach gains remain below
long-term historic median flows.
C.J. Strike Dam near Mountain Home, Idaho.
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 96 Second Amended 2019 IRP
A water management practice affecting Snake River streamflowsstream flows involves the
release of water to augment flows during salmon outmigration. Various federal agencies
involved in salmon migration studies have, in recent years, supported efforts to shift delivery of
flow augmentation water from the Upper Snake River and Boise River basins from the
traditional months of July and August to the spring months of April, May, and June. The
objective of the streamflow augmentation is to more closely mimic the timing of naturally
occurring flow conditions. Reported biological opinions indicate the shift in water delivery is
most likely to take place during worse-than-median water years. Because worse-than-median
water is assumed in the IRP, and because of the importance of July as a resource-constrained
month, Idaho Power continues to incorporate the shifted delivery of flow augmentation water
from the Upper Snake River and Boise River basins for the IRP. Augmentation water delivered
from the Payette River Basin is assumed to remain in July and August. Additionally, flow
augmentation shortages in the upper Snake River Basin are filled from the Boise River Basin if
adequate water is available.
Monthly average generation for Idaho Power’s hydroelectric resources is calculated with a
generation model developed internally by Idaho Power. The generation model treats the projects
upstream of the HCC as ROR plants. The generation model mathematically manages reservoir
storage in the HCC to meet the remaining system load while adhering to the operating
constraints on the level of Brownlee Reservoir and outflows from the Hells Canyon project. For
peak-hour analysis, a review of historical operations was performed to yield relationships
between monthly energy production and achieved one-hour peak generation. The projected
peak-hour capabilities for the IRP were derived to be consistent with the observed relationships.
A representative measure of the streamflow condition for any given year is the volume of inflow
to Brownlee Reservoir during the April-to-July runoff period. Figure 7.3 shows historical
April-to-July Brownlee inflow as well as modeled Brownlee inflow for the 50th, 70th, and 90th
percentiles. The historical record demonstrates the variability of inflows to Brownlee Reservoir.
The modeled inflows include reductions related to declining base flows in the Snake River and
projected future management practices. As noted previously in this section, these declines are
assumed to continue through the planning period.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 97
Figure 7.3 Brownlee inflow volume historical and modeled percentiles
Climate Change
Idaho Power recognizes the need to assess the impacts a changing climate may have on our
resource portfolio and adaptively manage changing conditions. Idaho Power stays current on the
rapidly developing climate change research in the Pacific Northwest. In 2018, two federal
agency reports were issued on the potential impacts of climate change. The Fourth National
Climate Assessment13 and the River Management Joint Operating Committee (RMJOC)14,
Second Edition, Part 1 report addressed water availability in the Pacific Northwest under
multiple climate change and response scenarios. Both reports highlighted the uncertainty related
to future climate projections. However, most of the model projections show warming
temperatures and increased precipitation into the future. The studies showed the natural
hydrograph could see lower summer base flows, an earlier shift of the peak runoff, higher winter
baseflows, and an overall increase in annual natural flow volume.
Idaho Power hydrogeneration facilities are at the lower end of a highly managed river system.
Numerous reservoirs, diversions, and consumptive uses have resulted in changes to the timing of
the natural hydrograph. For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power performed a climate change analysis
using datasets resulting from the RMJOC, Second Edition, Part 1 report to determine the impacts
to the regulated streamflow through our system. Idaho Power used the University of
Washington’s modeled natural flow (hydro.washington.edu/CRCC/) and the SRPM to develop
an average regulated streamflow into Brownlee Reservoir under projected future climates. The
analysis included the evaluation of results from numerous general circulation models. The key
findings of this analysis showed the following:
13 nca2018.globalchange.gov/downloads/
14 bpa.gov/p/Generation/Hydro/hydro/cc/RMJOC-II-Report-Part-I.pdf
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Mi
l
l
i
o
n
A
c
r
e
-
F
e
e
t
Historical 50th Percentile 70th Percentile 90th Percentile
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 98 Second Amended 2019 IRP
1. Reservoir regulation from systems above Idaho Power significantly dampens the effects
of a potential shift in timing of natural runoff.
2. On average, July through January regulated streamflow is unaffected, February through
May regulated streamflow shows an increase, and June shows a decrease in streamflow.
3. Most models analyzed agree in showing an average annual increase in streamflow
volume.
Coal Resources
In the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power continuescontinued to analyze exiting from coal units before the
end of their depreciable lives. The coal units continue to deliver generating capacity and energy
during high-demand periods and/or during periods having high wholesale-electric market prices.
Within the coal fleet, the Jim Bridger plant provides recognized flexible ramping capability
enabling the company to demonstrate ramping preparedness required of EIM participants.
Despite the system reliability benefits, the economics of coal plant ownership and operation
remain challenging because of frequent low wholesale-electric market prices coupled with the
need for capital investments for environmental retrofits. Moreover, the evaluation of exiting from
coal unit participation is consistent with the company’s expressed glide path away from coal and
long-term goal to provide 100-percent clean energy by 2045.
Boardman
The 2019 IRP assumes Idaho Power exits its share of the Boardman plant at year-end 2020. This
date is the result of an agreement reached between the ODEQ and PGE related to compliance
with regional-haze regulations on particulate matter, SO2, and NOx emissions; the agreement
stipulates that coal-fired operations will cease at the plant by year-end 2020.
North Valmy
The 2019 IRP assumes Idaho Power ceases participation in North Valmy Unit 1 at year-end 2019
and Unit 2 no later than year-end 2025. This assumption is consistent with the company’s
regulatory filings in both jurisdictions that adjust customer rates to recover the incremental
annual levelized revenue requirement associated with the early cessation of operations at North
Valmy. Exit from Unit 2 earlier than 2025 was evaluated as part of the AURORA capacity
expansion modeling; however, the AURORA model did not select Unit 2 for exit earlier than
2025 in any portfolio.
Jim Bridger
The four Jim Bridger units are assumed to reach the end of their depreciable lives in 2034. Units
1 and 2 currently require selective catalytic reduction (SCR) investment in 2021 and 2022 for
continued unrestricted operations through 2034. The SCR investments on units 1 and 2 are not
currently planned or included in the IRP analysis. PacifiCorp has submitted an application to the
State of Wyoming for a Regional Haze Reassessment, which could provide an alternative to SCR
installation on units 1 and 2.
In the AURORA-based LTCE modeling used to develop the 24 resource portfolios in the 2019
IRP, it was assumed that the Jim Bridger units could be selected for exit dates before 2034. The
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 99
AURORA modeling included the costs of continued capital investment and accelerating the
remaining book value of a unit identified for early exit to the year of exit. Additionally, an
estimate of Bridger Coal Company costs was made based on the volume of coal burned, and if
the burn was materially below the base mine plan a cost adder was included. The shared facilities
costs are not included in the early unit exit decisions nor are SCR investments in units 1 and 2.
The endogenous modeling of possible early exit dates was subject to the following guidelines
intended to reflect a feasible exit:
Unit 1—exit from participation 2022 through 2034
Unit 2—exit from participation 20242026 through 2034
Unit 3—exit from participation 20262028 through 2034
Unit 4—exit from participation 20282030 through 2034
The Jim Bridger units provide system reliability benefits, particularly related to the company’s
flexible ramping capacity needs for EIM participation and reliable system operations. The need
for flexible ramping is simulated in the AURORA modeling as previously described. However,
the AURORA modeling indicates removal of Jim Bridger units needs to be carefully evaluated
because of potential heightened concerns about meeting regulating reserve requirements
following their removal.
North Valmy
The 2019 IRP assumes Idaho Power ceases participation in North Valmy Unit 1 at year-end 2019
and Unit 2 in year-end 2022 and no later than year-end 2025. Exit from Unit 2 earlier than 2025
was evaluated as part of the AURORA capacity expansion modeling, but the AURORA model
did not select Unit 2 for exit earlier than 2025 in any portfolio. However, when subsequent
manual portfolio adjustment was conducted by moving the exit date for Valmy Unit 2 forward to
2022, the AURORA hourly costing analysis demonstrated that the present value portfolio costs
can be reduced. While these results indicate a 2022 exit date for Valmy Unit 2 is possible, Idaho
Power believes it is appropriate to undertake further Valmy Unit 2 analysis in the coming months
before committing to 2022 as optimal exit timing. To determine the optimal exit timing for
Valmy Unit 2, Idaho Power will conduct a near-term analysis that will explore exit economics
and the provision of reliable, affordable power to customers. More detail on this study is
provided in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date section of Chapter 1 of this document.
Natural Gas Resources
Idaho Power owns and operates four natural gas-fired SCCTs and one natural gas-fired CCCT,
having combined nameplate capacity of 762 MW. The SCCT units are typically operated during
peak-load events in the summer and winter. With respect to peaking capacity, theythe SCCT
units are assumed capable of producing an on-demand peak capacity of 416 MW, which is
recognized by the AURORA model as contributing to the planning margin in capacity expansion
modeling.
Idaho Power’s CCCT, Langley Gulch, is typically dispatched more frequently and for longer
runtimes than the SCCTs because of the higher efficiency rating of a CCCT. Langley Gulch is
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 100 Second Amended 2019 IRP
forecast to contribute 270300 MW of on-demand peaking capacity available as contribution to
the planning margin in capacity expansion modeling.
Natural Gas Price Forecast
To make continued improvements to the natural gas price forecast process, and to provide
greater transparency, Idaho Power began researching natural gas forecasting practices used by
electric utilities and local distribution companies in the region. Table 7.3 provides excerpts from
IRP and avoided-cost filings, as an indication of the approaches used to forecast natural gas
prices.
Table 7.3 Utility peer natural gas price forecast methodology
Utility Gas Price Forecast Methodology
Rocky Mountain Power 2017
IRP
The October 2016 natural gas Official Forward Price Curve (OFPC), which was
used in the 2017 IRP, was based on an expert third-party long-term natural gas
forecast issued August 2016.
Avista Electric 2017 IRP Avista uses forward market prices and a forecast from a prominent energy industry
consultant to develop the natural gas price forecast for this IRP.
Avista Gas 2016 Natural Gas
IRP
Avista reviewed several price forecasts from credible sources and created a
blended price forecast to represent an expected price strip.
Portland General Electric
(PGE) 2016 IRP
PGE derived the Reference Case natural gas forecast from market forward prices
for the period 2017 through 2020 and the Wood Mackenzie long-term fundamental
forecast for the period 2022 through 2035. A transition from the market price curve
to Wood Mackenzie’s long-term forecast is made by linearly interpolating for one
year (2021).
Northwest Natural 2018
Oregon IRP
NW Natural’s 2018 IRP natural gas forecast is of monthly prices developed by a
third-party provider (IHS) based on market fundamentals. Cited source extracted
from IHS Global Gas service and was developed as part of an ongoing subscription.
Intermountain Gas 2017 IRP 2017–2021 forecast based on an average of three five-year price forecasts for the
Alberta Energy Company (AECO), Rockies, and Sumas pricing points from three
different energy companies based on the May 26, 2016 market close.
Cascade Natural Gas
Company 2018 Oregon IRP
Cascade’s long-term planning price forecast is based on a blend of current market
pricing along with long-term fundamental price forecasts. The fundamental forecasts
include Wood Mackenzie, EIA, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council
(NWPCC), Bentek (a S&P Global company), and the Financial Forecast Center’s
long-term price forecasts.
Based on the methodologies employed by Idaho Power’s peer utilities, as well as feedback
received during IRPAC meetings for the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power made the decision to enlist the
service of a well-known third-party vendor as the source for the IRP planning case natural gas
price forecast.
Idaho Power invited a representative of the third-party vendor to present to the IRPAC on
October 11, 2018. The Platts forecast information below was presented by the vendor
representative at the October 2018 IRPAC meeting.
The third-party vendor uses the following inputs/techniques to develop its gas price forecast:
Supply/demand balancing network model of the North American gas market
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 101
Oil and natural gas rig count data
Model pricing for the entire North American grid
Model production, transmission, storage, and multi-sectoral demand every month
Individual models of regional gas supply/demand, pipelines, rate zones and structures,
interconnects, capacities, storage areas and operations (160 supply areas, 272 pipelines,
444 storage areas, and 694 demand centers) and combines these models into an integrated
North American gas grid
Solves for competitive equilibrium, which clears supply and demand markets as well as
markets for transportation and storage
The following industry events that informedhelped inform the third-party vendor uses 2018
natural gas price forecast include used in the IRP analysis:
Greater regionalization, with Gulf (export) dominance waning
Status of North American major gas basins
The emergence of the Northeast as a self-sufficient region, with a risk of periodic surplus
and a chronic need for additional markets
Texas/Southeast flow reversal to accommodate growing exports
The absence of policy-driven demand growth (carbon), causing the Midwest to act as a
“way station” for surplus gas
The western US approaches saturation on policy limits, requiring West-coast liquefied
natural gas (LNG) exports to lift demand
Projected slowing of ramp in Appalachian pipeline use
Northeast prices increasingly influenced by supply competition and energy transition,
rather than pipe congestion
The Permian basin may be overwhelmed by too much takeaway pipe if all projects are
built
Congestion and competition depress upstream prices in the West, while California
ultimately competed with the premium Gulf
Ample Midwest supply caps Chicago prices, while resource depletion supports the
in-basin price of Rockies supply
West-to-East disconnect in Canada, means that growth opportunities for Western
Canadian Sedimentary Basin are tied to LNG aspirations
Rising midstream costs have enabled diverse sources of supply to compete
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 102 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 7.4 North American major gas basins
To verify the reasonableness of the third-party vendor’s forecast, Idaho Power compared the
forecast to Moody’s Analytics and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) natural gas
futures settlements. Based on a thorough examination of the forecasting methodology and
comparative review of the other sources (i.e., Moody’s and NYMEX), Idaho Power concluded
that the third-party vendor’s natural gas forecast is appropriate for the planning case forecast in
the 2019 IRP.
