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Fifth Northwest Power Plan
Recommended Action Items: Next Five Years

The Council's power plan will be reviewed and revised at least every five years.  The actions that the region takes now and over the next few years will determine the success of this plan.  The key actions are:

1) Develop resources now that can reduce cost and risk to the region

  • 700 average megawatts of conservation, 2005 - 2009
  • 500 megawatts of demand response, 2005 - 2009
  • Secure cost-effective cogeneration and renewable energy projects
  • Develop cost-effective generating resources when needed

2) Prepare to construct additional resources

  • Develop and maintain an inventory of ready-to-construct projects
  • Resolve uncertainties associated with large-scale wind development
  • Encourage use of state-of-the-art generating technology when siting and permitting projects
  • Plan for needed transmission and work toward better integration of resource and transmission planning
  • Improve utilization of available transmission capacity

3) Confirm the availability and cost of additional resources that promise cost and risk mitigation benefits

  • Coal gasification with carbon sequestration
  • Oil sands cogeneration
  • Energy storage technologies
  • Demonstration of renewable and high efficiency generation with Northwest potential

4) Establish the policy framework to ensure the ability to develop needed resources

  • Carry out a process to establish adequacy standards for the Northwest and the rest of the Western system
  • Work through the Grid West, Regional Representatives Group process to address emerging transmission issues by the end of 2005.  If necessary, pursue alternative approaches to resolve issues
  • Revise the role of the Bonneville Power Administration in power supply, consistent with the Council's May 2004 recommendations

5) Monitor key indicators that could signal changes in plans

  • Periodically report on the regional load-resource situation and indicate whether there is a need to accelerate or slow resource development activities
  • Monitor conservation development and be prepared to intensify efforts or develop alternative resources, if necessary
  • Monitor efforts to resolve uncertainties regarding the cost and availability of wind generation, and prepare to develop alternatives, if necessary
  • Monitor climate change science and policy for developments that would affect resource choices
  • Prepare a biennial monitoring report and revise elements of the power plan as necessary
  • Monitor progress in implementing the changes recommended for Bonneville's future role in power supply

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