|
Avista to upgrade Bonners Ferry gate station |
|
February 28, 2017 |
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission accepted
Avista’s Natural Gas Integrated Resource Plan,
which the utility is required to update every
two years. The plan outlines how the northern
Idaho natural gas utility plans to meet future
natural gas needs.
Acceptance of the plan does not mean the
commission endorses every part of the plan or
approves any resource acquisitions outlined in
the plan, but only that the company has met its
requirement to file the plan. Avista serves
about 80,000 natural gas customers in its Idaho
territory.
The plan outlines how Avista plans to meet
customer demand in average price, demand and
weather scenarios as well as scenarios when
prices and demand are higher or lower than
expected.
Avista anticipates that annual average daily
demand will increase from 94,164 dekatherms per
day in 2016 to 102,840 dekatherms per day in
2035, or about a 0.5 percent annual increase.
Its peak-day demand is expected to increase at a
little faster pace – 0.8 percent – from 361,901
dekatherms per peak day in 2016 to 387,742
dekatherms per day in 2035.
Avista has a diversified portfolio of natural
gas supply resources, including storage, firm
capacity rights on six pipelines and contracts
to buy natural gas from several supply basins.
Avista did not include conservation as a
potential resource addition, but said it plans
to when it files its 2018 IRP.
Because gas prices are so low, most programs
that incent customers to reduce or shift peak
demand are not cost-effective, the company
claims. Because of low prices, Avista suspended
its demand-side management programs in 2012 but
then resumed them in 2015.
Commission staff suggested that targeted
conservation programs may defer costly
distribution capacity upgrades and encouraged
the company to further explore that possibility.
Planned upgrades in 2017 and 2018 include the $8
million Coeur d’Alene High Pressure
Reinforcement project to address low-pressure
conditions in the Hayden Lake system that
generally occur when demand is high during
winter conditions.
Also planned is the Schweitzer Mountain Road
High Pressure Reinforcement ($1.5 million) and
2019 gate station improvements at Athol, Bonners
Ferry and Genesee.
Avista included public input in the development
of the plan. Its Technical Advisory Committee
included commission staff, representatives from
peer utilities, customers and other
stakeholders.
A copy of Avista’s plan, the commission’s order
and other documents related to the case is
available on the commission’s web site at
www.puc.idaho.gov. Underneath the “Natural
Gas” heading, click on “Open Cases,” and scroll
down to Case No. AVU-G-16-03. |
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
