The Northwest is preparing for its largest grid build-out in decades to meet a historic surge in electricity demand, expected to cost billions of dollars.
The problem is, nobody really knows how big it needs to be.
The region could need between 40% and 100% more electricity in the next two decades, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a power-planning body for Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, which published a draft plan last month for the region’s power build-out…