The third-party vendor’s 2018 Henry Hub long-term forecast, after applying a basis differential
and transportation costs from Sumas, Washington (the location from which most of the supply is
procured to fuel the company’s fleet of natural gas generation in Idaho), served as the planning
case forecast of fueling costs for existing and potential new natural gas generation on the Idaho
Power system.
Natural Gas Transport
Ensuring pipeline transportation capacity will be available for future natural gas-fired generation
needs will require the reservation of pipeline capacity before a prospective resource’s in-service
date. Idaho Power believes that turnback pipeline capacity from Stanfield, Oregon to Idaho could
serve the need for natural gas-fired generating capacity for up to 600 megawatts (MW) of
installed nameplate capacity. Williams’ Northwest Pipeline has recently entered into a similar
capacity reservation contract with a shipper where a discount was offered (a 10-cent rate versus
full tariff of 39 cents) for the first five years before the implementation of full tariff rate for the
remainder of the term. Using this information, a rate was applied reflective of the capacity
reservation contract rate discounted until the in-service date, and full tariff thereafter.
Idaho Power projects that additional natural gas-fired generating capacity beyond an incremental
600 MW of capacity would require an expansion of Northwest Pipeline from the Rocky
Mountain supply region to Idaho. The 600 MW limit, beyond which pipeline expansion is
required, is derived from Northwest Pipeline’s estimation of expected turnback capacity (existing
contracts expiring without renewal) from Stanfield, Oregon to Idaho as presented in Northwest
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 103
Pipeline’s fall 2019 Customer Advisory Board meeting. Besides the uncertainty of acquiring
capacity on existing pipeline beyond that necessary for 600 MW of incremental natural gas-fired
generating capacity, a pipeline expansion would provide diversification benefits from the current
mix of firm transportation composed of 60 percent from British Columbia, 40 percent from
Alberta, and no firm capacity from the Rocky Mountain supply region. In response to a request
for a cost estimate for a pipeline expansion from the Rocky Mountain supply region, Northwest
Pipeline calculated a levelized cost for a 30-year contract of $1.39/ Million British Thermal
Units (MMBtu)/day. Idaho Power applied this rate to potential natural gas-fired generation types
with an assumption of high capacity factor (100 percent capacity coverage), medium capacity
factor (33 percent), and low capacity factor (25 percent). For the medium and low capacity factor
plants, it is assumed that transportation would be procured in the short-term capacity release
market, or through delivered supply transactions to cover 100 percent of the requirements on any
given day.
Analysis of IRP Resources
The electrical energy sector has experienced considerable transformation during the past 10 to 15
years. VERs, such as wind and solar, have markedly expanded their market penetration during
this period, and through this expansion have affected the wholesale market for electrical energy.
The expansion of VERs has also highlighted the need for flexible capacity resources to provide
balancing. A consequence of the expanded penetration of VERs is periodic energy oversupply
alternating with energy undersupply. Flexible capacity is primarily provided by dispatchable
thermal resources (coal- and natural gas-fired), hydro resources, and energy storage resources.
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power continues to analyze resources based on cost, specifically the
cost of a resource to provide energy and peaking capacity to the system. In addition to the
capability to provide flexible capacity, the system attributes analyzed include the capability to
provide dispatchable peaking capacity, non-dispatchable (i.e., coincidental) peaking capacity,
and energy. Importantly, energy in this analysis is considered to include not only baseload-type
resources but also resources, such as wind and solar, that provide relatively predictable output
when averaged over long periods (i.e., monthly or longer). The resource attribute analysis also
designates those resources whose intermittent production gives rise to the need for flexible
capacity.
Resource Costs—IRP Resources
Resource costs are compared using two cost metrics: levelized cost of capacity (fixed) (LCOC)
and LCOE. These metrics are discussed later in this section. Resources are evaluated from a
Total Resource Cost (TRC) perspective. Idaho Power recognizes the TRC is not in all cases the
realized cost to the company. Examples for which the TRC is not the realized cost include
energy efficiency resources where the company incentivizes customer investment and supply-
side resources whose production is purchased under long-term contract (e.g., PPA and PURPA).
Nevertheless, Idaho Power views the evaluation of resource options using the TRC as allowing a
like-versus-like comparison between resources, and consequently in the best interest of Idaho
Power customers.
In resource cost calculations, Idaho Power assumes potential IRP resources have varying
economic lives. Financial analysis for the IRP assumes the annual depreciation expense of
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 104 Second Amended 2019 IRP
capital costs is based on an apportionment of the capital costs over the entire economic life of a
given resource.
The levelized costs for the various resource alternatives analyzed include capital costs, O&M
costs, fuel costs, and other applicable adders and credits. The initial capital investment and
associated capital costs of resources include engineering development costs, generating and
ancillary equipment purchase costs, installation costs, plant construction costs, and the costs for a
transmission interconnection to Idaho Power’s network system. The capital costs also include an
allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) (capitalized interest). The O&M portion
of each resource’s levelized cost includes general estimates for property taxes and property
insurance premiums. The value of RECs is not included in the levelized cost estimates but is
accounted for when analyzing the total cost of each resource portfolio in AURORA. Net
levelized costing for the bundled energy efficiency resource options modeled in the IRP are
provided in Chapter 5. The net levelized costs for energy efficiency resource options include
annual program administrative and marketing costs, an annual incentive, and annual participant
costs.
Specific resource cost inputs, fuel forecasts, key financing assumptions, and other operating
parameters are provided in Appendix C—Technical Appendix.
LCOC—IRP Resources
The annual fixed revenue requirements in nominal dollars for each resource are summed and
levelized over the assumed economic life and are presented in terms of dollars per kW of
nameplate capacity per month. Included in these LCOCs are the initial resource investment and
associated capital cost and fixed O&M estimates. As noted earlier, resources are considered to
have varying economic lives, and the financial analysis to determine the annual depreciation of
capital costs is based on an apportioning of the capital costs over the entire economic life. The
LCOC values for the potential IRP resources are provided in Figure 7.5.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 105
Figure 7.5 Levelized capacity (fixed) costs in 2019 dollars15
15 Levelized capacity costs are expressed in terms of dollars per kW of installed capacity per month. The expression of these costs in terms of kW
of peaking capacity can have significant effect, particularly for VERs (e.g., wind) having peaking capacity significantly less than installed
capacity.
$85
$56
$46
$44
$34
$33
$31
$22
$21
$20
$20
$19
$17
$16
$15
$15
$13
$13
$11
$11
$10
$5
$0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70 $80 $90
Geothermal (30 MW)
Small Modular Nuclear (60 MW)
Storage—Li Battery 8 hour (5 MW)
Biomass (35 MW)
Solar PV—Rooftop (.005 MW)
Solar PV—Rooftop Commercial (.005 MW)
Storage—Zn Battery 4 hour (5 MW)
Wind ID (100 MW)
Wind Common (100 MW)
Wind WY (100 MW)
Storage—Li Battery 4 hour (5 MW)
Storage—Pumped-Hydro (500 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking Battery (70 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking Battery (60 MW)
Solar PV—Targeted Siting for Grid Benefit (0.5 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking Battery (50 MW)
CCCT (1x1) F Class (300 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking (40 MW)
Reciprocating Gas Engine (55.5 MW)
SCCT—Frame F Class (170 MW)
Reciprocating Gas Engine (111.1 MW)
Boardman to Hemingway (350 MW)
$ per kW/Month
Cost of Ca ital Fixed O&M
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 106 Second Amended 2019 IRP
LCOE—IRP Resources
Certain resource alternatives carry low fixed costs and high variable operating costs, while other
alternatives require significantly higher capital investment and fixed operating costs but have low
(or zero) operating costs. The LCOE metric represents the estimated annual cost (revenue
requirements) per MWh in nominal dollars for a resource based on an expected level of energy
output (capacity factor) over the economic life of the resource. The nominal LCOE assuming the
expected capacity factors for each resource is shown in Figure 7.6. Included in these costs are the
capital cost, non-fuel O&M, fuel, integration costs for wind and solar resources, and wholesale
energy for B2H. The cost of recharge energy for storage resources is not included in the graphed
LCOE values.
The LCOE is provided assuming a common on-line date of 2023 for all resources and based on
Idaho Power specific financing assumptions. Idaho Power urges caution when comparing LCOE
values between different entities or publications because the valuation is dependent on several
underlying assumptions. The use of the common on-line date five years into the IRP planning
period allows the LCOE analysis to capture projected trends in resource costs. The LCOE graphs
also illustrate the effect of the Investment Tax Credit on solar-based energy resources, including
coupled solar-battery systems. Idaho Power emphasizes that the LCOE is provided for
informational purposes and is essentially a convenient summary metric reflecting the
approximate cost competitiveness of different generating technologies. However, the LCOE is
not an input into AURORA modeling performed for the IRP.
When comparing LCOEs between resources, consistent assumptions for the computations must
be used. The LCOE metric is the annual cost of energy over the life of a resource converted into
an equivalent annual annuity. This is like the calculation used to determine a car payment;
however, in this case the car payment would also include the cost of gasoline to operate the car
and the cost of maintaining the car over its useful life.
An important input into the LCOE calculation is the assumed level of annual energy output over
the life of the resource being analyzed. The energy output is commonly expressed as a capacity
factor. At a higher capacity factor, the LCOE is reduced because of spreading resource fixed
costs over more MWh. Conversely, lower capacity-factor assumptions reduce the MWh over
which resource fixed costs are spread, resulting in a higher LCOE.
For the portfolio cost analysis, resource fixed costs are annualized over the assumed economic
life for each resource and are applied only to the years of output within the IRP planning period,
thereby accounting for end effects.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 107
Figure 7.6 Levelized cost of energy (at stated capacity factors) in 2023 dollars
11%
5%
23%
11%
21%
16%
15%
15%
15%
88%
21%
90%
18%
35%
35%
85.0%
45%
22%
26%
60%
26.0%
33%
($25) $0 $25 $50 $75 $100 $125 $150 $175 $200 $225 $250 $275 $300 $325 $350 $375 $400 $425
Storage—Zn Battery 4 hour (5 MW)
SCCT—Frame F Class (170 MW)
Storage—Li Battery 8 hour (5 MW)
Storage—Li Battery 4 hour (5 MW)
Solar PV—Rooftop (.005 MW)
Storage—Pumped-Hydro (500 MW)
Reciprocating Gas Engine (55.5 MW)
Reciprocating Gas Engine (111.1 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking Battery (70 MW)
Geothermal (30 MW)
Solar PV—Rooftop Commercial (.005 MW)
Small Modular Nuclear (60 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking Battery (60 MW)
Wind ID (100 MW)
Wind Common (100 MW)
Biomass (35 MW)
Wind WY (100 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking Battery (50 MW)
Solar PV—Targeted Siting for Grid Benefit (0.5 MW)
CCCT (1x1) F Class (300 MW)
Solar PV—Utility Scale 1-Axis Tracking (40 MW)
Boardman to Hemingway (350 MW)
$ per MWh
Cost of Capital Non-Fuel O&M Fuel Offsets Wholesale Energy %=Capacity Factor
7. Planning Period Forecasts Idaho Power Company
Page 108 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Resource Attributes—IRP Resources
While the cost metrics described in this section are informative, caution must be exercised when
comparing costs for resources providing different attributes to the power system. For the LCOC
metric, this critical distinction arises because of differences for some resources between installed
capacity and peaking capacity. Specifically, for intermittent renewable resources, an installed
capacity of 1 kW equates to an on-peak capacity of less than 1 kW. For example, Idaho wind is
estimated to have an LCOC of $23 per month per kW of installed capacity.16 However, assuming
wind delivers peaking capacity equal to 5 percent of installed capacity, the LCOC
($23/month/kW) converts to $460 per month per kW of peaking capacity.
For the LCOE metric, the critical distinction between resources arises because of differences for
some resources with respect to the timing at which MWh are delivered. For example, wind and
biomass resources have similar LCOEs. However, the energy output from biomass generating
facilities tends to be delivered in a steady and predictable manner during peak-loading periods.
Conversely, wind tends to less dependably deliver during the high-value peak-loading periods; in
effect, the energy delivered from wind tends to be of lesser value than that delivered from
biomass, and because of this difference caution should be exercised when comparing LCOEs for
these resources.
In recognition of differences between resource attributes, potential IRP resources for the 2019
IRP are classified based on their attributes. The following resource attributes are considered in
this analysis:
Intermittent renewable—Renewable resources, such as wind and solar, characterized by
intermittent output and causing an increased need for resources providing balancing or
flexibility
Dispatchable capacity-providing—Resources that can be dispatched as needed to provide
capacity during periods of peak-hour loading or to provide output during generally
high-value periods
Non-dispatchable (coincidental) capacity-providing—Resources whose output tends to
naturally occur with moderate likelihood during periods of peak-hour loading or during
generally high-value periods
Balancing/flexibility-providing—Fast-ramping resources capable of balancing the
variable output from intermittent renewable resources
Energy-providing—Resources producing relatively predictable energy when averaged
over long time periods (i.e., monthly or longer)
Table 7.4 provides classification of potential IRP resources with respect to the above attributes.
The table also provides cost information on the estimated size potential and scalability for each
resource.
