The principal duties of the Council under the Act are to:

• Develop a regional power plan to assure the Northwest an adequate, efficient, economical and reliable power supply.
• Develop a fish and wildlife program as part of the power plan to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by hydroelectric development in the Columbia River Basin, and make annual funding recommendations to the Bonneville Power Administration for projects to implement the program.
• Encourage broad public participation in these processes and inform the public about regional issues.