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Regional power system
- The regional energy system includes about 50,700 megawatts of
generating capacity. Under normal precipitation, it can provide about
31,000 average megawatts of electricity.
- About 65 percent (approximately 33,000 megawatts) of the region's
generating capacity comes from hydroelectric dams. Under normal
precipitation, they produce about three quarters (16,200 average
megawatts) of the region's electricity.
- About 20,200 megawatts of this hydroelectric capacity is from the
Federal Columbia River Power System. This system consists of 31 dams,
producing 6,985 average megawatts of firm energy.
- The Bonneville Power Administration markets the output of the FCRPS,
along with the output of the Columbia Generating Station, a 1,200
megawatt nuclear plant.
- Approximately 95 percent of the region's hydroelectric power
supply comes from Columbia River Basin dams.
- It takes about 1,200 average megawatts of energy to power a city the
size of Seattle.
- In good water years, the Columbia River Basin hydrosystem can
produce about 18,000 average megawatts of electricity, and in poor
water years, as little as 11,700 average megawatts.
- The Grand Coulee Dam (1941) has the greatest generating capacity of
any dam on the system at 6,494 megawatts, followed by Chief Joseph Dam
(1955) at 2,457 and the John Day Dam (1968) at 2,160.
- Winds channeled through the Columbia River Gorge create one of the
best wind resource areas in North America. Windmills account for 541
megawatts of capacity, producing 175 average megawatts of energy.
- The Bonneville Power Administration owns and operates more than
three-fourths of the high-voltage transmission grid in the Pacific
Northwest.
- The total transmission system in circuit miles is 15,328.
Energy conservation >
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