16 The units of the denominator can be expressed in reverse order from the cost estimates provided in Figure 7.5
without mathematically changing the cost estimate.
Idaho Power Company 7. Planning Period Forecasts
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 109
Table 7.4 Resource attributes
Resource
Intermittent
Renewable
Dispatchable
Capacity-
Providing
Non-Dispatchable
(Coincidental)
Capacity-
Providing17
Balancing/
Flexibility-
Providing
Energy-
Providing Size Potential
Biomass—Anaerobic Digester Scalable up to about 50 MW
B2H (200 MW Oct–March, 500 MW April–Sept)
Demand Response Scalable up to 50 MW
Energy Efficiency Scalable up to achievable potential
Geothermal Scalable up to about 50 MW
CCCT (1x1) 300 MW increments
SCCT—Frame F Class 170 MW increments
Reciprocating Gas Engine 1855.5 MW increments
Small Modular Nuclear 60 MW increments
Solar PV—Rooftop Scalable
Solar PV—Utility-Scale 1-Axis Tracking Scalable
Solar PV—Targeted Siting for Grid Benefit Scalable up to about 10 MW
Solar PV—AC Coupled with Lithium Battery Scalable
Storage—Pumped Hydro 500 MW increments
Storage—Lithium Battery Scalable
Wind (Wyoming/Idaho) Scalable
17 The peaking capacity impact in MW for resources providing coincidental peaking capacity is expected to be less than installed capacity in MW.
For solar resources, the coincidental peaking capacity impact diminishes with increased installed solar capacity on system, as described in
Chapter 4.
8. Portfolios Idaho Power Company
Page 110 Second Amended 2019 IRP
8. PORTFOLIOS
Prior to commencing modeling for this Second Amended 2019 IRP, Idaho Power conducted a
four-step review of IRP model inputs, system settings and specifications, and model verification
and validation. The objective of the review was to ensure accuracy of the company’s modeling
methods, processes, and, ultimately, the IRP results. The review was a preliminary step prior to
modeling for the Second Amended 2019 IRP. As a result, the sections below describe work that
began where the review process concluded. For further detail on the IRP review process, refer to
the 2019 IRP Review Report.
Capacity Expansion Modeling
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power used the LTCE capability of AURORA to produce WECC-
optimized portfolios under various future conditions for natural gas prices and carbon costs. It is
important to note that although the logic of the LTCE model optimizes resource additions based
on the performance of the WECC as a whole, the resource portfolios produced by the LTCE and
examined in this IRP are specific to Idaho Power. In other words, the term “WECC-optimized”
refers to the LTCE model logic rather than the footprint of the portfolios being examined. Based
on this definition, the WECC-optimized portfolios discussed in this document refer to the
addition of supply-side and demand-side resources for Idaho Power’s system and exits from
current coal-generation units.
The selection of new resources in the WECC-optimized portfolios maintains sufficient reserves
as defined in the model. To ensure the AURORA-produced WECC-optimized portfolios provide
the least-cost, least-risk future specific to the company’s customers, a subset of top-performing
WECC portfolios was manually adjusted with the objective of further reducing portfolio costs
specific to the Idaho Power system. This manual process is discussed further in the sections that
follow.
Planning Margin
The 2019 IRP uses the LTCE capability of the AURORA model to develop portfolios compiled
of different resource combinations. The model selects portfolios based on standards, policies,
and resources needed- and does so in the least-cost manner. Idaho Power selected a 50th
percentile hourly load forecast for the Idaho Power area and a 15 percent peak-hour planning
margin to develop a 20-year, WECC optimized resource portfolios under a range of futures. The
WECC portfolio includes a specific set of new resources and resource exits to reliably serve
Idaho Power’s load over the planning timeframe. Each portfolio is constrained by the peak-hour
capacity planning margin and hourly flexibility requirements. As noted above, manual
refinements to top-performing WECC optimized resource portfolios are used to ensure the least-
cost, least-risk option has been identified specific to Idaho Power’s service area.
Several factors influenced Idaho Power’s decision to move to a 15 percent peak-hour planning
margin in the 2019 IRP. The use of a percentage-based planning margin is a good fit with the use
and logic in the AURORA model’s LTCE functionality used in portfolio development. First, it is
Idaho Power Company 8. Portfolios
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 111
consistent with the NERC’s N-1 Reserve Margin criteria.18 Second, it is similar to the
methodologies employed by Idaho Power’s regional peer utilities for capacity planning.19
To validate the change from the prior IRP methodology, Idaho Power compared the 2017 IRP’s
95th percentile peak-hour capacity, including the addition of 330 MW of capacity benefit margin
(CBM) to the 50th percentile peak-hour forecast with a 15 percent planning margin as used in the
2019 IRP. As shown in Figure 8.1, the two methods do not result in significant differences. The
series composed of the 95th percentile peak-hour value plus the 330 MW CBM does not include
operating reserve obligations, which would be approximately 200 MW for a system load of
3,600 MW and higher for growing system loads.
Figure 8.1 2017 versus 2019 IRP planning margin comparison (MW)
Portfolio Design Overview
The AURORA LTCE process develops future portfolios under varying future conditions for
natural gas prices and carbon costs, selecting resources while applying planning margins and
regulating reserve constraints, all with the objective of finding the least-cost solution. The future
resources available possess a wide range of operating characteristics, and development and
environmental attributes. The impact to system reliability and portfolio costs of these resources
depend on future assumptions. Each portfolio consists of a combination of resources derived
from the LTCE process that should enable Idaho Power to supply cost-effective electricity to
customers over the 20-year planning period.
18 nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ri/Pages/PlanningReserveMargin.aspx
19 PacifiCorp 13-percent target planning margin (2017 IRP page 10), PGE 17 percent reserves planning
margin (2016 IRP page 116), and Avista 14 percent planning margin (2017 IRP 6-1).
4,001 4,055 4,112
4,170
4,229
4,292 4,347 4,399 4,451 4,505 4,561 4,614 4,666 4,719 4,768 4,822 4,878 4,935
4,991 5,047
3,634 3,683 3,731 3,782 3,832 3,887 3,935 3,980 4,026 4,073 4,121 4,167 4,213 4,258 4,301 4,348 4,397 4,446 4,495 4,544
3,964 4,013 4,061 4,112 4,162 4,217 4,265 4,310 4,356 4,403 4,451 4,497 4,543 4,588 4,631 4,678 4,727 4,776 4,825 4,874
3,500
3,700
3,900
4,100
4,300
4,500
4,700
4,900
5,100
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
50th plus 15%95th Percentile 95th plus 330
MW
MW
8. Portfolios Idaho Power Company
Page 112 Second Amended 2019 IRP
The use of an LTCE model that optimizes portfolio buildouts for the entire WECC region led the
company to develop additional portfolios to ensure that it had reasonably identified an optimal
solution specific to its customers. To accomplish this, a subset of top-performing WECC-
optimized portfolios were manually adjusted with the objective of further reducing Idaho Power-
specific portfolio costs while maintaining reliability. This method is described in greater detail in
Chapter 9. The portfolios were then evaluated for operational, environmental, and qualitative
considerations. The evaluation of the resources and portfolios culminate in an action plan that
sets the stage for Idaho Power to economically and effectively prepare for the system needs of
the future.
Previous IRP portfolio development included a concurrent evaluation of resource characteristics:
quantitative and qualitative measures and risks when selecting a resource for inclusion in a
specific portfolio for a future planning scenario. These portfolios were developed under low
hydro and high peak forecast percentiles while considering the combined qualitative risks and
various resource characteristics.
Using the AURORA LTCE process in portfolio design has some improvements compared to the
prior resource selection methodology. The AURORA portfolio development process is more
precise in using the defined resource characteristics and established quantitative requirements
associated with those resources. Examples include increasing regulation requirements with solar
generation additions or maintaining a peak hour planning margin and applying hourly regulating
reserve requirements in the economic selection and timing of resource additions and retirements.
Additionally, the LTCE process allowed the company and stakeholders to evaluate a relatively
large number of portfolios relative to prior IRPs. In 2017, for example, the IRP examined 12
portfolios that were manually selected. However, in the 2019 IRP, the company evaluated 44 48
total portfolios, 24 of which were developed by the LTCE model, and 2024 that were developed
during the manual refinement process.
Regulating Reserve
Idaho Power characterized regulating reserve rules as part of its 2018 study of VER integration.
To develop these rules for the VER study, Idaho Power analyzed one year of 1-minute time-step
historical data for customer load, wind production, and solar production (December 2016 to
November 2017). Based on this analysis, the company developed rules for bidirectional
regulating reserve that adequately positioned dispatchable capacity to balance variations in load,
wind, and solar while maintaining compliance with NERC’s reliability standard.20 The
bidirectional regulating reserve was designated RegUp for the unloaded dispatchable capacity
held to balance undersupply situations (i.e., supply less than load) and RegDn for loaded
dispatchable capacity held to balance oversupply situations (i.e., supply exceeding load).
For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power developed approximations for the VER study’s regulating
reserve rules. These approximations are necessary because a 20-year period is simulated for the
IRP (as opposed to the single year of a VER study), and to allow the evaluation of portfolios
20 NERC BAL-001-2
(nerc.com/pa/Stand/Project%202010141%20%20Phase%201%20of%20Balancing%20Authority%20R
e/BAL-001-2_Background_Document_Clean-20130301.pdf)
Idaho Power Company 8. Portfolios
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 113
containing varying amounts of VER generating capacity (i.e., the VER-caused regulating reserve
requirements are calculable). The approximations express the RegUp and RegDn as dynamic and
seasonal percentages of hourly load, wind production, and solar production. The approximations
used for the IRP are given in tables 8.1 and 8.2. For each hour of the AURORA simulations, the
dynamically determined regulating reserve is the sum of that calculated for each individual
element.
Table 8.1 RegUp approximation—percentage of hourly load MW, wind MW, and solar MW
RegUp Winter1 Spring2 Summer3 Fall4
Load 8% 11% 7% 9%
Wind 38% 44% 48% 49%
Solar 69% 47% 53% 66%
1Winter: December, January, February
2Spring: March, April, May
3Summer: June, July, August
4Fall: September, October, November
Table 8.2 RegDn approximation—percentage of hourly load MW, wind MW, and solar MW
RegDn Winter1 Spring2 Summer3 Fall4
Load 18% 29% 21% 29%
Wind 0% 0% 0% 0%
Solar 33% 0% 0% 0%
1Winter: December, January, February
2Spring: March, April, May
3Summer: June, July, August
4Fall: September, October, November
The RegDn rules for the VER study for wind and solar were expressed in terms of percentage of
headroom above forecast production. For example, for a system having 300 MW of on-line solar
capacity and forecast production for a given hour at 200 MW, the VER analysis found the
percentage of 100 MW of headroom (300 to 200 MW) necessary to maintain system reliability.
Given the substantial variations in VER generating capacity between portfolios, and temporally
(i.e., year-to-year) within portfolios, it was impractical to approximate the RegDn regulating
reserve for wind and solar production, except for the winter season for solar. It is emphasized
that the regulating reserve levels used in the 2019 IRP are approximations intended to reflect
generally the amount of set-aside capacity needed to balance load and wind and solar production
while maintaining system reliability. The precise definition of regulating reserve levels is more
appropriately the focus of a study designed specifically to assess the impacts and costs associated
with integrating VERs.
Framework for Expansion Modeling
Idaho Power’s LTCE modeling was performed under three natural gas price forecasts and four
carbon price forecasts to develop optimized resource portfolios for a range of possible future
conditions.
8. Portfolios Idaho Power Company
Page 114 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Natural Gas Price Forecasts
Idaho Power used the adjusted Platts 2018 Henry Hub natural gas price forecast as the planning
case forecast in the 2019 IRP. Idaho Power also developed portfolios under two additional gas
price forecasts: 1) the 2018 EIA Reference Case and 2) the 2018 EIA Low Oil and Gas (LOG)
case.21
Carbon Price Forecasts
Idaho Power developed portfolios under four carbon price scenarios for the 2019 IRP shown in
Figure 8.2:
1. Zero Carbon Costs—assumes there will be no federal or state legislation that would
require a tax or fee on carbon emissions.
2. Planning Case Carbon Cost—is based on a carbon price forecast from a Wood
Mackenzie report22 released in June 2018. The carbon cost forecast assumes a price of
$2/ton beginning in 2028 and increases to $22 per ton by the end of the IRP planning
horizon. A key assumption in the report is that carbon costs would be regulated under a
federal program and no state program is envisioned.
3. Generational Carbon Cost—is EPA’s estimate of the social cost of carbon from 2016.23
The social or generational cost of carbon is meant to be a comprehensive estimate of
climate change impacts and includes, among other things, changes in net agricultural
productivity, human health, property damages from increased flood risk, and changes in
energy system costs. The generational carbon cost forecast assumes a price of $55.73 per
ton starting in 2020 and increases to $101.16 per ton by the end of the IRP planning
horizon.
4. High Carbon Costs—is based on the California Energy Commission’s Integrated Energy
Policy Report (IEPR) “Revised 2017 IEPR GHG Price Projections.”24 Idaho Power used
the carbon price stream from the high price (low consumption) scenario and, for the 2019
IRP, assume carbon costs would begin in 2022 under a federal program. No state
program is envisioned. The high carbon cost forecast assumes a price of $28.65 per ton
starting in 2022 and increases to $107.87 per ton by the end of the IRP planning horizon.
21 EIA Annual Energy Outlook 2018, February 2018: eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/AEO2018.pdf
22 “North America power & renewables long term outlook: Charting the likely energy transition page—
the ‘Federal Carbon’ case.”
