UT — Power Infrastructure Updated 2026-07-17

Utah

WECC Natural Gas Nuclear Solar Wind Storage Data Center PPAs Queue Bottlenecks

1) Grid operator and market structure

2) Interconnection queue (status, reforms, wait times)

  • Queue location and structure: PacifiCorp posts its generation interconnection queue on OASIS and uses a cluster-study process for proposed resource additions; the 2025 IRP says PacifiCorp has evaluated newly proposed resource additions through cluster studies since 2020. (PacifiCorp OASIS, accessed 2026-06-10; PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Vol. 1, 2025-03-31)
  • Queue visibility and depth: PacifiCorp’s public queue provides project-level interconnection data but does not provide a Utah-only or data-center-specific large-load queue summary; large load customer details generally move through utility studies, large-load contracts, and protected PSC filings rather than a single public queue. (PacifiCorp OASIS, accessed 2026-06-10; PSC Docket No. 26-035-05 order, 2026-04-10)
  • Typical wait times (regional context): LBNL’s Queued Up work documents long U.S. interconnection timelines, with recent built projects taking multiple years from request to commercial operation; this remains relevant for new generation serving Utah data centers. (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Federal process reforms: FERC Order No. 2023 and Order No. 2023-A require cluster studies, readiness requirements, and related reforms, and support co-located resources behind a single point of interconnection. (FERC, 2023-07-28; FERC, 2024-03-21)

3) Ratepayer protection (tariffs, cost allocation, dockets/orders)

  • State statutory framework for large loads (S.B. 132 / Utah Code Chapter 54-26): Large-load contracts must allocate just and reasonable incremental costs to the large load customer, require financial security and separate accounting, and protect existing ratepayers from costs attributable to serving the large load. The statute applies to new or incremental electric service expected to reach at least 100 MW within five years. (Utah Legislature enrolled S.B. 132, 2025-03-25; Utah Code Chapter 54-26, 2025-05-07)
  • PSC large-load contract approval (Docket No. 26-035-05): On April 10, 2026, the Public Service Commission approved a settlement and a Rocky Mountain Power large-load service contract for a customer receiving more than 100 MW of firm service. The order says RMP identified interconnection upgrades, assigned all interconnection costs directly to the customer, would remove the customer’s reservation-charge revenues and incremental costs from revenue requirement/net power costs, and that the settlement’s accounting conditions provide additional assurance that other ratepayers will not incur costs associated with service to the customer. (PSC Docket No. 26-035-05 order, 2026-04-10)
  • Regulator-access-only confidentiality upheld in the same docket: The PSC denied Utah Association of Energy Users’ late motion for access to materials designated “regulator access only,” finding the materials presumptively commercially sensitive on that record while stating the ruling should not be construed as precedential for future dockets. (PSC Docket No. 26-035-05 order, 2026-04-10)
  • Large-load flexible tariff still under investigation: In consolidated Docket Nos. 25-R318-01 and 24-035-43, the PSC said it is surveying large-load tariffs nationwide, reviewing contracts filed under R746-318, and expects to provide flexible-tariff guidance before the end of 2026. DPU, the Office of Consumer Services, Utah Association of Energy Users, Enyo, and Calpine filed comments or proposed rule amendments on June 16; the docket showed no final flexible tariff or guidance by July 17. (PSC notice, 2026-04-28; PSC Docket No. 25-R318-01 index, accessed 2026-07-17; DPU comments, 2026-06-16)
  • PSC 2025 IRP ruling protects ordinary customers and sets the 2027 analysis: On June 25, the PSC acknowledged PacifiCorp’s 2025 IRP based on substantial compliance and held that excluding prospective industrial/data-center loads governed by the Large Load Act from the base forecast was appropriate because those customers must provide or pay for their own resources. It directed PacifiCorp to continue excluding those loads/resources from the base forecast, work with large-load customers to bring their own resources, and add a separate 2027 IRP section analyzing how large-load contract structures could affect system-acquisition and transmission risks. (Utah PSC Docket No. 25-035-22 order, 2026-06-25)
  • Energy-use reporting bill failed: H.B. 585 would have required large data centers to report energy-use information to electric corporations and required aggregated utility reporting to the PSC, but it failed on March 6, 2026. (Utah Legislature introduced H.B. 585, 2026-02-18; Utah Legislature bill data for H.B. 585, 2026-03-06)

4) Generation adequacy (major projects, storage, shortfall concerns)

