The Northwest Power Act directs the Council to include within the plan a “recommendation for research and development.” Given the vastly different and rapidly evolving power system, it is important that the Council reflect not only on what we know today, but on what we need to continue to understand to ensure we meet the needs of all the region’s consumers. To that end, the Council recommends additional research and development in four key areas:
- Research to support effective implementation of the conservation program
- Exploration into alternative approaches to power system operation
- Research of emerging technologies to support development of future resource options
- Development of data and tools to enhance future power planning analysis
These recommendations are for entities across the region. The specific entities are identified at the top of each section [Recommended Entity]. In some cases, the Council is identified as providing a supporting, or even, leading role. That too is identified at the top of each section as appropriate [Council Role].