23 epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-12/documents/social_cost_of_carbon_fact_sheet.pdf
24 efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=222145
Idaho Power Company 8. Portfolios
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 115
Figure 8.2 Carbon Price Forecast
Because the AURORA LTCE can evaluate generation units for economic retirement, Idaho
Power provided baseline retirement assumptions in the AURORA model. The baseline
retirement dates for Idaho Power’s coal-fired generation is year-end 2034 for all Jim Bridger
units. Any changes to these retirement dates would be determined through the portfolio modeling
process.
Table 8.3 shows the 12 planned non-B2H portfolio designs resulting from the natural gas and
carbon price forecasts.
Table 8.3 Non-B2H portfolio reference numbers
Non-B2H Zero Carbon Planning Carbon Generational Carbon High Carbon
Planning Gas 1 2 3 4
EIA Reference Gas 5 6 7 8
EIA LOG Gas 9 10 11 12
To evaluate the B2H project in the AURORA model, Idaho Power reproduced the same set of 12
portfolios with the inclusion of the B2H transmission line as a resource.
Table 8.4 shows the planned 12 B2H portfolio designs resulting from the natural gas and carbon
price futures.
Table 8.4 B2H portfolio reference numbers
B2H Zero Carbon Planning Carbon Generational Carbon High Carbon
Planning Gas 13 14 15 16
EIA Reference Gas 17 18 19 20
EIA LOG Gas 21 22 23 24
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
20
1
9
20
2
0
20
2
1
20
2
2
20
2
3
20
2
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2
5
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2
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2
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2
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3
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20
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3
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3
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3
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3
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3
8
20
3
9
20
4
0
$/
T
o
n
Zero Planning High Generational
8. Portfolios Idaho Power Company
Page 116 Second Amended 2019 IRP
WECC-Optimized Portfolio Design Results
The AURORA LTCE’s model generated 24 different portfolios using all the assumptions
described earlier. The 12 Non-B2H portfolios are shown in Figure 8.3, while the 12 B2H
portfolios are shown in Figure 8.4. The details and timing of additional resources in the 24
WECC-optimized portfolios are included in Appendix C—Technical Appendix.
Idaho Power Company 8. Portfolios
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 117
Figure 8.3 WECC-optimized portfolios 1 through 12 (non-B2H portfolios), capacity
additions/reductions (MW)
-1,000
-500
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
Portfolio 1 Portfolio 2 Portfolio 3 Portfolio 4 Portfolio 5 Portfolio 6 Portfolio 7 Portfolio 8 Portfolio 9 Portfolio 10 Portfolio 11 Portfolio 12
Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon
PLANNING GAS MID GAS HIGH GAS
MW
Thermal Wind Solar Battery Pumped Storage Biomass Demand Response Early Coal Exit Coal Exit
(2,000)
(1,000)
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
Portfolio 1 Portfolio 2 Portfolio 3 Portfolio 4 Portfolio 5 Portfolio 6 Portfolio 7 Portfolio 8 Portfolio 9 Portfolio 10 Portfolio 11 Portfolio 12
Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon
PLANNING GAS MID GAS HIGH GAS
MW
Thermal Wind Solar Battery Nuclear Biomass Demand Response Early Coal Exit Coal Exit Existing Coal Exit
8. Portfolios Idaho Power Company
Page 118 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 8.4 WECC-optimized portfolios 13 through 24 (B2H portfolios), capacity
additions/reductions (MW)
-1,000
-500
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
Portfolio 13 Portfolio 14 Portfolio 15 Portfolio 16 Portfolio 17 Portfolio 18 Portfolio 19 Portfolio 20 Portfolio 21 Portfolio 22 Portfolio 23 Portfolio 24
Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon
PLANNING GAS MID GAS HIGH GAS
MW
B2H Thermal Wind Solar Battery Pumped Storage Biomass Demand Response Early Coal Exit Coal Exit
(2,000)
(1,000)
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
Portfolio 13 Portfolio 14 Portfolio 15 Portfolio 16 Portfolio 17 Portfolio 18 Portfolio 19 Portfolio 20 Portfolio 21 Portfolio 22 Portfolio 23 Portfolio 24
Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon Zero Carbon PlanningCarbon GenerationalCarbon High Carbon
PLANNING GAS MID GAS HIGH GAS
MW
B2H Thermal Wind Solar Battery Nuclear Biomass Demand Response Early Coal Exit Coal Exit Existing Coal Exit
Idaho Power Company 8. Portfolios
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 119
Manually Built Portfolios
As noted earlier in this chapter, a subset of top-performingBased on stakeholder feedback
received following the Amended 2019 IRP process, Idaho Power adjusted its methodology for
selecting WECC-optimized portfolios for manual adjustment.
Previously, Idaho Power selected four WECC-optimized portfolios (two B2H and two non-B2H)
that represented the best combinations of least cost and least risk. Stakeholders noted, however,
that this selection process resulted in a group of similar portfolios in terms of resource selection
and timing. An alternate approach was manually adjustedsuggested: Choose a wider range of
WECC-optimized portfolios for manual selection. Idaho Power adopted this approach for this
Second Amended 2019 IRP.
To ensure a wider range of base portfolios for manual optimization, Idaho Power selected six
starting points (rather than four in the Amended 2019 IRP) based on 12 WECC-optimized
portfolios for manual adjustment. The six starting-point portfolios (three with B2H and three
without) reflect a more diverse array of portfolios, in terms of resource amounts, timing, and
type.
Idaho Power began this selection process by grouping WECC-optimized portfolios into similar
“buckets” based on resource selection, noting resource similarities in Portfolios 1 and 2, 3 and 4,
and 11 and 12 in the non-B2H runs and in Portfolios 13 and 14, 15 and 16, and 23 and 24 in the
B2H scenarios (see Figure 8.3 and Figure 8.4). These buckets aligned to tested future
conditions—Planning Gas/Planning Carbon, Planning Gas/High Carbon, and High Gas/High
Carbon (See Table 8.5).
Table 8.5 WECC-Optimized Portfolios Selected for Manual Adjustments
Category B2H Portfolios Non-B2H Portfolios
Planning Gas, Planning Carbon (PGPC) P(13), P(14) P(1), P(2)
Planning Gas, High Carbon (PGHC) P(15), P(16) P(3), P(4)
High Gas, High Carbon (HGHC) P(23), P(24) P(11), P(12)
The first two categories (Planning Gas, Planning Carbon (PGPC) and Planning Gas, High
Carbon (PGHC)) were based on the lowest cost portfolios from the WECC-optimization and the
resources match more closely between portfolios. The High Gas, High Carbon (HGHC) category
was added to determine whether a more optimal portfolio could be obtained when beginning
with a different mix of flexibility resources (pumped hydro, biomass, and nuclear instead of
natural gas).
The selected portfolio categories reflect a wide range of gas and carbon futures and B2H and
non-B2H alternatives, and it allowed for robust evaluation of portfolios for manual optimization,
with the objective of further reducing Idaho Power-specific portfolio costs while maintaining
reliability further reduction in Idaho Power-specific portfolio costs. The selected subset is
composed of the following four portfolios with their associated natural gas and carbon futures, as
well as their designation with respect to inclusion of B2H:.
8. Portfolios Idaho Power Company
Page 120 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Portfolio 2 (Planning Gas, Planning Carbon, without B2H)
Portfolio 4 (Planning Gas, High Carbon, without B2H)
Portfolio 14 (Planning Gas, Planning Carbon, with B2H)
Portfolio 16 (Planning Gas, High Carbon, with B2H).
The analysis supporting the selection of these four portfolios for manual adjustment as well
the process followed in manually adjusting the WECC portfolios, is discussed in the
following chapter.
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 121
9. MODELING ANALYSIS
Portfolio Cost Analysis
Once the WECC-Optimized portfolios are created using the LTCE model, Idaho Power uses the
AURORA electric market model as the primary tool for modeling resource operations and
determining operating costs for the 20-year planning horizon. AURORA modeling results
provide detailed estimates of wholesale market energy pricing and resource operation and
emissions data. It should be noted that the Portfolio Cost Analysis is a step that occurs following
the development of the resource buildouts through the LTCE model; the Portfolio Cost Analysis
utilizes the resource buildouts from the LTCE model as an input. The LTCE and Portfolio Cost
analyses cannot be performed simultaneously within the AURORA model due to the large
computing requirements needed to perform the complex calculations inherent within the LTCE
model.
The AURORA software applies economic principles and dispatch simulations to model the
relationships between generation, transmission, and demand to forecast market prices. The
operation of existing and future resources is based on forecasts of key fundamental elements,
such as demand, fuel prices, hydroelectric conditions, and operating characteristics of new
resources. Various mathematical algorithms are used in unit dispatch, unit commitment, and
regional pool-pricing logic. The algorithms simulate the regional electrical system to determine
how utility generation and transmission resources operate to serve load.
Portfolio costs are calculated as the NPV of the 20-year stream of annualized costs, fixed and
variable, for each portfolio. The full set of financial variables used in the analysis is shown in
Table 9.1. Each resource portfolio was evaluated using the same set of financial variables.
Table 9.1 Financial assumptions
Plant Operating (Book) Life Expected life of asset
Discount rate (weighted average capital cost) 7.12%
Composite tax rate 25.74%
Deferred rate 21.30%
Emission adder escalation rate 3.00%
General O&M escalation rate 2.20%
Annual property tax escalation rate (% of investment) 0.2949%
B2H annual property tax rate (% of investment) 0.55%
Property tax escalation rate 3.00%
B2H property tax escalation rate 1.67%
Annual insurance premium (% of investment) 0.3103%
B2H annual insurance premium (% of investment) 0.03%
Insurance escalation rate 2.00%
B2H insurance escalation rate 2.00%
AFUDC rate (annual) 7.65%
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 122 Second Amended 2019 IRP
The 24 WECC-optimized portfolios designed under the AURORA LTCE process were run
through four different hourly simulations shown in Table 9.2.
Table 9.2 AURORA hourly simulations
Planning Carbon High Carbon
Planning Gas X X
High Gas X X
The purpose of the AURORA hourly simulations is to compare how portfolios perform under
scenarios different from the scenario assumed in their initial design. For example, a portfolio
initially designed under Planning Gas and Planning Carbon should perform better relative to
other portfolios under a Planning Gas and Planning Carbon scenarioprice forecast than under a
High Gas and High Carbon scenario.price forecast. The compiled results from the four hourly
simulations, where only the pricing forecasts were changed, are shown in Table 9.3.
Table 9.3 2019 IRP WECC-optimized portfolios, NPV years 2019–2038 ($ x 1,000)
NPV ($ x 1000)
Planning Gas—,
Planning Carbon
High Gas—,
Planning Carbon
Planning Gas—,
High Carbon
High Gas—,
High Carbon
Portfolio 1 $6,262,350278,713 $6,983,9217,153,154 $8,615,746736,678 $9,785,216802,332
Portfolio 2 $6,180,898282,756 $7,050,988174,552 $8,268,640577,425 $9,484,077695,929
Portfolio 3 $6,743,579868,094 $7,210,723341,418 $7,758,8068,188,333 $8,317,985757,756
Portfolio 4 $6,711,725909,873 $7,186,392351,820 $7,764,6838,172,789 $8,353,585709,946
Portfolio 5 $6,247,134407,151 $6,965,3057,051,991 $8,640,298983,091 $9,783,543967,976
Portfolio 6 $6,295,506887 $6,991,122987,393 $8,671,032852,891 $9,767,701853,177
Portfolio 7 $6,997,0477,230,980 $7,335,052589,273 $7,883,0188,284,393 $8,298,494678,643
Portfolio 8 $6,921,4117,086,109 $7,308,725447,426 $7,845,6868,260,812 $8,329,757684,372
Portfolio 9 $6,351,648626,104 $6,960,567994,787 $8,563,652645,465 $9,640,438326,708
Portfolio 10 $6,857,192866,736 $7,075,085105,974 $8,319,929635,942 $9,006,307196,065
Portfolio 11 $7,936,126867,263 $7,890,594897,257 $8,512,277921,579 $8,559,0339,057,434
Portfolio 12 $7,866,893700,882 $7,851,159866,914 $8,408,693508,580 $8,503,484662,707
Portfolio 13 $6,298,486276,926 $7,084,234189,464 $8,966,855839,672 $10,126,2439,941,809
Portfolio 14 $6,131,430281,733 $7,081,861198,597 $8,426,982715,087 $9,721879,956
Portfolio 15 $6,484,416748,522 $7,185,644487,819 $7,780,4778,179,919 $8,630,0579,014,114
Portfolio 16 $6,632,764674,015 $7,205,140381,746 $7,802,1548,062,506 $8,516,159860,820
Portfolio 17 $6,306,492339,272 $7,084,799101,059 $8,943,9079,025,272 $10,093,639126,056
Portfolio 18 $6,155,638371,297 $7,057,686104,072 $8,641,6899,012,603 $9,775,03910,082,271
Portfolio 19 $6,770,655985,582 $7,287,389574,547 $7,878,8958,268,054 $8,514,255931,658
Portfolio 20 $6,852,642679,355 $7,311,787381,868 $8,080,079051,005 $8,740,492841,573
Portfolio 21 $6,483,530472,912 $7,074,327065,637 $8,795,307896,703 $9,733,627815,932
Portfolio 22 $6,511,244505,881 $7,064,598071,269 $8,722,004885,581 $9,634,701795,651
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 123
NPV ($ x 1000)
Planning Gas—,
Planning Carbon
High Gas—,
Planning Carbon
Planning Gas—,
High Carbon
High Gas—,
High Carbon
Portfolio 23 $7,230,853348,046 $7,585,172732,620 $8,151,311633,344 $8,574,7389,137,650
Portfolio 24 $7,380,4896,957,458 $7,681,075665,019 $8,228,451391,091 $8,631,0689,237,524
Under the Planning Gas and Planning Carbon scenario, P14 has the lowest NPV value of the
24 WECC-optimized portfolios at $6,131,430,000.
Figure 9.1 takes the information in Table 9.3 and compares all 24 portfolios on a two-axis graph
that shows NPV cost under the planning scenario and the four-scenario standard deviation in
NPV costs. The y-axis displays the NPV values under Planning Gas and Planning Carbon, and
the x-axis displays the four-scenario standard deviation in NPV costs for the four scenarios
shown in Table 9.3. Note that all cost scenarios are given equal weight in determining the four-
scenario standard deviation. Idaho Power does not believe that each future has an equal
likelihood, but for the sake of simplicity presented the results assuming equal likelihood to
provide an idea of the variance in NPV costs associated with the four modeled scenarios.