  • IRP preferred portfolio resources: PacifiCorp’s 2025 IRP preferred portfolio includes substantial renewables, demand-side management, storage, advanced nuclear, renewable peaking resources, and incremental transmission investments; the plan also references contracted 2025-2026 additions of 1,564 MW wind, 1,736 MW solar, and 1,072 MW battery storage. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Vol. 1, 2025-03-31)
  • Advanced nuclear (Natrium project): The 2025 IRP includes the Natrium advanced nuclear demonstration project, expected online in fall 2031 and modeled by year-end 2032. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Vol. 1, 2025-03-31)
  • 2025 IRP Update and large loads: PacifiCorp’s spring 2026 IRP Update separately represented committed near-term data-center/large-meter load and corresponding resources in the update preferred portfolio and planned additional large-meter-load studies for the 2027 IRP. The PSC’s June 25 order then approved keeping qualifying Large Load Act customers out of the ordinary-customer base forecast while requiring a separate risk/transmission analysis, so the update’s large-load tables should not be read as shifting those costs into the traditional retail resource plan. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Update, 2026-04; accessed 2026-07-17; Utah PSC Docket No. 25-035-22 order, 2026-06-25)
  • Large-load resource status in the IRP Update: PacifiCorp’s update reports aggregated large-load resource status for PACE and PACW; for PACE, the table lists 2,600 MW in load-service evaluation, 839 MW energized by 2025 year-end, 565 MW forecasted by 2027 year-end, and 839 MW contracted load at max ramp. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Update, 2026-04; accessed 2026-06-10)
  • System stress concern tied to data centers: PacifiCorp’s 2024 IRP public-input materials evaluated all-in, constrained, and zero-new-data-center cases and warned that an all-in data center scenario could exceed near-term resource procurement and transmission build capability. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP public input meeting, 2024-09-25)
  • Nine Mile / Wells Draw generation package: Duchesne County approved conditional-use permits in April for a data-center complex paired with a proposed 400 MW natural-gas plant, 800-1,600 MWh of storage, and 333 MW of solar. The gas filing says the plant could export or import through planned Deseret Power and PacifiCorp/Gateway South connections via Moon Lake Electric, while the data-center filing says adjacent generation would provide most power but utility supply could be used at times. These are permitted proposals, not operating resources. (Duchesne County Nine Mile findings report, 2026-04-02; Duchesne County Wells Draw gas findings report, 2026-04-02; Duchesne County Wells Draw solar findings report, 2026-04-02)

5) Utility load forecasts and data center demand

  • Base forecast treatment before the 2026 update: PacifiCorp’s September 2024 IRP public-input materials stated that the base forecast included existing data center load, expansion plans, and new load with high probability, while separately testing data center sensitivity cases. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP public input meeting, 2024-09-25)
  • October 2025 load forecast in the 2025 IRP Update: The 2025 IRP Update relies on PacifiCorp’s October 2025 load forecast and notes that its annual load and peak-load figures include additional new large-meter load represented in the update preferred portfolio. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Update, 2026-04; accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Utah-specific inventory jump: The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s April 2026 data summary reports 48 operational Utah data centers with more than 920 MW of capacity, seven under-construction data centers adding about 2,600 MW, and 1,700 MW of that under-construction capacity behind the meter or off-grid. It identifies clusters in Salt Lake City, West Jordan, Bluffdale, Eagle Mountain, and Delta. (Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, 2026-04; accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Forecast treatment after the PSC order: The June 25 order distinguished Large Load Act customers from ordinary on-system load: PacifiCorp must exclude their loads/resources from the base forecast for 2027 and beyond, but must analyze in a new IRP section how the different statutory contract arrangements could change acquisition-strategy and transmission-system risks. (Utah PSC Docket No. 25-035-22 order, 2026-06-25)

6) Behind-the-meter / co-location / direct supply pathways

  • Utah’s large-load statute explicitly allows alternatives to traditional utility service: Utah Code Chapter 54-26 defines closed private generation systems and connected generation systems and allows large load customers to contract with large-scale generation providers if statutory and utility-process requirements are met. (Utah Code Chapter 54-26, 2025-05-07)
  • Stratos proposed as stand-alone power: The governor’s Stratos FAQ says the development would produce all power on site and not add pressure to the grid, while the project still requires further state air, water, drinking-water, wildlife, and water-rights review. (Governor’s Office FAQ on Stratos, accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Project Aquila closed-private-generation filing remains incomplete: Will-Power’s amended May 7 application describes a pre-operational 286 MW natural-gas plant in Eagle Mountain that would supply Meta under a February 6 power-purchase agreement, remain electrically separate from Rocky Mountain Power, and receive no utility backup service. After a June 10 conference, the PSC stated on July 8 that it would take no further action until Will-Power supplements its application; Utah DEQ still listed the air permit in draft-document review on July 9. (Will-Power amended PSC application, 2026-05-07; Utah PSC notice, 2026-07-08; Utah DEQ permit status, updated 2026-07-09)
  • Red Butte proposed as co-located generation and data center: BrightNight says its Red Butte Energy and Data Center Campus in Iron County would include a 1.5 GW data center, 1.5 GW natural gas generation, 300 MW solar, and 300 MW / 1,200 MWh battery storage. (BrightNight, accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Dugway project remains pre-development: The Army’s March 26 conditional selection put CyrusOne into exclusive negotiations for a privately financed commercial hyperscale campus on approximately 1,201 acres at Dugway Proving Ground, with fiscal 2029 initial capability targeted. No MW, generation source, or interconnection plan was disclosed, and the Army states that environmental and regulatory reviews must be complete before construction. (U.S. Army, 2026-03-26; U.S. Army, 2026-06-25)
  • FERC interconnection reform supports co-located resources: Order No. 2023 requires transmission providers to allow co-located resources behind a single point of interconnection through one interconnection request, supporting on-site generation plus storage configurations. (FERC, 2023-07-28)

