As envisioned in the Northwest Power Act, the benefits of the federal power system would be shared by all of the region's consumers, but achieving that vision has proved elusive.
Even in the hydropower-rich Pacific Northwest it’s not possible to have a carbon-free electric power system using today’s technology, according to Council analyses for the Draft Seventh Northwest Power Plan. In fact, the cost of even getting close would be
At its August meeting, Council members reviewed the major elements of the draft resource strategy for its regional power plan.
We've been receiving a number of letters regarding the NW Energy Coalition's issue paper, The True Cost of Coal: Fully accounting for coal-fired electricity use in the 7th Northwest Power and Conservation Plan, which contends that there are "...two shortcomings
At its July meeting, the Council was briefed on the latest findings from the scenario analysis used in developing its 20-year regional power plan. Here's a rundown on some key observations:
Council members and Council staff toured Puget Sound Energy's Baker River hydroelectric project last month to learn about its efforts to reintroduce anadromous fish over the dam.
At its May power committee meeting, the Council reviewed regional employment and economic output trends and their impact on electricity sales. The overarching picture is of a regional economy that, over time, continues to produce more with less energy.
The 2015 Efficiency Exchange Conference held in Portland last month was an opportunity for people working to develop energy efficiency in the Northwest to share information and network.
At its May meeting, the Council reviewed the preliminary results from its early scenario analysis modeling. The Council's regional portfolio model explores how different resource strategies play out against a range of future conditions. It's used to help understand the
