Federal council recommends big push for more Northwest electricity generation - Oregon Public Broadcasting
A federal council has released draft recommendations for the Northwest region, including Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, to significantly increase electricity generation by 2032, largely due to the rapid growth of data centers. The plan calls for adding 11 gigawatts of new power, equivalent to Oregon's current usage, and recommends standards for data center efficiency. Public comments on the draft plan are open until October 16.
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC), a federal planning group, has issued draft recommendations for an unprecedented expansion of electricity generation in the Northwest by 2032. The plan, known as the Ninth Northwest Power Plan, calls for Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington to collectively add 11 gigawatts of new electricity within the next five years, surpassing Oregon's current total power consumption. A primary driver for this ambitious growth is the rapid proliferation of data centers, which are projected to require an additional 4 GW by 2030 and complicate forecasts for future electricity demand.
Jennifer Light, NWPCC Director of Power Planning, stated that the region's power system will need a diverse mix of resources, including 9 GW of renewables, at least 2 GW of natural gas, and 5 GW of battery storage. The council also recommends establishing efficiency standards for new data centers. The challenge of integrating such substantial new power sources is compounded by factors like inadequate transmission capacity, extreme weather risks, and the region's slow adoption of renewables, as previously reported by OPB and ProPublica. The draft plan is open for public comment until October 16, with a final update expected in late 2026 or early 2027.