7) Transmission constraints and upgrades relevant to data center siting

  • Spanish Fork-Mercer 345 kV line: PacifiCorp states that existing lines in the area are nearing maximum capacity and the project will add a 45-mile 345 kV line between Mapleton and Eagle Mountain to serve Utah load growth and reliability. PacifiCorp’s current project timeline shows construction from June 2026 to February 2028 and in-service in March 2028, updating the earlier 2027 timing. (PacifiCorp, updated 2025-11-25)
  • Three Peaks-Purgatory Flat 345 kV line: PacifiCorp describes this southern Utah project as adding capacity for growing customer needs and improving reliability. (PacifiCorp, accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Black Rock-Sigurd 230 kV line: PacifiCorp says this central Utah line is needed because existing transmission becomes overloaded and because it will move central Utah solar to load centers. (PacifiCorp, accessed 2026-06-10)
  • IRP transmission planning: PacifiCorp’s 2025 IRP includes Utah South-Wasatch Front transmission upgrades and other incremental transmission investments; the 2025 IRP Update also says future activities can include additional Energy Gateway segments and new regional routes to prepare for potential growth in large loads over the next decade. (PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Vol. 1, 2025-03-31; PacifiCorp 2025 IRP Update, 2026-04; accessed 2026-06-10)
  • Grand County local constraint finding: A May county staff assessment concluded that the county’s approximately 99,300 MWh annual use and rural distribution system could not support a 20-50 MW data center without new high-voltage infrastructure costing hundreds of millions of dollars and taking five to ten years. The July 7 moratorium gives the county time to require utility capacity and upgrade-cost commitments in permanent rules. (Grand County Planning Commission staff report, 2026-05-26; Grand County Commission agenda, 2026-07-07; Salt Lake Tribune, 2026-07-10)

Source URLs (selected)

https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/utah/
https://www.oasis.oati.com/woa/docs/PPW/PPWdocs/pacificorpcliaq.htm
https://emp.lbl.gov/queues
https://www.ferc.gov/explainer-interconnection-final-rule
https://www.ferc.gov/explainer-interconnection-final-rule-2023-A
https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/SB0132.pdf
https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title54/Chapter26/C54-26_2025050720250507.pdf
https://pscdocs.utah.gov/electric/26docs/2603505/3447332603505oasadmfatmdrao4-10-2026.pdf
https://pscdocs.utah.gov/Rules/25R31801/34501225R31801and2403543nocp4-28-2026.pdf
https://psc.utah.gov/2025/05/09/docket-no-25-r318-01/
https://pscdocs.utah.gov/electric/25docs/2503522/3459302503522o6-25-2026.pdf
https://pscdocs.utah.gov/electric/26docs/26266001/345263AmndAplctn5-7-2026.pdf
https://pscdocs.utah.gov/electric/26docs/26266001/34606126266001n7-8-2026.pdf
https://duchesne.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Findings-Report-Nine-Mile-Data-LLC-040226.pdf
https://duchesne.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Wells-Draw-Energy-LLC-Natural-Gas-Power-Plant-Findings-Report-040226.pdf
https://duchesne.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Wells-Draw-Energy-LLC-Solar-Power-Plant-Findings-Report-040226.pdf
https://www.army.mil/article/291360/army_reaches_conditional_agreement_with_private_industry_for_hyperscaled_data_centers
https://www.pacificorp.com/content/dam/pcorp/documents/en/pacificorp/energy/integrated-resource-plan/2025-irp/2025_IRP_Vol_1.pdf
https://www.pacificorp.com/content/dam/pcorp/documents/en/pacificorp/energy/integrated-resource-plan/2025-irp/2025_IRP_Update.pdf
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Data-Center-Growth-FS-Apr2026.pdf
https://www.pacificorp.com/transmission/transmission-projects/spanish-fork-to-mercer.html