|
|
|
Media Summary
Contact Carol Winkel
for more information. Also see archive.
Overview for December - September 2000
A number of stories about the Council's power study, released in
mid-October, set the stage for continuing concerns about the region's
energy supply. In November a feature story appeared in the Sunday
Oregonian on the potential for an energy shortage and high prices this
winter that was picked up by the AP wire and appeared in papers throughout
the region. Governor Kitzhaber's salmon plan received coverage in
mid-November, but by early December, and with the threat of a coming cold
front, print, radio and television media were focused on electricity
supplies both in the Northwest and California.
December 2000
Best Solution to growing Energy Shortage is Building New Nuclear
Plants--The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA (Dec 31)
Op Ed advocating nuclear plants as a solution to the energy crisis. Cites
Council's forecast: "A late 1999 study by the Northwest Power
Planning Council concluded the probability for power supply shortage in
winters will reach 24 percent by 2003, and that 3,000 megawatts of new
power or controllable demand reduction would be needed to cut the
probability to 5 percent."
State Likely to Be Paying for California's Power Mistake--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA (Dec 31)
Very interesting story, the first part of a three-part series, on the
energy crisis. This segment begins with a more detailed and specific
description of what has been happening in California, and includes frank
assessments by energy analysts: "Officially, many of the alerts were
called because of unscheduled power plant outages. But many analysts
suspect the outages had less to do with mechanical failures than market
gaming." Mentions the Council: "Without seeing sufficient
bidding data, Dick Watson won't go so far as to fully subscribe to
McCullough's analysis?Even so, the power planning director for the
Northwest Power Planning Council says there is 'clear evidence the
incentives that operate the market worsen the volatility.'"
Extent of Power Crunch Has Experts Guessing; More data are needed to
determine how much residents and businesses will be asked to reduce
electricity use--The Oregonian, Portland, OR (Dec 30)
Story on the Emergency Response Team's effort to determine the severity of
the energy crunch in January. Quotes Council staff: "Dick Watson,
director of the power division for the Northwest Power Planning Council
and a member of the response team, said the group discussed three
analyses, each with a different conclusion. The BPA estimates showed the
largest deficit, Watson said."
Utilities Hoping for Snow and Rain; Area's reservoirs at only 75% of
capacity for this time of year--The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA (Dec 30)
Story on the low rainfall and snow pack this year. Mentions the Council:
"The Northwest Power Pool's emergency response team has asked power
pool and Northwest Power Planning Council experts to update their
forecasts, which the team plans to review late next week."
Member of Power Council to Retire; Idaho's Maddock dealt with tough
energy problems--The Columbian, Vancouver, WA (Dec 29)
AP story on Todd Maddock's retirement from the Council "?after six
years of grappling with the region's most complicated electric power
problems." Also appears in The Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID
Electricity: Conservation Goes Just So Far--The South County
Journal, Kent, WA (Dec 29)
Editorial strongly endorsing the building of more generating plants.
Cites the Council's forecast: "The Pacific Northwest alone needs more
than 3,000 megawatts in the coming years, according to a recent report by
the Northwest Power Planning Council." Also appears in The Eastside
Journal, Bellevue, WA.
Dry Winter Could Bring Major Energy Crunch--The Puget Sound Business
Journal, Seattle, WA (Dec 29)
Story outlining the possibility of an energy crisis this winter. Quotes
Dick Watson: "'To a certain extent it's a crap shoot,' said Dick
Watson, executive director [sic] of the Northwest Power Planning Council,
a Portland-based agency formed by the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and
Washington to oversee electric power system planning and fish and wildlife
recovery in the Columbia River Basin." Also appears in The Portland
Business Journal, Portland, OR.
Protecting Their Interests; Indians have their own view of resource
management--The Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA (Dec 27)
Interesting feature story on the unique role of the tribes in fish and
wildlife recovery efforts. Mentions the Council: "The Nez Perce
hatchery plan underwent 13 years of scientific review before the Northwest
Power Planning Council approved it."
