PacifiCorp
Encyclopedia
PacifiCorp is an electric power
Electric power
Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...
company in the northwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
PacifiCorp has three primary subsidiaries:
- Pacific Power is a regulated electric utility with service territory throughout Oregon, northern California, and southeastern Washington.
- Rocky Mountain Power is a regulated electric utility with service territory throughout Utah, Wyoming, and southeastern Idaho.
- PacifiCorp Energy operates 69 generation facilities in the six states that Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power operate in, plus two facilities in Montana, three in Colorado, and one in Arizona.
Since 2006, PacifiCorp has been a wholly owned subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company is a holding company controlled by Berkshire Hathaway.Gregory E Abel serves as president, chairman and CEO.-Investments:MidAmerican holds the following companies:*MidAmerican Energy Company*PacifiCorp*CE Electric UK...
, itself an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. The company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years,...
. In 2001, PacifiCorp was purchased by Scottish Power
Scottish Power
ScottishPower Ltd. is a vertically integrated energy company with its headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but in 2006 it became a subsidiary of the Spanish utility Iberdrola...
, but later sold to MidAmerican.
PacifiCorp is currently headquartered in the Lloyd Center Tower
Lloyd Center Tower
The Lloyd Center Tower is an 88 meter tall office tower in the Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon. At 20 stories, it is the tallest building in Oregon outside of downtown Portland....
at 825 N.E. Multnomah Street, Portland, Oregon, in the Lloyd District. Pacific Power is also headquartered in the same building. Rocky Mountain Power and PacifiCorp Energy are headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power combined serve over 1.4 million residential customers, 202,000 commercial customers, and 34,000 industrial and irrigation customers - for a total of approximately 1,668,000 customers. The service area is 136000 square miles (352,238.4 km²). Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power own and maintain 15622 miles (25,141.1 km) of long distance transmission lines, 43850 miles (70,569.6 km) of overhead distribution lines, 14510 miles (23,351.5 km) of underground distribution lines, and 900 substations.
In 1977, PacifiCorp spun off its coal mining interests into a mining company known as NERCO
NERCO
NERCO was an American mining company headquartered in Portland, Oregon with interests in coal, natural gas, and oil. The company also had significant operations in gold and silver mining, and manufacture of gallium arsenide wafers....
, which was eventually listed on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
and ranked as high as 353 on the Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
list of the largest American companies. Through its majority interest in NERCO, PacifiCorp was involved in the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
of coal, oil, natural gas, gold, silver, and uranium. PacifiCorp still owned 82% of NERCO in 1993, when it was acquired by the mining giant, the Rio Tinto Group
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
.
Organization
PacifiCorp was formed from the 1987 merger of Utah Power & Light Company (later known as Utah Power) of Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and PacifiCorp of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. PacifiCorp was the holding company for the Pacific Power & Light Company (later known as Pacific Power), which served customers in Oregon, Washington, California, and Wyoming. Utah Power & Light served customers in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming.
After the merger both Utah Power & Light and Pacific Power & Light operated as divisions of PacifiCorp. After July 2006, PacifiCorp was reorganized into two new regulated utility operating divisions; Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power. Pacific Power kept the original Pacific Power & Light territory, with the exception of eastern and central Wyoming. Rocky Mountain Power's territory included that of the former Utah Power & Light, with the addition of the former Pacific Power & Light territory of central and eastern Wyoming.
Pacific Power
Pacific Power serves customers in Washington, OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Major cities served include:
- California
- Crescent CityCrescent City, CaliforniaCrescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, Crescent City had a total population of 7,643 in the 2010 census, up from 4,006 in the 2000 census...
- DunsmuirDunsmuir, CaliforniaDunsmuir is a city in Siskiyou County, California, United States. The population was 1,650 at the 2010 census, down from 1,923 at the 2000 census. It is currently a hub of tourism in Northern California as visitors enjoy fishing, skiing, climbing, or sight-seeing...
- Mount ShastaMount Shasta, CaliforniaMount Shasta is a city in Siskiyou County, California, located at around 3,600 ft on the flanks of Mount Shasta, a prominent northern California landmark. The city is less than southwest of the summit of its namesake volcano...