Figure 9.1 shows that P14P13 is the lowest-cost portfolio under Planning Gas and Planning
Carbon, as can be seen in Figure 9.1 and Table 9.3, although its four-scenario standard deviation
is higher than some other portfolios. Conversely, P 24P12 has the lowest four-scenario standard
deviation, but the second highest expected cost under Planning Gas and Planning Carbon.
Portfolios plotted along the lower and left edge of Figure 9.1 represent the efficient frontier in
this graph of NPV cost versus cost standard deviation. Moving vertically, portfolios plotting
above the efficient frontier are considered to have equivalent cost variance, but higher expected
cost. Moving horizontally, portfolios plotting to the right of the efficient frontier are considered
to have equivalent expected cost, but greater potential cost variance.
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 124 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Portfolio 1
Portfolio 2
Portfolio 3Portfolio 4
Portfolio 5
Portfolio 6
Portfolio 7
Portfolio 8
Portfolio 9
Portfolio 10
Portfolio 13
Portfolio 14
Portfolio 15
Portfolio 16
Portfolio 17
Portfolio 18
Portfolio 19
Portfolio 20
Portfolio 21
Portfolio 22
Portfolio 23
Portfolio 24
$6,000,000
$6,200,000
$6,400,000
$6,600,000
$6,800,000
$7,000,000
$7,200,000
$7,400,000
$450,000 $650,000 $850,000 $1,050,000 $1,250,000 $1,450,000
Pl
a
n
n
i
n
g
C
a
s
e
N
P
V
(
$
x
1
0
0
0
)
Four-Scenarios NPV Variance ($ x 1,000)
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 125
Figure 9.1 NPV cost versus cost variance
Portfolio 1Portfolio 2
Portfolio 3
Portfolio 4
Portfolio 5
Portfolio 6
Portfolio 7
Portfolio 8
Portfolio 9
Portfolio 10
Portfolio 11
Portfolio 12
Portfolio 13
Portfolio 14
Portfolio 15
Portfolio 16
Portfolio 17
Portfolio 18
Portfolio 19
Portfolio 20
Portfolio 21
Portfolio 22
Portfolio 23
Portfolio 24
$6,000,000
$6,200,000
$6,400,000
$6,600,000
$6,800,000
$7,000,000
$7,200,000
$7,400,000
$7,600,000
$7,800,000
$8,000,000
$400,000 $600,000 $800,000 $1,000,000 $1,200,000 $1,400,000 $1,600,000
Pla
n
n
i
n
g
C
a
s
e
N
P
V
(
$
x
1
0
0
0
)
Risk Variance ($ x 1000)
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 126 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Based on these results, Idaho Power selectedAs indicated in Table 8.5, the starting point of the
manual optimization process was determined from the following four WECC-optimized
portfolios for manual adjustment with the objective of further reducing Idaho Power-specific
portfolio costs:
Portfolio 2 (Planning Gas, Planning Carbon, without B2H: P(1), P(2), P(13), P(14)
Portfolio 4 (Planning Gas, High Carbon, without B2H: P(3), P(4), P(15), P(16)
Portfolio 14 (Planning High Gas, PlanningHigh Carbon,: P(11), P(12), P(23), P(24)
The portfolios identified in the first two categories are close to the line drawn in Figure 9.1 and
represent combinations of low cost and low risk. The other points were included in the HGHC
category to determine whether a more optimal portfolio could be obtained starting with
B2H)different flexibility resources (pumped hydro, biomass, and nuclear instead of natural gas).
• Portfolio 16 (Planning Gas, High Carbon, with B2H).
Manually Built Portfolios
The Manual adjustments to the selected four WECC-optimized portfolios specifically focused
first on evaluating the evaluation of Jim Bridger coal unit exit scenarios. In addition, a 15-
percent planning margin was preserved while generally retaining the resource mix of the WECC-
optimized portfolio. Table 9.4 shows the six selectedfollowing tables, Jim Bridger exit dates for
the first three scenarios studiedare fixed across the gas and carbon assumptions and provide a
comparison of Bridger exit dates. Scenario 1 exits all four units by 2030. Scenario 2 exits the
second unit in 2028 but keeps the third and fourth units until 2034. Scenario 3 exits the second
unit in 2026 and keeps the third and fourth units until 2034. Scenario 4 exit dates were adjusted
differently to further optimize the results. Table 9.4 provides a summary of the Jim Bridger exit
scenarios.
Table 9.4 Jim Bridger exit scenarios
Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4
2022 2022 2022 2022Varied*
2026 2028 2026 2026Varied*
2028 2034 20282034 2028Varied*
20342030 2034 2034 2030Varied*
* The Jim Bridger exit timing for Scenario 4 was selected based on learnings from the first three scenarios (1), (2), (3), and (4)
focused on evaluating exitgas and carbon assumptions.
The following guiding principles were used in the manual optimization process for the first three
scenarios for the second, third and fourth units,:
The same modeling constraints used within the AURORA modeling software during the
WECC optimization were applied to the manual optimization (e.g., Bridger unit exits
could not be earlier than the dates identified in Scenario 1)
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 127
The same resource types and approximate resource allocations were used as identified in
the WECC-optimized LTCE portfolios
Resources identified for WECC optimization were deferred and reduced where possible
while maintaining a planning margin of 15 percent
No carbon-emitting resources were added to the high gas, high carbon portfolios
Scenario 4 was completed as an attempt to further refine the results to lower portfolio costs while
maintaining a similar level of reliability. The following guiding principles were applied in
addition to the ones used for the first three scenarios (5) and (6) focused:
Large-scale CCCT units can in some cases be replaced with more scalable reciprocating
gas engines, allowing a phased approach to adding flexible resources which can reduce
costs
Demand response can be accelerated and/or expanded to defer some types of resources
Depending on evaluating the the portfolio builds, accelerating solar and battery resources
and alternating with flexible resources can result in portfolio savings
Solar plus battery resources were often selected before solar-only resources because they
have a higher contribution to peak
The resulting 24 manual builds (six categories with four scenarios each) were evaluated using the
AURORA model to determine their NPV using the same gas and carbon pricing forecasts as the
initial WECC results shown in Table 9.3. The results of the 24 manual builds are shown in
Table 9.5.
As a final step, Valmy Unit 2’s exit date associated with the first Jim Bridger unit. Scenarios
(was accelerated to 2022 as a sensitivity to test the viability of an earlier exit. The final results of
the manual build process are shown in Table 9.7.
Table 9.5) and (6) centered on portfolios developed under a planning natural gas, planning carbon
future, or P2 and P14. Thus, the complete set of 2019 IRP manually built
portfolios consists of the following:, NPV years 2019–2038 ($ x 1,000)
P2 derived portfolios—P2(1), P2(2), P2(3), P2(4), P2(5), P2(6)
P4 derived portfolios—P4(1), P4(2), P4(3), P4(4)
P14 derived portfolios—P14(1), P14(2), P14 (3), P14 (4), P14 (5), P14 (6)
P16 derived portfolios—P16(1), P16(2), P16(3), P16(4)
Manual adjustments yielded the portfolio cost changes for P2 (decreases and increases).
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 128 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Table 9.5 Jim Bridger exit scenario cost changes for P2
Scenarios 1 2 3 4 5 6 Average
NPV ($ x 1000)
Planning Gas,
Planning Carbon
-0.6%High Gas,
Planning Carbon
-0.8%Planning
Gas,
High Carbon
-0.6%High Gas,
High Carbon
PGPC (1.0%) 2.$6%,279,509 2.6%$7,426,379 1.$8%,233,137 $9,440,332
PGPC (2) $6,273,071 $7,246,081 $8,490,274 $9,625,390
PGPC (3) $6,284,277 $7,277,944 $8,431,678 $9,560,285
-2.PGPC (4%) -4.$6%,279,772 -1.9%$7,259,024 -5.5%$8,558,682 -5.3%$9,716,348
PGHC (1) $6,390,311 $7,319,067 $8,032,346 $9,067,148
PGHC (2) $6,442,048 $7,144,213 $8,264,118 $9,181,798
-PGHC (3.3%) -1.$6%,453,111 -3.$7%,181,508 -3.6%$8,242,129 -3.0%$9,151,410
PGHC (4) $6,294,814 $7,359,094 $8,091,963 $9,277,557
AverageHGHC (1) -0.9%$7,469,519 -1.$7%,934,725 -1.0%$8,635,143 -1.$9%,153,185
HGHC (2) $6,987,986 $7,521,331 $8,665,974 $9,374,281
HGHC (3) $7,043,235 $7,575,393 $8,654,276 $9,326,503
HGHC (4) $6,855,447 $7,783,286 $8,595,740 $9,639,967
PGPC B2H (1) $6,239,229 $7,436,314 $8,389,315 $9,634,337
PGPC B2H (2) $6,267,445 $7,285,695 $8,662,735 $9,863,352
PGPC B2H (3) $6,267,257 $7,327,131 $8,650,207 $9,858,607
PGPC B2H (4) $6,247,768 $7,457,533 $8,453,137 $9,705,863
PGHC B2H (1) $6,342,373 $7,377,938 $8,113,174 $9,290,421
PGHC B2H (2) $6,326,907 $7,223,445 $8,356,141 $9,518,984
PGHC B2H (3) $6,325,327 $7,260,956 $8,336,880 $9,508,616
PGHC B2H (4) $6,231,882 $7,378,575 $8,244,490 $9,576,761
HGHC B2H (1) $6,627,133 $7,560,819 $8,321,638 $9,377,658
HGHC B2H (2) $6,551,203 $7,370,092 $8,519,476 $9,591,880
HGHC B2H (3) $6,549,962 $7,402,601 $8,507,236 $9,581,960
HGHC B2H (4) $6,505,943 $7,500,370 $8,259,364 $9,394,863
As demonstrated in the tables above, the LTCE model performed reasonably well in developing
low cost portfolios for Idaho Power’s service area. However, Idaho Power was able to further
lower overall portfolio costs through the manual refinements detailed above. Based on these
results, the company is confident that its preferred portfolio detailed in Chapter 10 achieves the
low cost, low risk objective of the IRP.
Manual adjustments yielded the following portfolio cost changes for P4 (decreases and
increases):
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 129
Table 9.6 Jim Bridger exit scenario cost changes for P4
As discussed previously, tables 9.3 and 9.5 utilized the WECC buildout that each portfolio was
designed under, which is shown in figures 8.3 and 8.4. The 24 WECC buildouts are unique in
terms of the resources that were selected for each buildout, as well as the timing of each
resource.
In order to compare portfolios using the same WECC buildout, the company inserted its manual
portfolios into four distinct WECC buildouts: 1) Planning Gas, Planning Carbon; 2) High Gas,
Planning Carbon; 3) Planning Gas, High Carbon; 4) High Gas, High Carbon. This comparison
allows the company to focus on differences specific to Idaho Power’s portfolio design, rather
than differences stemming from future WECC buildout scenarios. The results are shown in
Table 9.6.