NESCO Seeking Power Purchasers; SE2 proponents say plant would meet
obvious power needs. Opponents say price, not power, is at issue--Lynden
Tribune, Lynden, WA (Dec 27)
Story on the debate over the Sumas Energy 2 plant. Mentions the
Council: "The Northwest Power Planning Council has predicted a
one-in-four chance of power brownouts by 2003."
'Server Farm' Boom Poses Threat to NW Power Supply; Energy appetite
of proposed data centers would almost rival power load of Seattle--The
Eastside Journal, Bellevue, WA (Dec 26)
Story on the impact of Internet "server farms" on the power
system; an energy drain that many utility officials did not foresee. The
story quotes John Harrison and describes the Council in a positive light:
"One public watchdog group already worried about power
shortages--even without any new server farms--is the Northwest Power
Planning Council, which strives to balance wildlife and fish protection
with power generation in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana." Also
appears in The South County Journal, Kent, WA; The Columbian, Vancouver,
WA; The Longview Daily News, Longview, WA; The Statesman Journal, Salem,
OR; The Yakima Herald Republic, Yakima, WA; The Sun, Bremerton, WA; The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA; The Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon,
WA; The Mail Tribune, Medford, OR; The Olympian, Olympia, WA; The Herald,
Everett, WA; The Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID; and The Peninsula Daily
News, Port Angeles, WA; The Herald, Baker City, OR; The Chronicle, The
Dalles, OR; The Union-Bulletin, Walla Walla, WA; The Daily World,
Aberdeen, WA; and The Sentinel, Goldendale, WA
Resignation Opens Door for Lawmakers--Idaho Press-Tribune, Caldwell,
ID (Dec 24)
AP story on Jim Kempton's appointment to the Council and how this affects
Legislature: "Within a day of the Republican's appointment to the
Northwest Power Planning Council, five people had stepped forward as
possible candidates to succeed Kempton in the Legislature next
month."
Source of Power Crisis Deep, Difficult; A series of factors clash
with California's deregulation to magnify the region's problems--The
Sunday Oregonian, Portland, OR (Dec 24)
Good feature story on the energy crisis, the circumstances that created
it, the West's power structure, and some short-term solutions, such as
conservation. The story quotes Dick Watson and mentions the Council's
report: "But an October report by the Northwest Power Planning
Council found the region's ongoing commitment to energy conservation has
'fallen off considerably in recent years'?The report concludes that
creating incentives to conserve should be a 'priority' for the region's
utilities."
PUC Limits Power Sales to California; Idaho can't afford to draw
down reservoirs, order says--The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID (Dec 23)
Story on the Idaho Public Utilities Commission's emergency order
preventing the state's utilities from drawing down reservoirs to give
power to California. The order was to protect Idaho's water-based electric
system. Mentions that Idaho's representatives on the Council approve:
"While Idaho utilities have in the past sold power to California, the
low amount of water in Idaho reservoirs and the high energy demands by
customers in December make helping California difficult, said Todd Maddock,
an outgoing Idaho representative on the Northwest Power Planning
Council."
Feds OK Plan for Columbia Salmon; $352 million a year will go for
habitat restoration projects in the river's estuaries and wetlands--Daily
Journal of Commerce, Seattle, WA (Dec 22)
Story on the release of the federal government's biological opinion.
Mentions the Council: "He [Steve Wright] said the BPA already spends
$250 million per year on salmon recovery through the Northwest Power
Planning Council."
Salmon Recovery Plan Encourages Conservationists--The Idaho
Press-Tribune, Caldwell, ID (Dec 22)
AP story on how conservationists view the federal government's biological
opinion. Mentions the Council: "Sanchotena [of the Idaho Steelhead
and Salmon Unlimited advocacy group] took issue with the Northwest Power
Planning Council, saying its long-term responsibility was to assure
reliable electricity while boosting fish runs."