- YrekaYreka, CaliforniaYreka is the county seat of Siskiyou County, California, United States. The population was 7,765 at the 2010 census, up from 7,290 at the 2000 census.- History:...
- Crescent City
- Oregon
- AlbanyAlbany, OregonAlbany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is...
- AstoriaAstoria, OregonAstoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
- BendBend, OregonBend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
- Coos BayCoos Bay, OregonCoos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
- CorvallisCorvallis, OregonCorvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
- DallasDallas, OregonThe city of Dallas is the county seat of Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2010 census.Dallas is located on Rickreall Creek, approximately 15 miles west of Salem, at an altitude of 325 feet above sea level...
- Grants PassGrants Pass, Oregon-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
- HermistonHermiston, OregonAs of the census of 2010, there were 16,745 people, 4,964 households, and 3,360 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,035.4 people per square mile . There were 5,383 housing units at an average density of 832.9 per square mile...
- Hood RiverHood River, OregonThe city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
- IndependenceIndependence, OregonIndependence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Klamath FallsKlamath Falls, OregonKlamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
- LebanonLebanon, OregonLebanon is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. Lebanon is located in northwest Oregon, southeast of Salem. The population was 12,950 at the 2000 census and the 2008 census data shows the population at 15,397.-Geography:...
- Lincoln CityLincoln City, OregonLincoln City is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It is named after the county. The population was 7,930 at the 2010 census.- History :...
- MedfordMedford, OregonMedford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
- North BendNorth Bend, OregonNorth Bend is a city in Coos County, Oregon, in the United States with a population of 9,695 as of the 2010 census. North Bend is surrounded on three sides by Coos Bay, an S-shaped water inlet and estuary where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean, and borders the city of Coos Bay,...
- PendletonPendleton, OregonPendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for Vice-President in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census...
- PortlandPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(portions) - PrinevillePrineville, OregonPrineville is a city in and the county seat of Crook County, Oregon, United States. It was named for the first merchant located in the present location, Barney Prine. The population was 9,253 at the 2010 census.- History :...
- RedmondRedmond, OregonRedmond is a city in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated on July 6, 1910, the city is located on the eastern side of Oregon's Cascade Range, in the High Desert, and is considered the geographical heart of Central Oregon...
- RoseburgRoseburg, OregonRoseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
- StaytonStayton, OregonStayton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, located southeast of the state capital, Salem, on Oregon Route 22. It is south of Sublimity and east of Aumsville. Located on the North Santiam River, Stayton is a regional agricultural and light manufacturing center. The population was...
- Sweet HomeSweet Home, OregonSweet Home is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. The population was 8,016 at the 2000 census. Sweet Home is sometimes referred to as the "Gateway to the Santiam Playground", due to its proximity to nearby lakes, rivers and the Cascade Mountains....
- Albany
- Washington
- Walla WallaWalla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
- YakimaYakima, WashingtonYakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
- Walla Walla
As of December 31, 2009, Pacific Power serves 555,070 customers in Oregon, 126,665 customers in Washington, and 45,148 customers in California.
Rocky Mountain Power
Rocky Mountain Power serves customers in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.Major cities served include:
Idaho
Ammon,
Lava Hot Springs,
Malad City,
Montpelier,
Preston,
Rigby,
Saint Anthony,
Shelley
Utah
Rocky Mountain Power serves most major cities in Utah, with the following exceptions:
Bountiful,
Eagle Mountain,
Kaysville,
Lehi,
Provo,
Murray,
Logan
Wyoming
Buffalo,
Casper,
Cody,
Douglas,
Evanston,
Green River,
Kemmerer,
Lander,
Laramie,
Rawlins,
Riverton,
Rock Springs,
Thermopolis
As of May 1, 2007, Rocky Mountain Power serves approximately 758,000 customers in Utah, 129,000 customers in Idaho, and 67,000 customers in Wyoming.
