The vote green lights Platte River’s recommended “optimal new carbon” portfolio which includes 300 MW of new solar and 460 MW of new wind by 2030. The utility would also add 200 MW of thermal generation in the form of aeroderivative gas turbines by 2028, according to filings presented to the board.

“While some community members question the need for new gas turbines, every portfolio we’ve modeled that meets the requirements of our three foundational pillars adds renewable resources and aeroderivative units,” says Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River.

While PRPA considered five different portfolios, the company said the optimal new carbon plan
“balances cost, reliability and carbon considerations.”

Platte River Power Authority is the utility serving Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland – communities in Northern Colorado.

In 2020, PRPA had filed an IRP which included the goal of being carbon-free by 2030. However, the utility said supply chain and inflationary pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted changes to the plan.

Platte River said the 2024 IRP captures these developments, while reaffirming the need for dispatchable capacity to support a highly renewable energy portfolio.

Platte River said it plans to follow a three-pronged approach to dispatchable capacity:

• Implementing both short and long-duration energy storage when commercially viable. PRPA plans to add 175 MW of battery storage by 2030. The utility acknowledged that long-duration energy storage would not be commercially available at scale until after 2030.
• Using the lowest carbon-emitting combustion turbine technology that is hydrogen capable. It’s worth noting that in all the utility portfolios, it assumes new thermal generation would use a fuel blend containing 50% hydrogen from 2035 on; and 100% hydrogen fuel from 2040 onwards.
• Building out a virtual power plant with the four owner communities. Platte River said though work is already underway to build a virtual power plant, modeling and data from consultants estimate it will take close to a decade to develop a fully functional resource.

In 20 years, the utility plans to add a total of 600 MW of solar and 885 MW of wind. PRPA would also add 275 MW of battery storage and 160 MW of long-duration energy storage during that time.

Platte River noted it could further refine its IRP during implementation, incorporating market conditions, technology evolution, availability and cost and timing of new resources.