PacifiCorp is preparing to bring online enough long-term clean energy resources to help the utility meet Washington’s strict 2030 greenhouse gas targets.

Specifically, PacifiCorp has selected a shortlist of resources from a Washington-specific request for proposals for supply-side resources with an expected commercial online date before the end of 2029. The company issued the RFP to comply with Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), Rohini Ghosh, PacifiCorp’s director of clean energy planning, told the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) on March 24.

CETA requires all electric utilities in the state to become greenhouse gas-neutral by 2030 (allowing for use of offsets and other programs) on the way to generating all power from emissions-free resources by 2045. It also prohibits utilities from serving their Washington customers with any coal-fired generation after 2025. (See Washington Agencies Adopt New Rules to Implement CETA.)

PacifiCorp’s shortlist includes 853 MW of solar resources and 200 MW of batteries. The utility has begun executing the contracts, Ghosh said. She added that the new resources alone are enough to meet 80% of PacifiCorp’s CETA targets.

The resources fall under power purchase agreements, Ghosh noted. Although potential federal tax credits would not flow directly to the company, “it should be reflected in the prices we have received,” she said.

“Another specific action the company will take is to continue to evaluate potential cost-effective short-term products to make additional progress towards the clean energy targets,” Ghosh said. “While we have identified a healthy number of resources from this RFP, I will note that they largely come online in 2028 and by the end of 2029. So, we’re on a firm target for 2030, but there is still some room to potentially evaluate short-term options between now and then.”

Zachary Rogala, staff attorney at PacifiCorp, noted that the company’s service territory in Washington is “much smaller” than that of other utilities operating in the state.

“Given the size of our service territory, these are realistic targets, and we’re excited to share that news today,” Rogala said.

The costs associated with the procurement of the new resources “will be reviewed in the context of CETA’s cost-containment provisions and associated commission rules,” Drew Marine, PacifiCorp spokesperson, told RTO Insider in an email.

“Additional information about the costs of these resources will be provided in a subsequent filing in this same docket, based on the conditions of approval adopted by the commission,” Marine added. “PacifiCorp recognizes affordability concerns and is committed to helping mitigate customer cost pressures driven by Washington’s policies.”

The announcement came during a UTC meeting on PacifiCorp’s 2025 clean energy implementation plan, which is filed on a four-year cycle. PacifiCorp filed the plan in October 2025 for the UTC’s approval.

Since 2021, PacifiCorp has brought online or contracted for 3.3 GW of new renewable or storage resources, according to the utility’s presentation slides.

Over the next two decades, PacifiCorp says it needs over 2.5 GW of new renewable and storage resources to serve Washington customers and remain compliant with CETA. The company estimates it will need over $1.7 billion in transmission investments to connect the resources.

In the near term, PacifiCorp found that Washington customers will require 1.4 GW of new renewable resources by 2030, including 709 MW of wind and 735 of solar, supported by 462 MW of batteries, to generate CETA-compliant energy.

PacifiCorp anticipates $25.39 million in CETA compliance costs between 2026 and 2029. Compliance costs over the next 21 years could reach $1.4 billion, or a $72 million annual revenue increase, according to presentation slides.

In February, PacifiCorp agreed to sell most of its Washington utility operations to Portland General Electric for $1.9 billion. That deal is expected to close by early 2027, pending regulatory approvals. (See PGE to Acquire PacifiCorp’s Wash. Operations for $1.9B.)