CHEYENNE — Governor Mark Gordon has issued the following statement in response to the release of Rocky Mountain Power’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) this week: 

“While we are still reviewing the document, it seems to fly in the face of the expectations of many in Wyoming. I continue to support an “all the above” energy strategy, and Rocky Mountain Power is clearly limiting their options by focusing on intermittent sources of generation such as wind and solar, and banking on technologies not yet fully proven, such as batteries and nuclear.  There are multiple sources of fossil energy that are proven with similar opportunities for technological advancement that can make for a stronger, more reliable grid. 

Rocky Mountain Power’s customers need power every time we flip the switch, 24 hours a day.  True baseload power will not have gaps in the power supply that accompany the times when the wind doesn’t blow, the sun doesn’t shine and the batteries run out.

The IRP contemplates some switchover to natural gas, but I do not think that is enough to protect consumers.  We must maintain the use of coal through C02 capture.  It is interesting that the IRP pins so much hope on huge amounts of battery storage without regard to life-cycle CO2 costs.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon

It is encouraging that the legislation I advocated for is driving Rocky Mountain Power to analyze some of their units for carbon capture. I hope this is just the beginning of such analysis and they will seriously factor in the cost of the loss of reliable, dispatchable power by pinning so much hope on renewables. 

I also recognize and appreciate the modeling of the proposed advanced nuclear plant. Nuclear power is an important component of any energy future, and I am delighted that Wyoming will factor large in this endeavor.  No doubt the Wyoming Public Service Commission will dive into details and provide an analysis on the effects of the IRP.  I look forward to their findings.”