Request for proposals: Lower Snake River energy replacement analysis

Opportunity Type: Request for Proposals (RFP) Close Date: August 26, 2026 Important Dates: Pre-proposal conference: July 23, 2026 Answers to Q&A posted no later than Aug. 7, 2026 Proposals due: Aug. 26, 2026, by 4 Notify apparent successful contractor: Sept. 21, 2026 Commerce is accepting proposals from qualified organizations or firms to analyze the electricity resources needed to replace the energy services currently provided by the lower Snake River dams. The study will identify the electricity storage, energy efficiency and grid support services needed to maintain a reliable and resilient electric system while meeting Washington’s clean energy laws. It will also evaluate how these resources fit into the region’s future electricity needs as transportation, buildings and industry continue to transition away from fossil fuels. The analysis will build on previous work completed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and, where practical, use methods developed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. It must also align with Washington Executive Order 24-06 and support the goals of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI). Commerce originally funded this work in 2023 through the Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Process (PREPP) under the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement (RCBA). That agreement between the federal government and the Six Sovereigns — the states of Washington and Oregon, the Yakama Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, also called for studies examining how to replace the dams’ transportation, recreation and irrigation services. The selected contractor will combine technical analysis with input from tribal governments, state and local Northwest Power and Conservation Council and other stakeholders. A draft report is due to Commerce by April 12, 2027, allowing time for review before Commerce submits the final report to the Governor and Legislature by June 30, 2027. Study objectives The contractor will be expected to complete a comprehensive analysis that includes the following: Identify the electricity storage, energy efficiency and grid support services needed to replace the lower Snake River dams while maintaining a reliable, resilient and adequate electric system. Develop one or more replacement resource portfolios that comply with Washington’s clean energy laws and support the goals of Executive Order 24-06 and the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative. Use both technical analysis and stakeholder input from tribal governments, other Northwest Power and Conservation Council and other key partners. Evaluate future electricity needs through 2050 by analyzing different scenarios for demand, technology adequacy and reliability. Assess a range of commercially available resource options, including electricity generation, energy response, energy storage and transmission, along with the time needed to develop and deploy them. Examine how regional developments such as a renewed Columbia River Treaty, changes to Bonneville Power Administration preference contracts, the Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP) and western electricity markets could affect future resource needs. Compare different timelines and costs for developing the generation, transmission and storage resources needed to replace the dams. Quantify greenhouse gas impacts, including lifecycle emissions, potential electricity imports, use of existing fossil-fueled generation and emissions associated with future electricity demand. Build on previous PNNL research and, where practical, use the data, models and analytical methods developed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.