Kootenai Electric Cooperative joins advanced natural gas project to boost power reliability
Kootenai Electric Cooperative (KEC) announced its plans to participate in a new advanced natural gas electric generation facility. KEC says this marks an important step in ensuring affordable and reliable electricity for its members.
“Our members depend on reliable electricity every day, and it plays a vital role in supporting the economic well‑being of our region,” said KEC’s General Manager, Doug Elliott. “This agreement ensures we have the resources necessary to keep the lights on, particularly during times of high demand or when other generation sources are unavailable. Equally important, it helps keep our members’ rates as affordable as possible well into the future.”
The facility will be built by PNGC Power, of which KEC is a member-owner, and Kindle Energy in Rathdrum, Idaho. This facility will be a state-of-the-art combined-cycle facility, according to the press release. It is expected to be one of the most efficient and lowest-emitting gas-fired generation resources in the country.
The facility will use advanced generation technology and is intended to produce more electricity with less fuel and water than older thermal resources, according to the release. Ultimately, lowering emissions and providing dependable power to support a modern grid is a current struggle in the Pacific Northwest (PNW).
KEC says the PNW is facing a growing gap between electricity supply and demand. This is driven by population growth, reduced availability or retirement of existing power sources and an increase in electrification, which is when an energy-consuming device is converted from non-electric sources of energy to electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Essentially, due to the increase in devices and systems that need electricity to work, pressure on regional electric grids is increasing, making it challenging for energy companies, cooperatives, like KEC, to keep up. Extreme weather events make this worse.
KEC says purchasing a portion of the power that will be generated by this facility is an important part of its long-term power supply strategy. Being one of several regional cooperatives participating in the project, the partnership allows KEC to share costs and risks while securing access to critical energy sources, according to the release.
“Specifically, building this resource within Kootenai County will also bolster grid resilience and reliability locally, benefiting our community,” said Elliot.
While KEC does have access to hydropower produced by the Federal Columbia River Power System and plans on continuing to use this source of power, the amount of access KEC has is not enough to meet the full power supply needs. The additional power from this facility will be able to bridge that gap, especially when hydro conditions, weather events or environmental regulations limit the energy created by that power system.
The natural gas that will be used in the new facility will provide more consistent grid reliability and around-the-clock power. Ultimately, when renewable power sources, such as wind and solar, are not able to produce the power needed, this facility can.
The project is expected to take six years to design and construct. In the end, KEC says it will provide enough electricity to power around 500,000 average homes, or 590 megawatts. KEC will receive 60 megawatts as part of its share.
“This project is about serving Northwest communities with the reliable and affordable energy they will need in the years ahead,” said CEO of PNGC Power Jessica Matlock. “Supporting this project will help ensure our members have power they can count on at prices they can afford.”
All in all, KEC says this project secures a long-term power supply at an affordable rate for its members.