The RTF is charged with conducting an annual survey on behalf of the Council to assess progress towards Power Plan conservation goals. The RTF seeks data from the region's utilities, the Bonneville Power Administration, Energy Trust of Oregon, and NEEA. The survey goes out every summer, with a goal of analyzing and publishing results in the fall. This page is intended to give a high-level overview of the results of previous Regional Conservation Progress reports. More detailed energy savings and expenditures information can be made available upon request.
Expand the ⊕ navigation above for other years' reports.
The Northwest has been able to build on a history of improving the efficiency of the region's electricity system year after year. Annual energy savings have roughly tripled since the 1990's, while costs have fallen dramatically.
2014 Conservation achievements
The utility-funded conservation savings in 2014 were 262 average megawatts (aMW). This was shy of the Sixth Plan annual target for 2014 of 280 aMW. The cumulative utility-funded conservation savings for the first five years of the Sixth Plan period were 1,309 aMW, which surpassed the Action Plan’s five-year target of 1,200 aMW. When accounting for codes and standards and market induced savings, the cumulative five year savings were 1,504 aMW, surpassing the high end of the Sixth Plan range of 1100 to 1400 aMW.
2013 Conservation achievements
Regional conservation savings in 2013 were 268 average megawatts, exceeding the Council’s Sixth Plan target of 260 average megawatts. Regional savings in 2013 were equivalent to about 1.34 percent of regional retail electricity sales, which is twice the national average. Cumulative savings for the three years 2010-2012 total 1,051 average megawatts, almost 90 percent of the Plan’s 1,200 average megawatt goal for 2010-2014.
2012 Conservation achievements
In 2012, the region acquired 253 average megawatts, exceeding the target of 240 average megawatts by over five percent. The fiscal year/calendar year 2012 survey represents the activities of 80 utilities serving around ninety percent of the region's retail electricity sales. In aggregate, regional utility investments in energy efficiency in 2012 were $375 million (2006$) or about 3.3 percent of retail electricity revenues. The average levelized cost to utilities of 2012 savings was just over $18 per megawatt hour (2006$). Regional utility investments in energy efficiency averaged just over $28 per capita in 2012 compared to the national average of just over $16 per capita.
2011 Conservation achievements
In aggregate, the region acquired 277 average megawatts of savings in 2011, far exceeding the Sixth Power Plan's target of 220 average megawatts for the year. Total utility investments in energy efficiency in 2011 were over $420 million (2006$) The fiscal year/calendar year 2011 survey represents the activities of 92 utilities (see individual reports below)serving over ninety percent of the region’s retail electricity sales.
2010 Conservation achievements
The fiscal year/calendar year 2010 survey represents the activities of 76 utilities serving over ninety-eight percent of the region’s retail electricity sales. In aggregate, the region acquired 254 average megawatts of savings in 2010, far exceeding the Sixth Power Plan's target of 200 average megawatts for the year. Total utility conservation investments increased by 25% from 2009 to 2010, reaching over $350 million (2006$).
2009 Conservation achievements
The fiscal year/calendar year 2009 survey represents the activities of 127 utilities serving just over ninety-nine percent of the region’s retail electricity sales. In aggregate, the region acquired 219 average megawatts of savings in 2009. Between 2005 and 2009, the region has captured 942 average megawatts of savings, far exceeding the Council's Fifth Power Plan five-year conservation target of 700 average megawatts. This energy savings is equivalent to the annual output of a large nuclear power plant.
2008 Conservation achievements
The 2008 survey represents the activities of 127 utilities serving just over ninety-nine percent of the region’s retail electricity sales. In aggregate, the region acquired 234 average megawatts of savings in 2008. This far exceeds the Fifth Plan’s target of 145 average megawatts for the year. As a result of their collective efforts, the region’s utilities, the ETO, NEEA and Bonneville accomplished the Fifth Plan’s five-year regional goal of 700 average megawatts in just four years.
2007 Conservation achievements
2007 was a record year for gains in electric power efficiency in the Pacific Northwest. The one-year, energy-conservation achievement in 2007 amounts to reduced electricity use of 200 average megawatts, or 1,750 million kilowatt-hours.
2004 Conservation achievements
2004 marked the third time the Council collected data on conservation expenditures and savings from the regions utilities. Annual program savings coupled with non-programmatic market effects (such as codes and standards) in 2004 reached 112 aMW of energy savings. First year savings costs in 2004 were $1.42 million per aMW (2006$).
2000-2002 Conservation achievements
| Total Conservation Achievements (kWh) | Reported Utility Expenditures | |
| 2000 | 442,009,939 | $64,135,963 |
| 2001 | 1,353,559,171 | $149,140,591 |
| 2002 | 1,012,682,259 | $121,378,401 |