Upgrades reason for Wyoming rate increase

PacifiCorp Wyoming rate increase seeks $35M to fund Rocky Mountain Power plant retrofits, grid upgrades, emissions reductions, and wind energy integration, pending Wyoming Public Service Commission review in a multi-year rate case.

The coalfired Jim Bridger power plant northeast of Rock Springs is undergoing a major retrofit to improve efficiency and reduce pollution.

The improvements by PacifiCorp, which operates in Wyoming as Rocky Mountain Power, are part of environmental improvements and Wyoming wind farm initiatives the utility is undertaking throughout its sixstate region.

In Wyoming, improvements also are planned or underway at Rocky Mountain Powers Dave Johnston plant at Glenrock and the Naughton plant outside Kemmerer, mirroring moves by utilities to build a 300-megawatt unit as part of capacity upgrades.

Theyre part of the reason why Rocky Mountain Power is seeking a $35 million rate increase in Wyoming that would add nearly 14 percent to customers electricity rates. The proposal is pending before the Wyoming Public Service Commission, similar to how power plan input is sought in other states.

State Sen. Cale Case, RLander, has filed as an intervening party to the rate case.

They will be back. I feel its kind of frustrating, like youre painting the ship while its in motion, Case said.

But even if the commission approves the increase, the utility plans to return with another rate increase proposal for 2011. In coming years, PacifiCorp expects to ask customers to share the cost of improving the grid with line upgrades for renewables to tap wind energy.

As these projects are brought into service, the company will request approval to begin including their costs in the prices customers pay for electricity, said Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Jeff Hymas.

That includes the current rate and additional requests over several years, he said.

Improvements to the Unit 1 boiler at the Jim Bridger plant include a new Hitachi generator shaft to increase efficiency and reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, with related initiatives such as plans to convert a coal mine to wind moving forward as well.

Anything you do for efficiency, you reduce emissions, said Paul Fahlsing, the plants engineering and environmental manager.

By the end of 2014, PacifiCorp expects to retrofit 16 units at power plants with lownitrogen oxides burners, sulfur dioxide scrubbers and fabric bag houses to capture particulate matter.

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