History
Utah Power and Light (UP&L) was organized on 6 September 1912 as a subsidiary of a large holding company, Electric Bond and Share Company (EBASCO) of New York. Within four years of its organization, UP&L had purchased twenty-seven other electric companies in the general Utah area, and eventually absorbed more than one hundred thirty.Pacific Power & Light was formed in 1910 from the merger of several financially troubled utilities in Oregon and Washington. In 1954, Pacific Power & Light merged with the Mountain States Power Company, essentially doubling the company's service area. In 1961, the company purchased the California Oregon Power Company, extending its service into southern Oregon and northern California
PacifiCorp Energy
PacifiCorp Energy was created after the purchase of PacifiCorp by MidAmerican Energy Holdings. PacifiCorp Energy owns, maintains and operates the PacifiCorp generation assets and manages the commercial and trading operations of the company. PacifiCorp Energy owns 68 generating plants with a capacity of 9,140 megawatts. 70.6% of the generation is from thermal sources (i.e. coal or natural gas), 6.7% from hydroelectric sources, and 0.2% from wind sources. 22.5% of PacifiCorp Energy's generation is purchased from other suppliers or under contracts.Thermal Generation
| Plant Name | Location | Fuel | Net Capacity (MW) | Online Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Bridger (Two-thirds owner) | Point of Rocks, WY | Coal | 1,413.4 | |
| Hunter | Castle Dale, Utah Castle Dale, Utah Castle Dale is a city in Emery County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,657 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emery County.-History:... |
Coal | 1,112.4 | 1977 |
| Huntington | Huntington, Utah | Coal | 895.0 | 1973 |
| Dave Johnston | Wyoming | Coal | 762.0 | |
| Naughton | Kemmerer, Wyoming | Coal | 700.0 | |
| Lake Side Lake Side Power Plant Lake Side Power Station is a natural gas turbine power station at Vineyard, Utah, USA. It was built by Lake Side Power LLC. with Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation and is operated by PacifiCorp which does business in Utah as Rocky Mountain Power.... |
Lindon, Utah | Natural Gas | 545.0 | |
| Currant Creek | Mona, Utah | Natural Gas | 540.0 | |
| Hermiston | Hermiston, Oregon | Natural Gas | 540.0 | |
| Chehalis | Chehalis, Washington | Natural Gas | 540.0 | |
| Cholla Cholla Power Plant Cholla is a major coal-fired power plant near Joseph City, Arizona. The coal burned at the plant comes from the McKinley Mine in New Mexico.-Units:The plant currently consists of the following units:-External links:*... |
Joseph, Arizona | Coal | 380.0 | |
| Gadsby | Salt Lake City, Utah | Natural Gas | 355.0 | |
| Wyodak | Wyoming | Coal | 268.0 | |
| Carbon Carbon Power Plant Carbon Power Plant, also known as Castle Gate Power Plant is a small, 190-MWe coal-fired power station in Utah, USA operated by PacifiCorp. Its units 1 and 2, rated at 75 and 113.6 MWe, were launched into service in 1954 and 1957. The plant is located at , about north of Helper, Utah, on the east... |
Helper, Utah | Coal | 172.0 | |
| Craig (partial owner) | Craig, Colorado | Coal | 165.0 | |
| Colstrip (partial owner) | Colstrip, Montana | Coal | 148.0 | |
| Hayden (partial owner) | Colorado | Coal | 78.1 | |
| Little Mountain | Great Salt Lake, Utah | Natural Gas | 14.0 |
Hydroelectric Generation
| Name | Net Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|
| Lewis River | 578.2 |
| North Umpqua River | 199.9 |
| Klamath River | 163.8 |
| Bear River | 103.9 |
| Prospect (Rogue River) | 36.0 |
| (30 minor projects) | 78.3 |
Renewable Generation
| Name | Type | Net Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|---|
| Leaning Juniper I | Wind | 100.5 |
| Wolverine Creek | Wind | 64.5 |
| Rock River I | Wind | 50.0 |
| Combine Hills | Wind | 41.0 |
| Foote Creek | Wind | 32.6 |
| Blundell | Geothermal | 23.0 |
| Goodnoe Hills | Wind | 94 |
| Marengo I | Wind | 140.4 |
| Marengo II | Wind | 70.2 |
| Glenrock | Wind | 99 |
| Seven Mile Hill | Wind | 99 |
| Seven Mile Hill II | Wind | 19.5 |
| Rolling Hills | Wind | 99 |
| Glenrock III | Wind | 39 |