Washington Commission Rejects PacifiCorp PURPA Change

On November 12, 2015, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (the Washington Commission) issued its final order in PacifiCorp’s Washington avoided cost case. The Washington Commission rejected the company’s proposal to eliminate capacity payments. The Washington Commission concluded that some sort of capacity payment was warranted because PacifiCorp’s projected market prices did not reasonably account for the company’s full avoided costs.   [Read more…]

Idaho Commission Limits PURPA Contract Terms

On August 20, 2015, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Idaho Commission) issued an order shortening the contract term for certain new and renewing qualifying facilities (QF) to two years. The decision is a major loss for wind and solar QFs, and all projects sized 10 megawatts (MW) and above. Non-wind and solar QFs under 10 MWs will remain eligible for long term contracts at published avoided cost rates. It is likely that the Idaho Commission’s order will significantly reduce the development of new wind and solar in Idaho, which was experiencing record growth.   [Read more…]

FERC Sides with Oregon Wind Farm Against PGE

On January 22, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order that granted in part and dismissed in part a complaint filed by PáTu Wind Farm (PáTu) against Portland General Electric Company (PGE).  FERC agreed with PaTu’s essential complaint that PGE may not refuse to accept PáTu’s net electric energy output that is delivered to PGE’s system.  FERC also: 1) dismissed PáTu’s arguments that PGE violated FERC’s standards of conduct; and 2) concluded that PáTu should seek monetary reparations in court or before the Oregon Public Utility Commission (Oregon Commission) rather than FERC itself.   [Read more…]

New Oregon Avoided Cost Rates and Contracts

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (Oregon Commission) has approved new standard contracts and rates for qualifying facilities (QFs) that sell their power to Portland General Electric Company (PGE), PacifiCorp, and Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power).  These new rates and contracts are only available to QFs that have the right to sell power to utilities under the Oregon and federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) and that have a maximum output of 10 megawatts (MW) or lower.  PGE’s new contracts and rates were approved on December 16, 2014, while PacifiCorp’s and Idaho Power’s were allowed to go into effect in August 2014.  PGE’s and PacifiCorp’s avoided cost rates and contracts provide new options for eligible renewable energy QFs to sell their electricity to these utilities.   [Read more…]

New Idaho Power Solar Contracts

Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power) has entered into contracts to purchase over 450 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity in Oregon and Idaho.  The solar projects, if developed, would significantly increase Idaho Power’s supply of green power and make Idaho Power a regional leader in the acquisition of solar energy.   [Read more…]