As a planning agency, the Council is obsessed with the future. Although it is impossible to predict it, the Council endeavors to prepare the region with knowledge and tools that can be economically and efficiently employed to ensure that our
The Council's regional portfolio model is the primary tool it uses to compare the cost and risk of alternate resource strategies. It has been under redevelopment for the past several months to update its software and improve its transparency.
In developing a regional power plan, the Council evaluates resources, including energy efficiency, based on their reliability, availability, development potential, capital and operating costs, and environmental effects, to name just a few important attributes. Resources that are well established--natural gas,
Whether it's better to use natural gas directly or to generate electricity for water heaters and space heating has been a longstanding question since the Council's first power plan. Over the years, the Council has conducted numerous studies to address
The preliminary load forecast for the draft Seventh Power Plan is for a moderate rate of growth over the next 20 years of between .5 and 1 percent. Regional load is expected to increase by 2,000-5,000 average megawatts before accounting
The Council’s power plans begin with the premise that the future is uncertain and we can’t really predict what will happen. Managing that risk is central to the Council’s approach to resource planning. Prior to the Council’s formation, this wasn’t
The Council's advisory committees bring outside advice and diverse perspectives about future energy needs to the work of developing a regional power plan. Committee members come from a variety of organizations, including utilities, state regulatory commissions, tribes, and public interest
The Council uses an integrated resource planning model, called the regional portfolio model, to identify adaptive, least-cost resource strategies for the region.
Relatively low wholesale power prices are forecast to continue, a result of low-cost hydopower and wind generation, flat load growth, and low natural gas prices.The Council's 20-year forecast region is used in developing its regional power plan.
Assessing different generating resources in order to know the best options for ensuring the region's power supply is a key element of the Council's power plan. The analysis considers things like cost, construction timeline, operation and performance, and regional availability.
