The Northwest Power and Conservation Council was authorized by Congress in 1980 in the Northwest Power Act, giving the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington a greater voice in the planning of the region's energy future and protection of fish and wildlife resources. One of the Council’s primary responsibilities, along with developing a fish and wildlife program, is to craft a 20-year, least-cost power plan for the Pacific Northwest and update it at least every five years. The plan includes an electricity demand forecast, electricity and natural gas price forecasts, an assessment of the amount of cost effective energy efficiency that can be acquired over the term of the plan, and a least-cost generating resources portfolio. The plan informs Bonneville’s resource decision-making to meet its customers’ electricity load requirements. This link takes you directly to the 2021 plan.  Other related resources include:

• 2021 Northwest Power Plan website
• 3-page summary of the 2021 plan