Governors Seek More for Fish and Wildlife Efforts; Draft legislation
lacks support, but Kitzhaber vows to press on--The Capital Press, Salem,
OR (Dec 22)
Story on Governor Kitzhaber's salmon recovery plan; notes the proposed
changes to the Council: "The draft legislation calls for changing the
mission and representation of the Northwest Power Planning Council,
forming an advisory committee that looks systemwide at all factors
negatively affecting fish and wildlife."
Idaho Officials Differ on Salmon Science; IDFG and governor disagree
about dams, but agree on other factors, actions--The Capital Press, Salem,
OR (Dec 22)
Story on the differing scientific perspectives of Idaho salmon officials,
specifically, with regard to flow augmentation. Quotes Mike Field as
Governor Kempthorne's salmon policy advisor: "'The ocean is the one
[area] we know the least about and the one that's most important to fish,'
he said. 'We should be spending more money on studying the ocean."
Albion Lawmaker to Resign to Work on Power Council--The Times-News,
Twin Falls, ID (Dec 22)
Story on Jim Kempton's appointment to the Council: "Rep. Jim Kempton,
R-Albion, accepted Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's appointment to the council,
which gives the Northwest a voice in natural resource management decisions
dominated by large federal agencies and large industrial interests."
We, the Users, Did Little to Prevent Power Crisis--The News Tribune,
Tacoma, WA (Dec 21)
Op Ed by a Gig Harbor resident who believes Northwest citizens need to be
part of the solution to the energy crisis. He mentions the Council:
"Where have we been during the past 10 years as the Northwest Power
Planning Council warned us of impending power shortages?"
Flaws Seen in Columbia River Salmon Plan--The Daily Record,
Ellensburg, WA (Dec 20)
AP story cited in an earlier summary on the opposition to Governor
Kitzhaber's and Governor Racicot's salmon recovery plan. Notes that the
plan includes changes to the Northwest Power Planning Council. Also
appears in The World, Coos Bay, OR; The Herald, Baker City, OR; and The
East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR
Blackouts Are Called Unlikely in Oregon; Power brokers reap windfall
of deregulation--The Mail Tribune, Medford, OR (Dec 20)
Story on the escalating power crunch, focusing on the disastrous effects
that California's deregulation experiment has had for the West Coast.
Refers to the Council's forecast and quotes John Harrison: "The
Northwest Power Planning Council maintains that improved consumer power
conservation measures are necessary to avoid power shortfalls in the
future."
Rising Utility Rates Raise Concerns; Natural gas suppliers ask state
agency for OK to increase rates--The Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon,
WA (Dec 20)
Story on increase in natural gas price; cites the Council's forecast:
"The Northwest Power Planning Council said the region needs more
power-generating facilities to keep pace with the area's rapid growth?"
The Economy Demands New Energy--The Wenachee World, Wenatchee, WA (Dec 17)
Editorial on the energy shortage that calls for government to focus on
developing energy strategies to accommodate the West's economic growth.
Refers to the Council's forecast: "The Northwest Power Planning
Council issued a warning last year: Demand for power is growing, and
almost no new power plants are being built."
State's Energy Policies Should Be Unified--The Odessa Record,
Odessa, WA (Dec 15)
Editorial calls for interstate and interagency "unified
planning"on energy issues. Mentions the Council in reference to the
emergency response team.
Electric Power Alert Called Off--The County Journal, Shelton, WA (Dec
14)
Story on the removal of the energy alert; mentions the Council:
"'Public, state and utility actions to avert an emergency are
working,' said the PPC bulletin."
Ice Causes Power Outages in County--The Sentinel, Goldendale, WA (Dec 14)
Brief story on a power outage of a Klickitat PUD power line. Notes the
energy alert and mentions the Council as part of the regional team.
