Sustainable energy solutions developer Invenergy is transferring two Wyoming wind projects, totaling 750 MW of output, to PacifiCorp.

Construction of both projects, located near the town of Medicine Bow, is underway this spring and concludes in 2020. The two projects combined will produce enough energy to power more than 220,000 American homes.

“The transfer of these two projects brings Invenergy’s track record of successful project development to Wyoming for the first time,” said Mick Baird, senior VP of renewable development for Invenergy. “We are proud to have developed a majority of the new wind resources that PacifiCorp will add to their portfolio by the end of 2020.”

Energy Vision 2020 will help diversify Wyoming’s economy, create between 1,100 and 1,600 construction jobs and add approximately $120 million in tax revenue from construction.

“We are pleased to work with Invenergy in pursuit of our Energy Vision 2020 initiative,” said Chad Teply, senior vice president of business policy and development at Rocky Mountain Power. “Their experience in project development and commitment to Wyoming communities makes them an excellent partner.”

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As part of its Energy Vision 2020, PacifCorp is building a new 140-mile Gateway West transmission segment in Wyoming to enable additional wind generation, including 1,150 MW of new wind by the end of 2020.

In a bench decision, the Wyoming PSC approved a settlement agreement between PacifiCorp, the Wyoming Industrial Energy Consumers, the Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate and the Interwest Energy Alliance on the new wind and transmission portions of PacifiCorp’s Energy Vision 2020 proposal.

The commission also approved the Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCNs) that are needed for construction of the Wyoming-based projects.

“Approval by the Wyoming commission marks a key step forward for our plan to significantly expand the amount of cost-effective renewable energy serving customers,” said Stefan Bird, president and CEO of Pacific Power, the unit of PacifiCorp that serves customers in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California.

As part of the settlement agreement, a previously announced 161-MW wind project in Uinta County, WY will no longer be included in the initiative. PacifiCorp also agreed to additional customer protections in the event of cost overruns as part of the agreement.

Included in the approved settlement are three new Wyoming wind projects that will provide a total 1,150 MW of new wind, which represents about a 60% expansion of PacifiCorp’s current owned and contracted wind fleet, as well as a 140 mile high-voltage transmission line in Wyoming that will help more wind energy connect to PacifiCorp’s transmission system.

In addition to the new wind projects and transmission line, the company’s Energy Vision 2020 initiative would upgrade, or “repower,” the company’s existing wind fleet in Wyoming, Washington and Oregon with longer blades and newer technology to boost output and extend the life of the projects.

The repowering plan is being considered separately by the Wyoming commission and is still pending. Components of the plan also are still waiting state regulatory approval in Utah, Oregon and Idaho.

Pending approval from state commissions, acquisition of rights of way, and receipt of permits, construction on the wind and transmission projects is expected to start in 2019.

The Energy Vision 2020 projects were identified in the company’s 2017 Integrated Resource Plan as the most cost-effective option to meet customers’ energy needs over the next 20 years. Completing the projects by 2020 will allow customers to realize the full benefit of production tax credits and provide a net savings for customers over the life of the projects.

Click here to learn more about Energy Vision 2020.

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This 2017 Request for Proposals is seeking cost-competitive bids for new or repowered wind energy, interconnecting with or delivering to PacifiCorp’s Wyoming system.

The request for proposal (RFP) establishes a competitive bidding process for the company to select the most cost-effective way to add at least 1,100 MW of new wind generation to the resource mix used to serve customers across six states. The exact capacity of the new resources will depend upon response from the market.

As envisioned, the proposed additional wind generation would produce power equivalent to the annual consumption of  approximately 400,000 typical homes and would expand the amount of PacifiCorp’s owned or contracted wind serving customers by about 35%.

“We have a golden opportunity to cost effectively expand the amount of renewable energy serving customers,” said Stefan Bird, president and CEO of Pacific Power, the unit of PacifiCorp that serves customers in Oregon, Washington, and California. “These new wind resources are a key part of the company’s plan to both meet customer energy needs and continue our cost-conscious transition to less carbon-intensive energy.”

The new wind energy is part of the company’s Energy Vision 2020 initiative, which also will upgrade or “repower” the company’s existing wind fleet with longer blades and newer technology and build a new 140-mile high-voltage transmission line in Wyoming that will help more wind energy connect to PacifiCorp’s transmission system.

The Energy Vision 2020 projects were identified in the company’s 2017 Integrated Resource Plan as the most cost-effective option to meet customers’ energy needs over the next 20 years. Completing the projects by 2020 will allow customers to realize the full benefit of production tax credits and provide a net savings for customers over the life of the projects.

Responses to the request for bids are due by October 17, 2017 for Wyoming projects and by October 24 for non-Wyoming projects. The company expects to have made final decisions and completed agreements by mid-April 2018.

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