Table 9.6 2019 IRP manually built portfolios, WECC buildout comparison, NPV years
2019–2038 ($ x 1,000)
Scenarios 1 2 3 4 Average
NPV ($ x 1000)
Planning Gas,
Planning
Carbon
-7.9%High Gas,
Planning
Carbon
-8.2%Planning
Gas,
High Carbon
-8.1%High Gas,
High Carbon
Portfolio PGPC
(1)
$6,279,509 $7,411,931 $8,114,621 $9,345,007
Portfolio PGPC
(2)
$6,273,071 $7,236,437 $8,331,134 $9,504,866
Portfolio PGPC
(3)
$6,284,277 $7,269,646 $8,292,583 $9,443,642
Portfolio PGPC
(4)
$6,279,772 $7,238,655 $8,378,158 $9,552,907
Portfolio PGHC
(1)
$6,400,413 $7,334,372 $8,032,346 $9,083,275
Portfolio PGHC
(2)
$6,451,515 $7,164,818 $8,264,118 $9,205,845
Portfolio PGHC
(3)
$6,462,698 $7,201,220 $8,242,129 $9,176,938
Portfolio PGHC
(4)
$6,310,357 $7,363,283 $8,091,963 $9,237,188
High Gas,
Planning
CarbonPortfolio
HGHC (1)
-
1.$7%,465,092
-
1.3%$7,907,690
-
2.2%$8,603,701
-
0.4%$9,153,185
Planning Gas,
High
CarbonPortfolio
HGHC (2)
2.$7%,000,131 0.5%$7,508,566 2.6%$8,642,228 -
0.2%$9,374,281
High Gas, High
CarbonPortfolio
HGHC (3)
$7.3%,052,572 6.$7%,564,816 $8.2%,632,474 $9,326,503
AveragePortfolio
HGHC (4)
0.$6%,918,876 -
0.4%$7,819,991
0.5%$8,652,244 -
0.6%$9,639,967
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 130 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Portfolio PGPC
B2H (1)
$6,239,229 $7,392,339 $8,091,379 $9,349,587
Portfolio PGPC
B2H (2)
$6,267,445 $7,248,819 $8,357,392 $9,563,648
Portfolio PGPC
B2H (3)
$6,267,257 $7,287,162 $8,339,846 $9,557,784
Portfolio PGPC
B2H (4)
$6,247,768 $7,401,560 $8,133,197 $9,386,236
Portfolio PGHC
B2H (1)
$6,384,339 $7,386,701 $8,113,174 $9,238,667
Portfolio PGHC
B2H (2)
$6,360,212 $7,232,682 $8,356,141 $9,460,037
Portfolio PGHC
B2H (3)
$6,358,018 $7,270,472 $8,336,880 $9,452,539
Portfolio PGHC
B2H (4)
$6,276,172 $7,379,348 $8,244,490 $9,478,369
Portfolio HGHC
B2H (1)
$6,688,060 $7,603,598 $8,339,690 $9,377,658
Portfolio HGHC
B2H (2)
$6,604,353 $7,410,535 $8,546,168 $9,591,880
Portfolio HGHC
B2H (3)
$6,603,227 $7,447,855 $8,528,960 $9,581,960
Portfolio HGHC
B2H (4)
$6,582,646 $7,563,134 $8,295,569 $9,394,863
Manual adjustments yielded the followingThe WECC buildout approaches provide a measure of
how robust each portfolio cost changesis under the four futures evaluated.
The best-performing B2H portfolios outperformed the best-performing non-B2H portfolios in the
planning case (Planning Gas, Planning Carbon) in both approaches.
Finally, for P14 (decreaseseach of the four future gas and increases):carbon scenarios, the
company performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the cost, or value, associated with an
earlier exit (year-end 2022) of Valmy Unit 2. As noted in the Nevada Transmission without
North Valmy section of Chapter 6, the Company will be performing a near-term analysis related
to Valmy Unit 2 to further investigate market depth and other factors associated with this
transmission capacity.
Table 9.7 Jim Bridger exit scenario cost changes for P14
These differentials were then applied to the portfolio costs in Table 9.6 to obtain the results
detailed in Table 9.7.
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 131
Table 9.7 2019 IRP Manually built portfolios with Valmy exit year-end 2022, NPV years 2019–
2038 ($ x 1,000)
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 132 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Scenarios 1 2 3 4 5 6 Average
NPV ($ x 1000)
Planning Gas,
Planning Carbon
-0.9%High Gas,
Planning Carbon
-1.3%Planning
Gas,
High Carbon
-1.0%High Gas,
High Carbon
Portfolio PGPC (1) $6,277,779 $7,421,034 $8,109,662 $9,342,540
Portfolio PGPC (2) $6,271,341 $7,245,540 $8,326,175 $9,502,399
Portfolio PGPC (3) $6,282,547 $7,278,749 $8,287,624 $9,441,175
Portfolio PGPC (4) $6,278,042 $7,247,758 $8,373,199 $9,550,440
Portfolio PGHC (1) $6,398,683 $7,343,475 $8,027,387 $9,080,808
Portfolio PGHC (2) $6,449,785 $7,173,921 $8,259,159 $9,203,378
Portfolio PGHC (3) $6,460,968 $7,210,323 $8,237,170 $9,174,471
Portfolio PGHC (4) $6,308,627 $7,372,386 $8,087,004 $9,234,721
1.0%Portfolio HGHC
(1) 0.$7%,463,362 1.$7%,916,793 1.7%$8,598,742 1.6%$9,150,718
Portfolio HGHC (2) $6,998,401 $7,517,669 $8,637,269 $9,371,814
Planning Gas, High
CarbonPortfolio
HGHC (3)
-1.$7%,050,842 -3.$8%,627,515 -1.3%$9,324,036
-0.4%Portfolio HGHC
(4) -4.5%$6,917,146 -4.4%$7,829,094 -4.3%$8,647,285 -3.0%$9,637,500
Portfolio PGPC B2H
(1) $6,236,327 $7,400,616 $8,087,144 $9,346,611
AveragePortfolio
PGPC B2H (2) $6,264,543 -0.$7%,257,096 -1.$8%,353,157 -0.5%$9,560,672
Portfolio PGPC B2H
(3) $6,264,355 $7,295,439 $8,335,611 $9,554,808
Portfolio PGPC B2H
(4) $6,244,866 $7,409,837 $8,128,962 $9,383,260
Portfolio PGHC B2H
(1) $6,381,437 $7,394,978 $8,108,939 $9,235,691
Portfolio PGHC B2H
(2) $6,357,310 $7,240,959 $8,351,906 $9,457,061
Portfolio PGHC B2H
(3) $6,355,116 $7,278,749 $8,332,645 $9,449,563
Portfolio PGHC B2H
(4) $6,274,442 $7,388,451 $8,239,531 $9,475,902
Portfolio HGHC B2H
(1) $6,686,330 $7,612,701 $8,334,731 $9,375,191
Portfolio HGHC B2H
(2) $6,602,623 $7,419,638 $8,541,209 $9,589,413
Portfolio HGHC B2H
(3) $6,601,497 $7,456,958 $8,524,001 $9,579,493
Portfolio HGHC B2H
(4) $6,580,916 $7,572,237 $8,290,610 $9,392,396
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 133
Manual adjustments yielded the followingThe PGPC B2H (1) portfolio cost changes for P16
(decreases and increases):
Table 9.8 Jim Bridger exit scenario cost changes for P16
Scenarios 1 2 3 4 Average
Planning Gas, Planning Carbon -8.5% -9.0% -8.4% -9.6% -8.9%
High Gas, Planning Carbon -1.5% -1.2% -2.0% -0.9% -1.4%
Planning Gas, High Carbon 3.4% 1.2% 3.4% -0.1% 2.0%
High Gas, High Carbon 10.8% 8.8% 11.0% 7.5% 9.5%
Average 1.1% 0.0% 1.0% -0.8% 0.3%
The costs foroutperforms the manually builtother portfolios underin the planning case (Planning
Gas, Planning Carbon) and ranks high in the four natural gas and carbon scenarios are provided
in Table 9.9.
Table 9.9 2019 IRP manually built portfolios, NPV years 2019–2038 ($ x 1,000)
NPV ($ x 1000)
Planning Gas—
Planning Carbon
High Gas—
Planning Carbon
Planning Gas—
High Carbon
High Gas—
High Carbon
P2-1 $6,145,102 $7,121,558 $8,074,268 $9,316,639
P2-2 $6,129,872 $7,182,632 $7,892,135 $9,170,679
P2-3 $6,143,832 $7,069,053 $8,108,875 $9,330,234
P2-4 $6,103,118 $7,233,055 $7,816,128 $9,116,756
P14-1 $6,078,583 $7,153,869 $8,286,789 $9,608,551
P14-2 $6,050,117 $7,177,509 $8,109,147 $9,404,032
P14-3 $6,068,301 $7,129,172 $8,319,839 $9,679,042
P14-4 $6,012,329 $7,201,730 $7,970,850 $9,284,089
P4-1 $6,182,752 $7,064,347 $7,970,468 $9,134,728
P4-2 $6,160,188 $7,092,252 $7,801,005 $8,964,360
P4-3 $6,170,775 $7,025,150 $7,968,725 $9,154,217
P4-4 $6,151,167 $7,155,210 $7,751,893 $8,913,303
P16-1 $6,069,778 $7,095,243 $8,068,014 $9,437,687
P16-2 $6,033,966 $7,117,922 $7,896,872 $9,268,367
P16-3 $6,076,723 $7,063,064 $8,065,497 $9,451,679
P16-4 $5,996,478 $7,143,613 $7,791,783 $9,152,575
P2-5 $6,117,622 $7,233,779 $7,827,998 $9,129,774
P2-6 $6,129,786 $7,230,697 $7,840,382 $9,139,164
P14-5 $6,026,339 $7,200,864 $7,985,612 $9,291,816
P14-6 $6,040,012 $7,198,508 $7,999,308 $9,302,299
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 134 Second Amended 2019 IRP
UnderPlanning Gas, High Carbon case. Based on these results, the Planning Gas and Planning
Carbon scenario, P16(4) hascompany is confident that the lowest NPV valuePreferred Portfolio
detailed in Chapter 10 achieves the least-cost, least-risk objective of the 24 WECC-optimized
portfolios at $5,996,478,000IRP.
Stochastic Risk Analysis
The stochastic analysis assesses the effect on portfolio costs when select variables take on values
different from their planning-case levels. Stochastic variables are selected based on the degree to
which there is uncertainty regarding their forecasts and the degree to which they can affect the
analysis results (i.e., portfolio costs).
The purpose of the analysis is to understand the range of portfolio costs across the full extent of
stochastic shocks (i.e., across the full set of stochastic iterations) and how the ranges for
portfolios differ.
Idaho Power identified the following three variables for the stochastic analysis:
1. Natural gas price—Natural gas prices follow a log-normal distribution adjusted upward
from the planning case gas price forecast, which is shown as the dashed line in Figure
9.2. Natural gas prices are adjusted upward from the planning case to capture upward risk
in natural gas prices. The correlation factor used for the year-to-year variability is 0.65,
which is based on historic values from 1997 through 2018.
Figure 9.2 Natural gas sampling (Nominal $/MMBtu)
$0.00
$2.00
$4.00
$6.00
$8.00
$10.00
$12.00
$14.00
$16.00
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
$/M
M
B
t
u
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 135
2. Customer load—Customer load follows a normal distribution and is adjusted around the
planning case load forecast, which is shown as the dashed line in Figure 9.3
Figure 9.3 Customer load sampling (annual MWh)
3. Hydroelectric variability—Hydroelectric variability follows a log-normal distribution
and is adjusted around the planning case hydroelectric generation forecast, which is
shown as the black dashed line in Figure 9.4. The correlation factor used for the year-to-
year variability is 0.80, which is based on historic values from 1971 through 2018.
Figure 9.4 Hydro generation sampling (annual MWh)
The three selected stochastic variables are key drivers of variability in year-to-year power-supply
costs and therefore provide suitable stochastic shocks to allow differentiated results for analysis.
Idaho Power created a set of 20 iterations based on the three stochastic variables (hydro
condition, load, and natural gas price). The 20 iterations were developed using a Latin
15,000,000
16,000,000
17,000,000
18,000,000
19,000,000
20,000,000
21,000,000
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
MW
h
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
9,000,000
10,000,000
11,000,000
12,000,000
13,000,000
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
MW
h
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 136 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Hypercube sampling rather than Monte Carlo. The Latin Hypercube design samples the
distribution range with a relatively smaller sample size, allowing a reduction in simulation run
times. Idaho Power then calculated the 20-year NPV portfolio cost for each of the 20 iterations
for all 24 portfolios. The distribution of 20-year NPV portfolio costs for all 24 portfolios is
shown in Figure 9.5.
Figure 9.5 Portfolio stochastic analysis, total portfolio cost, NPV years 2019–2038 ($x 1,000)
The horizontal axis on Figure 9.5 represents the portfolio cost (NPV) in millions of dollars, and
the 24 portfolios are represented by their designation on the vertical axis. Each portfolio has 20
dots for the 20 different stochastic iterations scattered across different NPV ranges. The Xs
designate the Planning Gas Planning Carbon scenario that was performed for each portfolio.
The distribution of 20-year NPV portfolio costs for the set of 20 manually built portfolios is
shown in Figure 9.6.
$5,500,000 $6,000,000 $6,500,000 $7,000,000 $7,500,000 $8,000,000 $8,500,000
NPV ($ x 1000)
Portfolio 1
Portfolio 2
Portfolio 3
Portfolio 4
Portfolio 5
Portfolio 6
Portfolio 7
Portfolio 8
Portfolio 9
Portfolio 10
Portfolio 11
Portfolio 12
Portfolio 13
Portfolio 14
Portfolio 15
Portfolio 16
Portfolio 17
Portfolio 18
Portfolio 19
Portfolio 20
Portfolio 21
Portfolio 22
Portfolio 23
Portfolio 24
$5,500,000 $6,000,000 $6,500,000 $7,000,000 $7,500,000 $8,000,000 $8,500,000
NPV ($ x 1000)
Portfolio 1
Portfolio 2
Portfolio 3
Portfolio 4
Portfolio 5
Portfolio 6
Portfolio 7
Portfolio 8
Portfolio 9
Portfolio 10
Portfolio 11
Portfolio 12
Portfolio 13
Portfolio 14
Portfolio 15
Portfolio 16
Portfolio 17
Portfolio 18
Portfolio 19
Portfolio 20
Portfolio 21
Portfolio 22
Portfolio 23
Portfolio 24
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 137
$5,500,000 $6,000,000 $6,500,000 $7,000,000 $7,500,000
NPV ($ x 1000)
P2-1
P2-2
P2-3
P2-4
P14-1
P14-2
P14-3
P14-4
P4-1
P4-2
P4-3
P4-4
P16-1
P16-2
P16-3
P16-4
P2-5
P2-6
P14-5
P14-6
$5,500,000 $6,000,000 $6,500,000 $7,000,000 $7,500,000 $8,000,000 $8,500,000
NPV ($ x 1000)
Portfolio PGPC (1)
Portfolio PGPC (2)
Portfolio PGPC (3)
Portfolio PGPC (4)
Portfolio PGHC (1)
Portfolio PGHC (2)
Portfolio PGHC (3)
Portfolio PGHC (4)
Portfolio HGHC (1)
Portfolio HGHC (2)
Portfolio HGHC (3)
Portfolio HGHC (4)
Portfolio PGPC B2H (1)
Portfolio PGPC B2H (2)
Portfolio PGPC B2H (3)
Portfolio PGPC B2H (4)
Portfolio PGHC B2H (1)
Portfolio PGHC B2H (2)
Portfolio PGHC B2H (3)
Portfolio PGHC B2H (4)
Portfolio HGHC B2H (1)
Portfolio HGHC B2H (2)
Portfolio HGHC B2H (3)
Portfolio HGHC B2H (4)
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 138 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 9.6 Manually built portfolio stochastic analysis with Valmy exit year-end 2022, total
portfolio cost, NPV years 2019–2038 ($x 1,000)
The stochastic risk analysis, coupled with the portfolio cost analysis, assesses the portfolios’
relative exposure to significant cost drivers. The wide range of resulting portfolio costs evident
in Table 9.37 and Figure 9.56 reflects the wide range of considered conditions for the cost
drivers. The widely ranging costs are an indication that portfolio exposure to cost drivers is
sufficiently evaluated. Further, the stochastic analysis suggests that changes in strong cost drivers
do not shift the relative cost difference between portfolios significantly and thus does not favor
one portfolio over another.