Conservation Should Be Practiced Year-Round; Don't wait for a power
emergency to act--The Daily News, Moscow, ID (Dec 14)
Editorial advocating conservation to deal with our energy shortage,
even though the energy alert was called off. Mentions the Council and
quotes John Harrison: "John Harrison, a spokesman with the NPPC hit
the nail on the head when he said in an Associated Press story that a
little common sense can go a long ways. [sic]"
Northwest Customers Feeling Power Crunch; Locke calls for energy
conservation--The Snoqualmie Valley Record, Snoqualmie, WA (Dec 14)
Story on Governor Locke's request for citizens to conserve energy.
Mentions the Council: "The Northwest Power Planning Council has
issued a 'Stage 2 alert' warning for the region, which asks for voluntary
cuts to electricity consumption."
Energy Experts Say Threat of NW Power Crisis Lessens--The Chronicle,
The Dalles, OR (Dec 13)
AP story on the lifting of the emergency warning; quotes John Harrison:
"'It's still cold, but not to the point where there is even the
threat of an emergency,' said John Harrison, spokesman for the Northwest
Power Planning Council." Also appears in The Columbia Basin Herald,
Moses Lake, WA; The World, Coos Bay, OR; The Union Bulletin, Walla Walla,
WA; The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA; The Daily World, Aberdeen,
WA; The Evergreen, Pullman, WA; The Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, ID; The
Whidbey News-Times, Oak Harbor, WA; and The Federal Way Mirror, Federal
Way, WA.
Power Shortage Warning Ends--The Daily Bee, Sandpoint, ID (Dec 13)
Story on the lifting of the level 2 warning; mentions the Council:
"According to the Northwest Power Planning Council, the warning was
recalled due to a combination of factors?"
Regional Group Warns of Potential Electricity Shortage--The Herald,
Bonners Ferry, ID (Dec 13)
Story on the stage 2 alert; notes that the Council is part of the
regional emergency response team.
Power Concerns Confuse Consumers--The News Times, Newport, OR (Dec 13)
Story explaining the energy alert, why it was rescinded, and the rational
for why the region has an energy emergency plan. Mentions the Council as
part of the regional team.
Northwest Energy Warning Follows Blast of Arctic Front, Cold
Weather--The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA (Dec 12)
Story on the stage two energy alert; mentions the Council: "A level
two warning is tied to an emergency alert status called for by the
Northwest Power Planning Council."
'Electricity in a Box' on Its Way; New device could bring power to
those off 'grid'--The Idaho-Press Tribune, Caldwell, ID (Dec 10)
AP story cited in an earlier summary about fuel cells. Quotes Council
staff: "John Harrison, a spokesman for the Portland, Ore.-based
Northwest Power Planning Council, says the region has an adequate
transmission system for current electricity loads." Also appears in
The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA; The Daily Record, Ellensburg,
WA; The Grant County Journal, Ephrata, WA; and The Wahkiakum County Eagle,
Cathlamet, WA
Arctic Weather to Hit Peninsula with Snow, Wind--The Peninsula Daily
News, Port Angeles, WA (Dec 10)
Story on the anticipated cold front and the tight energy situation.
Mentions the Council's forecast: "The Northwest Power Planning
Council has warned for a year about possible winter electricity shortages
as demand in the region at times exceeds supply."
Easing Energy Woes--The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA (Dec 10)
Op Ed from the Tacoma News Tribune on the region's energy shortage, noting
the various factors, e.g. lack of generating plants, growth, low reservoir
levels, etc. Mentions the Council's forecast: "Earlier this year, the
Northwest Power Planning Council predicted the region has a 1-in-4 chance
of experiencing electrical blackouts during times of peak winter
demand."
Turn Out the Lights Before We're Left in the Dark; One boom of
Arctic cold could spur an energy crisis in the Northwest, but conservation
could prevent an emergency--The Sunday
Oregonian, Portland, OR (Dec 10)
Opinion piece by Joel Brown, energy consultant, on how to address the
current energy crunch. He emphasizes conservation and also mentions
the Council: ?A number of industry organizations, such as the
Northwest Power Planning Council, have been raising the alarm for more
than a year with little public attention. it's time to listen to
them, as they have a good handle on the problem.?
