In 2019, the passage of RCW 19.405: the Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) added significant requirements to RCW 19.280. These include an assessment and forecast of the availability of regional generation and transmission capacity on which the utility may rely to deliver electricity to its customers, a determination of a resource adequacy metric, a forecast of distributed energy resources installed by customers, and assessments of energy and nonenergy benefits and reduction of burdens to vulnerable populations and highly impacted communities, long-term and short-term public health and environmental benefits, costs and risk and energy security and risk and a 10-year Clean Energy Action Plan (CEAP). Due to Chelan County PUD’s hydropower resources being surplus to its forecasted retail electric load throughout the planning period, CETA requirements did not have a significant impact on the District’s IRP development.
Utilities must produce progress reports reflecting changing conditions related to and the progress towards the IRP every two years and an updated IRP must be developed at least every four years.
Additionally, governing boards of consumer-owned utilities shall encourage participation of its consumers in development of the plans and progress reports and approve the plans and progress reports after it has provided public notice and hearing.
A new IRP was developed in 2021, to coincide with the development of the District’s first Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP). The CEIP is a requirement of CETA. The IRP outlines the sources of power needed to supply PUD customers through 2030. It describes the mix of resources from generation and conservation and efficiency that will meet current and projected needs at the lowest reasonable cost and risk to the utility and its customer-owners. The 2021 IRP will be submitted to the Washington State Department of Commerce before the September 1, 2022 deadline. The next IRP progress report will be developed in 2023.
Public Meetings/Hearing