Archived Power Integrated Resource Plans
PWP updates its Power Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) every few years. We have made significant progress towards achieving the goals established in previous IRPs, including the repowering of local gas-fired generation, reducing reliance on energy from its coal-fired power plant, and increasing procurements of renewable resources to meet 40% of retail sales by 2020. Review our archives for documents from our past IRPs.
2021 IRP Update
The 2021 IRP Update was approved by the City Council on January 31, 2022. Developed with the same goals established through the 2018 IRP stakeholder process, the 2021 document expands on the 2018 plan in light of current laws, regulations, and energy market conditions, which have changed significantly during the past three years.
The continued growth of renewable resources has required California to update its regulatory structure and strategic approach to meeting the state’s ambitious GHG reduction goals. Accordingly, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees California’s power grid, is undergoing modification of its operating tariff, which will affect PWP’s continued participation in the CAISO energy markets. In addition, costs of renewable resources continue to fall, due to technology advancement and tax incentives.
Due to these external factors, the 2021 IRP Update features revised projections of PWP’s power supply portfolio and recommends that approximately 260 megawatts (MW) of new capacity supplies will be necessary by 2030 to yield 120 MW of firm capacity. This new capacity includes zero-carbon resources (wind, solar, storage and hybrids), modest demand response, and short-term purchases of capacity to meet residual obligations to the CAISO. The added capacity addresses PWP’s strategic goals, including:
- Meeting forecasted peak and energy loads
- Achieving California’s Renewable Portfolio Standards
- Reducing carbon emissions to zero by the end of 2045
- Meeting new capacity planning standards and reliability criteria in California
2021 IRP Update Recommendations
- Review increasing near-term procurement recommendations and potentially adding 70 MW of firm capacity by 2025 for reliability and Resource Adequacy program requirements (approximately 120 MW nameplate capacity of wind, solar and hybrid resources, excluding storage)
- Investigate energy storage options for capacity requirements and local reliability needs. The 2021 IRP Update identifies 50 MW nameplate of cost-effective storage to be added by 2025
- Continue efforts toward achieving 60% RPS by 2030 and net-zero carbon by 2045
- Examine potential alternative fuel sources for local reliability resources, such as biogas and green hydrogen at Glenarm Power Plant
- Refine forecasted growth of electric vehicle charging in Pasadena
2018 Power IRP
Pasadena’s 2018 IRP, one of the earliest to be produced in California that is compliant with the ambitious environmental targets of SB-100, was approved by the City Council on December 10, 2018. Developed through an extensive community stakeholder process designed to evaluate resource planning options that would best balance system reliability with fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship, the 2018 IRP recommends carbon-free long-term resource commitments, elimination of coal-fired generation, and aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets. View the 2018 Power IRP Document.
Strategies include:
- Achieving the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) target of 60% by 2030 as required by SB-100
- Meeting the California Air Resources Board’s recommended GHG emissions reduction planning target of at least 75% below 1990 levels by 2030
- Eliminating coal from PWP’s power portfolio by June 2027
- Non-participation in the Intermountain Power Renewal Project, a 50-year natural gas coal facility replacement project
- Meeting local energy needs without any new long-term contracts for fossil-fueled resources
- Utilization of a Social Cost of Carbon for long-range planning purposes (as a dispatch penalty in the production cost model)
2015 IRP Goals & Accomplishments
The 2015 IRP reaffirmed PWP’s commitment to environment stewardship by implementing goals that have exceeded California state mandates:
| Recommendation | 2015 IRP Goal | Status |
| Renewable Energy: RPS | 40% by 2020; meet/exceed mandated level | On track:
Expect 32.5% for 2017; Expect to meet 40% by 2020. Additional procurement ongoing |
| Coal Power Displacement | Eliminate coal from portfolio no later than 2027 | On track:
IPP coal facility will convert to a natural gas facility as early as 2025. Entered into a renewal agreement with IPP on 1/16/17 |
| Upgrades to Existing Generation | Continue to maintain and upgrade Glenarm Unit (“GT”) 2 | On track:
Feasibility study for GT-2 repairs is complete. Staff recommends repairing the unit. |
| New Local Gas-Fired Generation | Replace Broadway power plant with comparable new combined cycle plant by 2015 | Complete:
GT-5 project came online December 2016, at 71 MW (gross) & 68.8 MW (net) |
| GHG Emissions Reductions | Reduction of at least 60% from PWP’s 1990 levels by 2030 | On track:
39% GHG emissions reductions as of 2016 |
| Energy Savings | Reductions of 1% of annual net energy load | On track. |
| Additional Demand Response | Add 2.3 MW per year | Project on hold, due to cost and implementation hurdles |
| Renewable Energy: Local Solar | Community Solar Pilot Project by the end of 201 | Project on hold, due to cost and implementation hurdles |
| Renewable Energy: Feed in Tariff for Renewable Resources Inside the City | 5 MW by 2020; 10 MW by 2017
Establish Feed in Tariff by end of 2016 |
Project on hold, due to cost and implementation hurdles |
2015 IRP Documents
Attachment 1- Assumptions and Analysis
Attachment 2- Bill Impact Analysis
2015 IRP Exhibit 1 – B&V Report Pasadena Distributed PV Potential Assessment Report
2015 IRP Exhibit 2 - PWP Energy Efficiency and Demand Reduction Goals
2015 IRP Exhibit 3 - PWP RPS Policy
2015 IRP Exhibit 4 - Feed In Tariff Rates
2015 IRP Exhibit 5 - CAISO Level Integration Costs
2015 IRP Exhibit 6 - Report to PWP Assessment of Distribution Level PV Integration Costs
2015 IRP Exhibit 7 - Key Assumptions and Analysis
2015 IRP Exhibit 8 - Customer Survey Responses 05-15-2015
2015 IRP Exhibit 9 - Portfolio Scorecards
2015 IRP Exhibit 10 - Bill Impact Analysis
2015 IRP Exhibit 11 - IRP Glossary and Acronyms
Additional IRP Documents
City Council Agenda Report and Attachments
AB 2514 Energy Storage Systems Evaluation
AB 2514 Energy Storage System Procurement
Community Meeting Presentation Materials
2015
PWP 2015 IRP Update Energy Roadmap Presentation
2015 IRP Customer Survey Results Summary
Feed In Tariff Rate Comparison
2014
PWP Energy Roadmap II Presentation
