Avista Submits 2009 Resource Plan

Highlights include more wind power, energy efficiency and natural gas generation


SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 31  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avista (NYSE:AVA) has submitted its 2009 Electric Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to state regulators. The plan details projected growth in demand for energy and new resources needed to serve customers.

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Avista anticipates adding some 150 thousand retail customers with a 1.7 percent annual growth in electric demand until 2029. The utility plans to rely on a mix of renewables, hydroelectric upgrades, energy efficiency and natural gas generation to meet that demand.

Avista Utilities President Dennis Vermillion said the latest IRP ensures that Avista remains among the greenest utilities, with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the U.S.

"We continue to obtain new resources in a responsible and environmentally sound manner so that we can provide clean, reliable and cost effective energy for our customers," Vermillion said.

Each IRP is a thoroughly researched and data driven document to guide responsible resource planning for the utility. The IRP is updated every two years and looks 20 years into the future.

"The IRP was developed with the help of a technical advisory committee made up of customers, utility commission staff, consumer advocates, academics, utility peers, government agencies and Avista's energy analysts," said Clint Kalich, Avista manager of resource planning.

  Some highlights of the plan include:

  --  Up to 150 MW of wind power by 2012 to take advantage of renewable
      energy tax incentives, diversify Avista's resource mix and meet
      renewable portfolio standards.
  --  An additional 200 MW of wind power by 2022.
  --  750 MW of clean-burning natural gas-fired generation facilities.
  --  Aggressive energy efficiency measures reduce generation requirements
      by 26 percent or 339 MW.
  --  Transmission upgrades are needed to integrate new generation assets
      into Avista's system.

  --  Hydroelectric upgrades at existing facilities will generate additional
      renewable energy without additional environmental impacts.



Utility commissions in Idaho and Washington will review the document and will provide an opportunity for comment. The IRP is available in electronic form on the Avista Utilities web site. http://www.avistautilities.com/

Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 353,000 homes and businesses and natural gas to 313,000 homes and businesses in three Western states, serving more than 492,000 customers.  Avista's primary, non-regulated subsidiary is Advantage IQ.  Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol "AVA."  For more information about Avista, please visit http://www.avistacorp.com/.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than historical facts. Such statements speak only as of the date of the news release and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, in addition to those discussed herein, all of the factors discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2009.

Avista Corp. and the Avista Corp. logo are trademarks of Avista Corporation. 

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040128/SFW031LOGODATASOURCE: Avista Corp.



CONTACT:  Hugh Imhof of Avista Corp., [phone],

, Avista 24/7 Media Access, [phone]



Web Site:  http://www.avistacorp.com/

http://www.avistautilities.com/ 

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