Power Conservation Warning Issued, Utilities Prepare for Cold
Snap--The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA (Dec 9)
AP story cited in an earlier summary on warnings to conserve energy, both
from Governor Locke and utility officials. Notes that "The Northwest
Power Planning Council has warned for a year about possible winter
electricity shortages." Also appears in The Lewiston Tribune,
Lewiston, ID; and The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Walla Walla, WA.
Governor Urges Energy Conservation; Weekend cold weather threatens
power supply--The Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR (Dec
9)
AP story on Governor Kitzhaber's request to conserve energy and the stage
2 alert on power use. Mentions the Council and quotes Dick Watson:
"Dick Watson, power planning director for the Northwest Power
Planning Council, said the situation was serious but manageable, and
Kitzhaber's appeal should help." Also appears in The Observer, La
Grande, OR; and The Daily Argus Observer, Ontario, OR
Energy Alert on Tap?--The News, Springfield, OR (Dec
9)
Story on calls for conservation by both Governor Locke and Kitzhaber, and
the possibility of a stage 2 alert. Notes that the Council is part of the
regional emergency response team.
California May Lead Northwest Into Dark; An electricity crisis in
California means the state's traditional winter shipments of excess
power probably won't flow northward--The
Oregonian, Portland, OR (Dec 8)
Story on California's energy emergency and its affect on the
Northwest. The articles describes the Council and quotes Dick
Watson: ??Right now the assessment is tight but OK,? said Dick
Watson, power planning director for the Northwest Power Planning Council
in Portland. ?That assessment could change rapidly if the weather
becomes more severe.??
Energy Crunch--KPTV Channel 12, Portland, OR (Dec
8)
Newscaster: ?Governor Kitzhaber is asking you to help conserve
electricity this weekend since it is expected to get very cold. The
Governor urged citizens to set thermostats at no higher than 68 degrees in
the daytime, and 60 degrees at night, plus the Northwest Power Planning
Council said it will issue a Stage Two alert on power use. The alert
is a warning designed to give the Northwest time to take steps to avoid an
emergency.?
Power Council Expects Grid to be Taxed--KXL Radio, Portland, OR (Dec
8)
Reporter: ?With a short cold snap expected next week, the
Northwest Power Planning Council is checking our entire system to make
sure they can supply enough power to keep everybody warm.?
Power Council Prepares for Cold--KKCW Radio, Beaverton, OR (Dec
7)
Newscaster: "So how is your supply of firewood" Below
freezing temperatures are forecast to cross the Northwest by early next
week and the utilities want to be ready. The Northwest Power
Planning Council is talking about how it would respond to a peak
demand for electricity. In the worst case, emergency action could
include customers being asked to voluntarily restrict Christmas tree
lighting and turn down thermostats early next week.?
PGE, BPA and Energy Strains--KATU-TV Channel 2, Portland, OR (Dec
7)
News segment on the coming cold spell and possible energy shortage:
??Tomorrow, after a meeting of the Northwest Power Council, we expect
to hear if we will be asked to take any immediate steps to help deal with
the potential power crunch. In any case, utilities are already
asking us to voluntarily cool it by turning down the thermostat a couple
of degrees just to help out.?
Energy Heads Up--KATU-TV Channel 2, Portland, OR (Dec
7)
News segment on the emergency response team meeting: ??there is
going to be a meeting of the Power Council tomorrow afternoon'they are
going to come out with an announcement on what, if anything, they're
going to request.?
No Help From California Utilities--KPAM Radio, Portland, OR (Dec
7)
News segment on the energy situation which quotes Council staff: ?Dick
Watson of the Northwest Power Planning Council says there is also
discussion of getting an emergency waiver for clean air and endangered
fish regulations so that maximum power can be produced at Northwest power
plants.?
^ top
|
|
