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2011 Member Agenda

 In 2011 PNUCC will focus on several key issues facing the Northwest electric utility industry.  At their January meeting, the PNUCC Board of Directors developed this Agenda for the coming year.  A brief description and outcomes of the effort are provided to guide our work.  This Agenda reflects a range of outcomes including discussions, information-sharing, written products and reports for PNUCC members’ use

 

Communicating What’s Important

PNUCC’s Communications Committee will continue to emphasize the Plan Today. Power Tomorrow. educational campaign messages of: needs are growing, more resources and technologies are the solution and rising costs are a challenge we’ll face together.  This coming year we will see the completion of a new website and updated materials for utilities’ internal and external use.  Additional products may include a compilation of utilities’ community education programs and communicating the complexity of operating the power system while meeting other societal requirements.

Outcomes

  • Utilities have available consistent messages tailored to their area about the region’s need to acquire resources and the impacts to ratepayers
  • Consumers understand how utilities are meeting their needs and what the impacts/costs are to them.
  • Provide material that support Board of Directors and System Planning Committee efforts.

 

Understanding the Role of Wind

Through the work of the System Planning Committee, several aspects of wind generation in the Northwest will be examined.  These include looking into the effects of integrating larger and larger amounts of wind generation into the NW regional power supply, examining the effect of this intermittent generation on the ability to balance generation with need.

Outcomes

  • An estimate of current and future amounts of wind to be built in the next decade, including the load to be served by the generation.
  • An estimate of the effect on reliability of wind on the NW power system – both energy and heavy load hours.
  • An estimate of the operational effects (eg additional hydropower spilled).
  • An understanding of the alternative approaches to integrating wind (pilot programs and 30-minute schedules).

 

Stressing Regional Transmission Needs

Growing demand for electricity and the significant increase of intermittent generation of wind being integrated into the system are straining today’s transmission system.   The continued need for reinforcing and adding transmission capability will remain a focus for PNUCC discussions in 2011.

 

Engaging in Columbia River Treaty Analysis

As BPA and the Corps of Engineers continue with their analyses leading to a recommendation in 2013 on the future value of the U.S.-Canadian Columbia River Treaty PNUCC members will be kept current on the technical work, developing policies and legislative activities.

Outcomes

  • A clear understanding of the power, flood control and economic implications to alternatives being considered.
  • Agreement with the US entity (BPA/Corps of Engineers) on recommendations.

 

Sorting out Regional Demand Side Management

There is a renewed focus on energy efficiency within the region.  Our effort will be to look at the regional implications of conservation-related efforts including the Northwest Energy Efficiency Taskforce work, BPA’s role, the Washington renewable portfolio standard (I-937) requirements, the NW Energy Efficiency Alliance’s mission and the Regional Technical Forum.  We will also engage and track efforts to update state building codes and national appliance standards.

Outcomes

  • Clarity on accounting of savings due to the utilities’ and others’ programs.
  • Utility efforts are properly recognized.
  • Updated codes and standards that support utility efforts to capture energy savings.
  • Identify the effect of programs on meeting regional heavy load hours.

 

Assessing Peak Needs

The PNUCC System Planning Committee will examine how utilities and other regional entities assess the system peak capacity and flexibility needs.  They will estimate hydropower peaking capability and determine the best means for reflecting that capability in PNUCC’s Northwest Regional Forecast and other analyses. 

Outcomes

  • An estimate of regional peak need using historical criteria.
  • An estimate of the sum-of-utility capacity needs assessment.
  • A comparison of various approaches used to determine peak needs.

 

Examining the Region's Power Supply Picture

Two aspects of the region’s power supply picture will be examined:  1) the need to acquire additional power supply to maintain an adequate and reliable power system, and 2) the near-term (3-5 years) reliability of the power system.

Each year PNUCC provides a snapshot of the region’s loads and resources in its Northwest Regional Forecast.  This document provides an indicator of need for new generation.  Under the auspices of the System Planning Committee, we will be reintroducing an estimate of the regional need to take action to meet peak demands

The near-term reliability analysis has been done as part of the Council’s Regional Adequacy Forum efforts.  In 2011 that group will estimate the Northwest’s system reliability based on their adopted regional adequacy standards and metrics.  In addition, we will track the development of criteria and standards within the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and specifically within the

Western Electricity Coordinating Council.

Outcomes

  • A common and clear indicator of Northwest utilities’ need to acquire energy and capacity resources to reliably meet demand during the next 10 years.  (Northwest Regional Forecast)
  • A common and clear indicator of the near-term reliability of the Northwest power system.
  • An understanding of the similarities and differences of these analyses.

 

Staying up on Integrated Resource Plans

As individual utilities continue to update or complete their integrated resource plans PNUCC members will gain insights into the analysis and results of individual utilities’ plans and examine how they contribute to the regional resource picture.

 

Tracking the Council

Each month PNUCC’s provides an in depth account of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council meetings.  With the monthly PNUCC Council Report members have a strong sense of the topics addressed and the actions that were taken by the Council, allowing them to follow the key regional issues from the comfort of their own offices.

 

Understanding Fish and Wildlife

Increasing demands on the hydropower system for power purposes as well as fish and wildlife operations is creating challenges for system operators.  Through the System Planning Committee and others PNUCC members will keep up on the fish and power system implications of overlapping operational requirements.  We will also watch for opportunities to improve efficiency in the operation of the hydropower system while maintaining effective fish operations.  

PNUCC members will also stay apprised of the success of the region’s extensive investments in Fish and Wildlife restoration. 

 

Investigating Natural Gas Requirements for Electric Generation

The PNUCC Board of Directors agreed with a request to assess the role natural gas plays in meeting the needs of the NW electrical customers last year.  Now that the basic scope of the effort has been defined, PNUCC members will work with gas industry experts to complete the analysis and exchange ideas about each other’s challenges.

Outcomes

  • An appreciation for the amount of natural gas needed for electric generation for meeting energy and peak demands, and the potential integration of intermittent generation (e.g. wind).
  • Understand the infrastructure required to deliver the need supply of natural gas.
  • A conference of planners, operators and communicators to gain an understanding of the major challenges gas and electric industry players are addressing.

 

Identifying Regional Planning Practices

The System Planning Committee has embarked on an effort to identify approaches used by utilities in long-range planning.  The key elements of planning will be identified and summarized with the potential goal of developing a set of agreed-upon planning practices for the region and used by utilities when appropriate.

 

Understanding Climate Change Implications

Work is being done to estimate the impact of the changes to our climate on both demand for electricity and the water supply that fuels the hydropower system.  As this work progresses PNUCC members will be tuned into the results.  In addition, we will continue to monitor proposed changes for state and federal legislation that impact the Northwest power system.  Staying apprised of activities in California policy development will remain a focus.

Outcomes

  • Understand the current estimates of climate change on demand and water supply.
  • Recognize the implications of state (including California) and federal proposals on climate change to the Northwest electric consumers.

 

Sharing Smart Grid Experiences

Northwest utilities are currently investing in smart meters and other smart technologies.   PNUCC members will share their observations and the benefits and challenges they are experiencing.

 

Engaging in Power Plan Actions

The Council’s Power Plan has several action items that that will progress in 2011.  PNUCC’s System Planning Committee will identify key technical issues to work on with the Council staff.  These may include review of the analytic tools used in the Plan’s development, use of loss-of-load-probability methods for assessing reliability, and use of economics versus system reliability for determining future resource needs.

Outcomes

  • PNUCC members and the Council share a common view of system planning methods and analytic tools.