Nuclear Among Plans to Meet Rising U.S. Northwest Power Demand

---

Written by Will Ploch, Assistant Editor-in-Chief for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

---

Summary

The U.S. Northwest region will need more than 11 gigawatts of additional power generation by 2032, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, which believes nuclear energy could be on the cusp of major advancement in the area.

---

Sharp Growth in Power Demand on Horizon

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) recommended the Power Industry add more than 11 gigawatts (GW) of power generation to the U.S. Northwest region by 2032, along with a substantial boost to storage capacity. While data centers are expected to drive activity in the near term, overall electricity consumption in the area could double over the next 20 years, according to the NWPCC. Industrial Info Resources is tracking more than $67 billion worth of active and proposed power-generation projects in the region covered by the NWPCC, which comprises Idaho, Oregon, Washington state and parts of western Montana.

"Load growth is one of the greatest areas of uncertainty, both regionally and nationally," the NWPCC said in its draft report, released Wednesday. "While predicting future energy demand has always been challenging, changes in electricity use are significantly increasing that uncertainty. Data centers, and other high-tech industries, are one of the main drivers of this uncertainty in load forecasting. Electrification of transportation, building, and industries, is another."

According to Industrial Info Resources data, about $21.5 billion of the total investment in Northwestern power generation is attributed to projects with a mid-to-high likelihood (70% or more) of beginning construction as currently planned. The bulk of these are attributed to solar projects in Washington and Oregon, both of which have encouraged the resource's development through tax exemptions, rebates and community solar programs.

One of the largest solar projects in the region has just one customer: Amazon.com, which acquired the Sunstone solar project in Boardman, Oregon, after its original developer, Pine Gate Renewables, declared bankruptcy. Formerly called Echo Solar, the Sunstone Solar Farm is designed to generate 200 megawatts (MW) in its first phase, which is expected to kick off early next year and include a 200-MW BESS unit.

Amazon also is looking into a proposed second phase, which would double both the solar and BESS capacities, and a third phase, which could add up to 800 MW of both generation and storage. Industrial Info Resources offers more information on Sunstone in its Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant and Project databases, where readers can find details--including construction schedules, investment values and necessary equipment--in a plant profile and project reports on Phase I, Phase II and Phase III.

The NWPCC's draft Ninth Power Plan, approved Wednesday, specifically recommends 9 GW of renewable energy, 2.1 GW of natural gas and 5.2 GW of BESS units to meet accelerating load growth in its region. The plan has been released for public comment, with public hearings set for September in October in Idaho, Oregon, Washington state and parts of Montana located west of the Continental Divide.

The NWPCC is targeting final adoption by the end of 2026 or in early 2027.

By the Numbers

• More than $67 billion: Total active and proposed power-generation projects in the area covered by the NWPCC
• 11 GW: Amount of power generation the NWPCC recommends be added to its area by 2032
• 5.2 GW: Amount of storage capacity the NWPCC recommends be developed over the same time period

Nuclear's New Frontier

The NWPCC's reports suggests nuclear energy could benefit from the region's demand growth: "The recent need for new resources, especially the perceived need for new baseload resources, has created interest in nuclear energy. Plants in other parts of the U.S. are being repowered, and there is ongoing interest in new applications of nuclear technology."

The only remaining nuclear plant operating in the region is Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station near Richland, Washington, which is licensed to run through 2043. But Oklo Incorporated broke ground last year on its Aurora Nuclear Power Plant near Idaho Falls, Idaho, which will use a small modular reactor to generate 75 MW.

Oklo's project is being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory, as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program. Readers can learn more from a detailed plant profile and project report.

While Idaho has fewer renewable-energy projects than its neighbors in the region, it is home to Enlight Renewable Energy's Crimson Orchard Plant in Mountain Home, which is designed to generate 100 MW of solar power and hold up to 100 MW in a BESS unit. Construction started earlier this year, after the project secured a $304 million debt-financing package in March. Readers can consult a detailed plant profile and project report.

The Industrial Info Resources GMI Project and Plant databases offer a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources also offers a full list of reports for active and proposed power-generation projects in the area covered by the NWPCC.

Key Takeaways

• Overall electricity consumption in the NWPCC's region could double over the next 20 years.
• One of the largest renewable-energy projects in the region is being developed by and for Amazon.com.
• The NWPCC is targeting final adoption of its Ninth Power Plan by the end of 2026 or in early 2027.

---

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news, and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing, and energy-related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified, and verified plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).