As part of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), the company also plans to build a segment of the Gateway West Transmission line to expand wind energy supply.
Under the expansion plan, which will be in place by 2020, the company plans to upgrade more than 900MW of its existing wind plants with larger blades and latest technology to generate more electricity in wide range of wind conditions.
Gateway West Transmission’s segment construction would involve a 140 mile 550kV transmission line, which would come into service by the end of 2020. The line will connect Medicine Bow in Wyoming and the Jim Bridger power plant in the southwestern region of the state.
PacifiCorp also plans to construct 1.1GW of new wind farms in the state of Wyoming by the end of 2020.
Another 859MW of wind farms are also planned between 2028 and 2036 in Wyoming and Idaho with 85MW and 774MW respectively. And, it also plans to construct up to 1.04GW of solar plants between 2028 and 2036.
Apart from this, PacifiCorp also plans to reduce its dependence on coal-fired plants in the years to come.
As outlined in IRP, PacifiCorp expects coal contribution to its energy mix to decline to 42% by 2021 from 49% in 2017.
PacifiCorp division Pacific Power president and CEO Stefan Bird said: “These investments will significantly increase the amount of clean renewable energy serving customers and reduce costs at the same time.
“This is a win-win and represents our continued commitment to both reduce the environmental impact of the energy we produce and keep costs low.”
Image: PacifiCorp plans to include more and more renewable projects in its energy mix. Photo: Courtesy of PacifiCorp.
