Rocky Mountain Power to invest $3.5bn in renewable energy projects

The Salt Lake City based electric service provider has unveiled on April 4 its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to diversify and improve Company’s productivity with more wind, solar and transmission lines.

Rocky Mountain Power plans to invest $3.5bn on renewable energy projects for twenty years, from now to 2037.

The Company’s IRP publication announces many construction and development projects to come.

The existing Rocky Mountain’s wind plants are to be upgraded with larger blades and newer technology in order to produce 20% more energy. Moreover, the provider envisages building the Gateway West 500 kilovolt transmission line to improve efficiency, enable additional wind generation and relieve transmission congestion.

New wind projects should be undertaken by the end of 2020 with the objective to generate 1,100MW of electricity. Plan to add up to 85MW in Wyoming and 774 MW in Idaho between 2028 and 2036 is considered by the provider.

The solar energy is also part of the IRP because Rocky Mountain foresees the construction of up to 1,040MW of new solar energy between 2028 and 2036. Around 77% to be built in Utah and the remaining 23% in states served by Pacific Power.

Rocky Mountain Power CEO, Cindy A. Crane said: “This plan provides more diversity in the energy we use, which helps us keep electricity prices low for customers and improves the economies of our states. The proposal is also a major investment that will produce more jobs, provide a stronger tax base and build transmission lines that will deliver reliable energy more efficiently for years to come.”