Portfolio Emission Results
The CO2 emissions for all 24 portfolios were evaluated during the portfolio cost analysis. The
results for all 24 portfolios isare shown in Figure 9.67. Figure 9.67 is a stacked column that
shows the year-to-year cumulative emissions for each portfolio’s projected generating resources.
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 139
Figure 9.7 Estimated portfolio emissions from 2019–2038
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2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 140 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 9.8 Estimated portfolio emissions from 2019–2038—manually built portfolios
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10,000,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
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2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
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2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 141
Qualitative Risk Analysis
Major Qualitative Risks
Fuel Supply—All generating and transmission resources require a supply of fuel to
provide electricity. The different resource types have different fuel supply risks.
Renewable resources rely on uncertain future weather conditions to provide the fuel be it
wind, sun or water. Weather can be variable and difficult to forecast accurately. Thermal
resources like coal and natural gas rely on infrastructure to produce and transport fuel by
rail or pipeline and include mining or drilling facilities. Infrastructure has several risks
when evaluating resources. Infrastructure is susceptible to outages from weather,
mechanical failures, labor unrest, etc. Infrastructure can be limited in its existing
availability to increase delivery of fuel to a geographic area that limits the amount of a
new resources dependent on the capacity constrained infrastructure.
Fuel Price Volatility—For plants needing purchased fuel, the fuel prices can be volatile
and impact a plant’s economics and usefulness to our customers both in the short and
long term. Resources requiring purchased fuels like natural gas and coal have a higher
exposure to fuel price risk.
Market Price Volatility—Portfolios with resources that increase imports and/or exports
heighten the exposure to a portfolio cost variability brought on by changes in market
price and energy availability. Market price volatility is often dependent on regional fuel
supply availability, weather, and fuel price risks. Resources, like wind and solar, that
cannot respond to market price signals, expose the customer to higher short-term market
price volatility.
Siting and Permitting—All generating and transmission resources in the portfolios
require siting and permitting for the resource to be successfully developed. The siting and
permitting processes are uncertain and time-consuming, increasing the risk of
unsuccessful or prolonged resource acquisition resulting in an adverse impact on
economic planning and operations. Resources that require air and water permits or that
have large geographic siting impacts have a higher risk. These include natural gas,
nuclear, pumped storage and transmission resources, as well as solar and wind if the
projects or associated transmission lines are sited on federal lands.
Technological Obsolescence—Innovation in future generating resources may possess
lower costs of power and have more desirable characteristics. Current technologies may
become noncompetitive and strand investments which may adversely impact customers
economically. Energy efficiency and demand response have the lowest exposure to
technological obsolescence.
JB NOx Compliance Alternatives—The negotiation with the Wyoming DEQ to extend
the utilization of Jim Bridger units 1 and 2 without SCR investments to comply with the
Federal Clean Air Act Regional Haze rules has not been completed. Without alternative
compliance dates, these units have a risk of not being available for use in a portfolio after
2021 and 2022. Future reliance on these units may adversely impact customers and
system reliability if a timely settlement is not obtained.
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 142 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Partnerships—Idaho Power is a partner in coal facilities and is currently jointly
permitting and siting transmission facilities in anticipation of partner participation in
construction and ownership of these transmission facilities. Coordinating partner need
and timing of resource acquisition or retirement increases the risk of an Idaho Power
timing or planning assumption not being met. Partner risk may adversely impact
customers economically and adversely impact system reliability. B2H and Jim Bridger
early unit retirement portfolios have the highest partner risk.
Federal and State Regulatory and Legislative—There are currently many Federal and
State rules governing power supply and planning. The risk of future rules altering the
economics of new resources or the Idaho Power electrical system composition is an
important consideration. Examples include carbon emission limits or adders, PURPA
rules governing renewable PPAs, tax incentives and subsidies for renewable generation
or other environmental or political reasons. New or changed rules could harm customers
economically and impact system reliability.
Resource Off-Ramp Risks—All resources require time to successfully approve, permit,
site, engineer, procure, and build. Some resources have long development lead times
incurring costs along the way, while others have relatively short lead times with much
lower development costs. As previously mentioned, the pace of change in the power
industry and electric markets is increasing. Consequently, resources that have a
compelling story today may be less attractive in a not-so-distant future. The flexibility to
not construct a resource when forecasted conditions change is an important consideration.
Resources with long lead times and high development costs are susceptible to off-ramp
risk. Likewise, early retirement and decommissioning of units limitlimits flexibility to
include the resource in the future. Reducing optionality in the selection of future
resources may adversely affect customers economically.
Each resource possesses a set of qualitative risks that when combined over the study period,
results in a unique and varied qualitative portfolio risk profile. Assessing a portfolio’s aggregate
risk profile is a subjective process weighing each component resource’s characteristics in light of
potential bad outcome for each resource and the portfolio of resources as a whole. Idaho Power
evaluated each resource and resource portfolio against the qualitative risk components as
described in the preceding section on the selection of the preferred portfolio.
Operational Considerations
System Regulation—Maintaining a reliable system is a delicate balance requiring
generation to match load on a sub-hourly time step. Over and under generation due to
variability in load and generation requires a system to have dispatchable resources
available at all times to maintain reliability and to comply with FERC rules and
California Independent System Operator (CAISO) EIM flexibility requirements. Outages
or other system conditions can impact the availability of dispatchable resources to
provide flexibility. For example, in the spring, hydro conditions and flood control
requirements can limit the availability of hydro units to ramp up or down in response to
changing load and non-dispatchable generation. Not having hydro units available
increases the reliance on baseload thermal resources like the Jim Bridger units as the
primary flexible resources to maintain system reliability and comply with FERC and EIM
Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 143
rules. Increasing the variability of generation or reducing the availability of flexible
resources can adversely impact the customer economically, Idaho Power’s ability to
comply with environmental requirements and the reliability of the system.
Frequency Duration Loss of Load Evaluation
Idaho Power used AURORA to evaluate the system loss of load using a frequency duration
outage methodology for the 2019 IRP. The preferred portfolio was selected and analyzed in
AURORA for 100 iterations in the year 2025. The year 2025 was selected because Idaho Power
believes it will be a pivotal year. For the preferred portfolio, in 2025, there is not a large amount
of excess resources on the system; the last resource built will have been a solar facility in 2023
and 2025 is a year before B2H going into service. The AURORA setup consists of generation
resources and their associated forced (unexpected) outage rates. Given these outage rates, the
model randomly allowed units to fail or return to service at any time during the simulation. The
units selected for random outages were hydro units in the HCC, existing coal units on-line during
2025, and existing natural gas units. The setup also allowed transmission import lines to fail
during the peak month of the study. The hydro generation was modified from the planning case
50 percent exceedance level to a more water restrictive 90 percent exceedance level. The demand
forecast was also modified from the 50th percentile forecast to a higher load forecast of 95th
percentile.
Ultimately, sixfour unique loss-of-load events occurred out of the 100 iterations of year 2025.
The results of the loss-of-load analysis show Idaho Power’s system will exceedperforming
within the industry standard of less than one event per 10 years and will be resource adequate
through 2025, the year prior to the next major resource additionthe planning timeframe.
Regional Resource Adequacy
Northwest Seasonal Resource Availability Forecast
Idaho Power experiences its peak demand in late June or early July while the regional adequacy
assessments suggest potential capacity deficits in late summer or winter. In the case of late
summer, Idaho Power’s demand has generally declined substantially; Idaho Power’s irrigation
customer demand begins to reduce starting in mid-July. For winter adequacy, Idaho Power
generally has excess resource capacity to support the region.
The assessment of regional resource adequacy is useful in understanding the liquidity of regional
wholesale electric markets. For the 2019 IRP, Idaho Power reviewed two recent assessments
with characterizations of regional resource adequacy in the Pacific Northwest: The Pacific
Northwest Power Supply Adequacy Assessment for 2023 conducted by the NWPCC Resource
Adequacy Advisory Committee (RAAC); and the Pacific Northwest Loads and Resources Study
by the BPA (White Book). For illustrative purposes, Idaho Power also downloaded FERC 714
load data for the major Washington and Oregon Pacific Northwest entities to show the difference
in regional demand between summer and winter.
The NWPCC RAAC uses a loss-of-load probability (LOLP) of 5 percent as a metric for
assessing resource adequacy. The analytical information generated by each resource adequacy
assessment is used by regional utilities in their individual IRPs.
9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 144 Second Amended 2019 IRP
The RAAC issued the Pacific Northwest Power Supply Adequacy Assessment of 2023 report on
June 14, 2018,25 which reports the LOLP starting in operating year 2021 will exceed the
acceptable 5 percent threshold and remain above through operating year 2023. Additional
capacity needed to maintain adequacy is estimated to be on the order of 300 MW in 2021 with an
additional need for 300 to 400 MW in 2022. The RAAC assessment includes all projected
regional resource retirements and energy efficiency savings from code and federal standard
changes but does not include approximately 1,340 MW of planned new resources that are not
sited and licensed, and approximately 400 MW of projected demand response.
While it appears that regional utilities are well positioned to face the anticipated shortfall
beginning in 2021, different manifestations of future uncertainties could significantly alter the
outcome. For example, the results provided above are based on medium load growth. Reducing
the 2023 load forecast by 2 percent results in an LOLP of under 5 percent.
From Idaho Power’s standpoint, even with the conservative assumptions adopted in the Pacific
Northwest Power Supply Adequacy Assessment of 2023 report, the LOLP is zero for the critical
summer months (see Figure 9.79). The NWPCC analysis indicates that the region has a surplus
in the summer; this is the reason that B2H works so well as a resource in Idaho Power’s IRP.
Figure 9.9 LOLP by month—Pacific Northwest Power Supply Adequacy Assessment of 2023
The most recent BPA adequacy assessment report was released in April 2019 and evaluates
resource adequacy from 2020 through 2029.26 BPA considers regional load diversity (i.e.,
winter- or summer-peaking utilities) and expected monthly production from the Pacific
Northwest hydroelectric system under the critical case water year for the region (1937).
Canadian resources are excluded from the BPA assessment. New regional generating projects are
25 NWPCC. Pacific Northwest power supply adequacy assessment for 2023. Document 2018-7.
nwcouncil.org/sites/default/files/2018-7.pdf. Accessed April 25, 2017.
26 BPA. 2018 Pacific Northwest loads and resources study (2018 white book). Technical Appendix,
Volume 2: Capacity Analysis. bpa.gov/p/Generation/White-Book/wb/2018-WBK-Technical-Appendix-
Volume-2-Capacity-Analysis-20190403.pdf. Accessed June 20, 2019
0.2 0.1
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Idaho Power Company 9. Modeling Analysis
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 145
included when those resources begin operating or are under construction and have a scheduled
on-line date. Similarly, retiring resources are removed on the date of the announced retirement.
Resource forecasts for the region assume the retirement of the following coal projects over the
study period:
Table 9.108 Coal retirement forecast
Resource Retirement Date
Centralia 1 December 1, 2020
Boardman January 1, 2021
Valmy 1 January 1, 2022
Colstrip 1 June 30, 2022
Colstrip 2 June 30, 2022
Centralia 2 December 1, 2025
Valmy 2 January 1, 2026
Figure 9.10 BPA white book PNW surplus/deficit one-hour capacity (1937 critical water year)
Finally, for illustrative purposes, Idaho Power downloaded peak load data reported through
FERC Form 714 for the major Pacific Northwest entities in Washington and Oregon: Avista,
BPA, Chelan County PUD, Douglas County PUD, Eugene Water and Electric Board, Grant
County PUD, PGE, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, and Tacoma (PacifiCorp West data
was unavailable). The coincident sum of these entities’ total load is shown in Figure 9.911.
(4,000)
(3,000)
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2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
January July
MW
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9. Modeling Analysis Idaho Power Company
Page 146 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Figure 9.11 Peak coincident load data for most major Washington and Oregon utilities
Figure 9.911 illustrates a wide difference between historical winter and summer peaks for the
Washington and Oregon area in the region. Other considerations, not depicted, include Canada’s
similar winter- to summer-peak load ratio, and the increased ability of the Pacific Northwest
hydro system in late June through early July compared to the hydro system’s capability in the
winter.
Overall, each of these assessments includes very few new energy resources; any additions to the
resource portfolio in the Pacific Northwest will only increase the surplus available during Idaho
Power’s peak operating periods. The regional resource adequacy assessments are consistent with
Idaho Power’s view that expanded transmission interconnection to the Pacific Northwest (i.e.,
B2H) provides access to a market with capacity for meeting its summer load needs and abundant
low-cost energy, and that expanded transmission is critical in a future with automated energy
markets such as the Western EIM and high penetrations of intermittent renewable resources.
15,000
17,000
19,000
21,000
23,000
25,000
27,000
29,000
20
0
6
20
0
7
20
0
8
20
0
9
20
1
0
20
1
1
20
1
2
20
1
3
20
1
4
20
1
5
20
1
6
20
1
7
Winter Summer
Idaho Power Company 10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 147
10. PREFERRED PORTFOLIO AND ACTION PLAN
Preferred Portfolio
The portfolio development process for Idaho Power’s Second Amended 2019 IRP evolved from a
completely manual portfolio development process in past IRPs to using AURORA’sthe LTCE
capability for the first time for the 2019 IRP. The 24 resource portfolios developed are
substantially different in their resource composition, driven by assumed future conditions for
natural gas price and carbon cost. Once resource portfolios were generated, cost analysis for the
24 resource portfolios was performed under four different assumptions: planning case conditions
for natural gas price and carbon cost, and also under higher-cost futures as shown in Table 10.1.
Table 10.1 AURORA hourly simulations
Planning Carbon High Carbon
Planning Gas X X
High Gas X X
The cost evaluation for different futures can be considered an examination of the quantitative
risk associated with the higher-cost futures for natural gas and carbon prices, particularly on
resource portfolios developed by AURORA assuming planning case conditions for natural gas
price and carbon. The company also performed a stochastic risk analysis on the 24 resource
portfolios, in which portfolio costs were computed for 20 different iterations for the studied
stochastic risk variables: natural gas price, hydroelectric production, and system load.
Collectively, between the portfolio cost evaluation under different natural gas/carbon cost
assumptions and the numerous stochastic runs, risk is quantitatively captured over a wide range
of potential futures.
To ensure the AURORA-produced WECC-optimized portfolios are aligned with the company’s
purpose of providing customers reliable and affordable energy, a subset of top-performing
WECC portfolios waswere joined into categories and then manually adjusted with the objective
of further reducing portfolio costs specific to the Idaho Power system. The selected Preferred
Portfolio for the Second Amended 2019 IRP is a derivative of WECC-optimized portfolio P16, a
portfoliowas developed under an assumption of planning case natural gas price forecast and high
caseand carbon cost forecast. The preferred portfolio from price forecasts. In terms of
nomenclature, the 2019 IRPPreferred Portfolio is designated as P16(4Portfolio PGPC B2H (1),
where the modifying numeral 41 represents the Jim Bridger exit first scenario identified in Table
9.4 (exit from Bridger coal units in 2022, 2026, 2028, and 2030). The preferred portfolio was
further evaluated under an assumption of planning case natural gas price forecast and planning
case carbon cost forecast, represented by P14(7).
Adjustments to P16 yielding the Preferred Portfolio are largely related to timing of resource
actions, primarilydescribed in delaying the WECC-optimized portfolio’s expansion of wind and
solar resources in the 2020s. With the exception of wind resources, which declined by 300 MW
nameplate over the IRP time horizon, the total nameplate capacity by resource type in the
WECC-optimized portfolio is similar in quantity to its manually adjusted version.Manually Built
10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan Idaho Power Company
Page 148 Second Amended 2019 IRP
Portfolios section of Chapter 8. The Preferred Portfolio, particularly with the expansion of
windsolar and solarstorage resources in the 2030s, is considered to align well with Idaho Power’s
goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2045.
Resource actions of the Preferred Portfolio are provided in Table 10.2.
Table 10.2 Preferred Portfolio additions and coal exits (MW)
Gas Solar Battery
Demand
Response Coal Exit
2019 -127 (Valmy)
2020 -58 (Boardman)
2021
2022 120 -177 -133 (Bridger, Valmy*)
2023
2024
2025
2026 -180 (Bridger)
2027
2028 -174 (Bridger)
2029 40 30
2030 300 40 30 5 -177 (Bridger)
2031 300 5
2032 80 5
2033 80 5
2034 40 20 5
2035 111 80 20 5
2036 120 10 5
2037 55.5 320 5
2038 55.5 300 440 5
Nameplate Total 411 300400 80 3045 -1,026
B2H (2026) 500
* Idaho Power has identified the potential for additional savings from an exit date as early as 2022. Further analysis
must to conducted to determine optimal exit timing that weighs economics and system reliability. More detail on
this study is provided in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date section of Chapter 1 of this document.
Action Plan (20192020–2026)
The Second Amended 2019 IRP Action Plan is the culmination of the IRP process distilled down
into actionable near-term items. The items identify milestones to successfully position Idaho
Power to provide reliable, economic and environmentally sound service to our customers into the
future. The current regional electric market, regulatory environment, pace of technological
change and Idaho Power’s recently announced goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2045 make
the 2019 action plan especially germane.
Idaho Power Company 10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 149
The resource additions and coal exits identified in the Action Plan window have not changed
compared to the Amended 2019 IRP, with the possible exception of the exit date for Valmy
Unit 2. More detail on this study is provided in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date section of Chapter 1
of this document.
The Action Plan associated with the Preferred Portfolio is driven by its core resource actions
through the mid-2020s. These core resource actions include:
120 MW of added solar PV capacity (2022)
Exit from threefour coal-fired generating units by year-end 2022, and from five coal-fired
generating units (total) by year-end 2026
B2H on-line in 2026
The Action Plan is heavily influenced by the above resource actions and portfolio attributes,
which are discussed briefly in the following sections.
120 MW Solar PV Capacity (2022)
The Preferred Portfolio includes the addition of 120 MW of solar PV capacity in 2022. This
capacity is associated with a PPA Idaho Power signed to purchase output from the 120 MW
Jackpot Solar facility having a projected commercial on-line date of December 2022. The PPA
for Jackpot Solar was approved by the IPUC on December 24, 2019.
Exit from Coal-Fired Generating Capacity
The Preferred Portfolio includes Idaho Power’s exit from its share of North Valmy Unit 1 by
year-end 2019, Boardman by year-end 2020, a Jim Bridger unit during 2022, North Valmy Unit
2 by no later than year-end 2025 and no earlier than year-end 2022, and a second Jim Bridger
unit during 2026. The achievement of these coal-unit exits is expected to require substantial
coordination with unit co-owners, regulators, and other stakeholders. The company also
recognizes the need to ensure system reliability is not jeopardized by coal-unit exits, and
considers B2H as a necessary resource in enabling the proposed coal-unit exits.
Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date
As discussed in Chapter 1, the exit timing of Valmy Unit 2 requires further analysis, which Idaho
Power plans to conduct in the coming months.
Potential savings based on a long-term analysis should not be the sole consideration. Rather,
near-term economic and reliability impacts of an earlier exit must also be evaluated using data
points such as forward market hub price forecasts, planned unit outages, Idaho Power’s energy
risk management processes, and recent market conditions, among other items.
In the months ahead, Idaho Power will conduct further analysis of Valmy Unit 2 exit timing. In
particular, the company will assess the feasibility of a 2022 exit, which would require 15 months
of advance notice to the plant operator (i.e., a decision before September 30, 2021). The analysis
will consider customer reliability, more current operating budgets, and economics to inform a
10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan Idaho Power Company
Page 150 Second Amended 2019 IRP
decision that will minimize costs for customers while ensuring Idaho Power can maintain system
reliability.
B2H On-line in 2026
The Preferred Portfolio includes the B2H transmission line with an on-line date during 2026.
Continued permitting and construction activities are included in the IRP Action Plan.
Demand Response
The company acknowledges that Under the amended preferred portfolio, somePreferred
Portfolio in this Second Amended 2019 IRP, demand response was shifted into future years
outsideis added one year earlier than previously identified in the Preferred Portfolio of the action
plan window in comparison to the 2019 IRP preferred portfolioAmended 2019 IRP, filed in June
2019. The company examined the cost associated with acceleratingJanuary 2020. Demand
response within the amended preferred portfolio and found accelerating demand response added
nearly $900,000 to the preferred portfolio NPV. In moving forward with the amended preferred
portfolio as least-cost, least-risk, the company acknowledges the benefit of demand response and
additions are also expanded from 30 MW over six years to 45 MW over nine years. The
company will continue to evaluate the cost and risk associated with accelerating and expanding
demand response to earlier yearsprograms.
Action Plan (20192020–2026)
Table 10.3 Action Plan (20192020–2026)
Year Action
20192020–
2022
Plan and coordinate with PacifiCorp and regulators for early exits from Jim Bridger units. Target dates
for early exits are one unit during 2022 and a second unit during 2026. Timing of exit from second unit
coincides with the need for a resource addition.
20192020-
2022
Incorporate solar hosting capacity into the customer-owned generation forecasts for the 2021 IRP.
2019 Jackpot Solar PPA regulatory approval*—on-line December 2022
2019 Exit Valmy Unit 1 by December 31, 2019.*
20192020–
2021
Conduct ongoing B2H permitting activities. Negotiate and execute B2H partner construction
agreement(s).
20192020–
2026
Conduct preliminary construction activities, acquire long-lead materials, and construct the B2H
project.
2019–2020 Monitor VER variability and system reliability needs, and study projected effects of additions of 120
MW of PV solar (Jackpot Solar) and early exit of Bridger units.
2020 Exit Boardman December 31, 2020.
2020 Bridger Unit 1 and Unit 2 Regional Haze Reassessment finalized.
2020 Conduct a VER Integration Study.
2020–2021 Conduct focused economic and system reliability analysis on timing of exit from Valmy Unit 2.
2021–2022 Continue to evaluate and coordinate with PacifiCorp for timing of exit/closure of remaining Jim Bridger
units.
2022 Subject to coordination with PacifiCorp, exit Jim Bridger unit (as yet undesignated) by December 31,
2022.
Idaho Power Company 10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan
Second Amended 2019 IRP Page 151
2022 Jackpot Solar 120 MW on-line December 2022.
2023–2026 Procure or construct resources resulting from RFP (if needed).
20252022 Exit Valmy Unit 2 by December 31, 2025.2022.*
2026 Subject to coordination with PacifiCorp, exit Jim Bridger unit (as yet undesignated) by December 31,
2026. Timing of the exit from the second Jim Bridger unit is tied to the need for a resource addition
(B2H).
Jackpot Solar PPA and the Valmy Unit 1 exit were complete at the time the Second Amended 2019 IRP was filed on
October 2, 2020.
* Further analysis will be conducted to evaluate the optimal exit date of Valmy Unit 2, weighing exit economics and
system reliability concerns. Further discussion of the Valmy Unit 2 is provided in the Valmy Unit 2 Exit Date section
of Chapter 1 of this document.
Conclusion
The Second Amended 2019 IRP provides guidance for
Idaho Power as its portfolio of resources evolves over the
coming years. The B2H transmission line continues in
the 2019 IRP analysis to be a top-performing resource
alternative providing Idaho Power access to clean and
low-cost energy in the Pacific Northwest wholesale
electric market. From a regional perspective, the B2H
transmission line, and high-voltage transmission in
general, is a critical part to the achievement ofachieving
clean energy objectives, including Idaho Power’s 2045
clean energy goal.
The cost competitiveness of PV solar is another notable
theme of the 2019 IRP. The Preferred Portfolio for the
Second Amended 2019 IRP includes a PPA to purchase
output from 120 MW of PV solar projected on-line in
December 2022. Idaho Power’s IRP analysis indicates
this contract allows the cost-competitive acquisition of
PV solar energy, and further positions the company in its
achievement of long-term clean energy goals.
The Second Amended 2019 IRP indicates favorable economics associated with Idaho Power’s
exit from five of seven coal-fired generating units by the end of 2026, and exit from the
remaining two units at the Jim Bridger facility by the end of the 2020s. Idaho Power views this
strategy as consistent with its long-term clean energy goals and transition from coal-fired
generation, and further sees the B2H transmission line as a resource critical to enabling the exit
from coal-fired generation.
Idaho Power recognizes its obligation to reliably deliver affordable electricity to customers
cannot be compromised as it strives to achieve clean energy goals and emphasizes the need to
continue to evaluate the coal-fired units’ value in providing flexible capacity necessary to
successfully integrate high penetration of VERs. Furthermore, the company recognizes the
evaluation of flexible capacity, and the possibility of flexibility deficiencies arising because of
Idaho Power linemen install upgrades.
10. Preferred Portfolio and Action Plan Idaho Power Company
Page 152 Second Amended 2019 IRP
coal-unit exit, may require the preferred portfolio’s flexible capacity resources to be on-line
sooner than planned.
Idaho Power strongly values public involvement in the planning process. Idaho Power and
thanks the IRPAC members and the public for their contributions tothroughout the entire 2019
IRP process. The IRPAC discussed many technical aspects of the 2019 resource plan, along with
a significant number of political and societal topics at the meetings. Idaho Power’s resource plan
is better because of the contributions from IRPAC members and the public.
Idaho Power prepares an IRP every two years and. The next plan will be filed in 2021. The
energy industry is expected to continue to undergoundergoing substantial transformation over the
coming years, and new challenges and questions will be encountered in the 2021 IRP. Idaho
Power will continue to monitor trends in the energy industry and adjust as necessary in the 2021
IRP.