Media Summary
Contact Carol Winkel
for more information. Also see archive.
Overview for March - January 2001
Heading into spring after a dry, mild winter, the tough choice between
generating the power we need and meeting federal hydropower measures to
help endangered salmon emerged as a top news story. Along with the print
media's focus on the strained hydro-system, there were a number of news
spots on television and radio that quoted Council members and staff.
February 2001
Rate Boost for PacifiCorp--KXL Radio, Portland, OR (Feb
21)
Reporter: "One staffer at the Northwest Power Planning Council
says it will take rain of Biblical proportions in the next few weeks to
bring the reservoirs up to normal."
NW to Calif.: Shape Up; Shipping power south is creating problems
here--The Bellingham Herald,
Bellingham, WA (Feb 12)
Story on the testimony by Northwest lawmakers and utility
representatives to a Senate committee. Comments describe the energy
shortage and how California's problems are affecting the West. Quotes
Council member Tom Karier: "Rates for Idaho Power consumers may go up
24 percent, Utah Power & Light has proposed a 19 percent increase, and
Vancouver, Wash., ratepayers were hit with a 20 percent hike, said Tom
Karier, a Washington state representative of the Northwest Planning
Council that oversees electric policy in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and
Montana."
BPA's Extra Power Generation Helps Chum But Could Harm Other
Salmon--The Oregonian, Portland, OR
(Feb 12)
Story on how the release of water helps chum salmon, but means there may
not be enough water later to help other species spawn. Quotes Larry
Cassidy: "Frank L. Cassidy, chairman of the Northwest Power Planning
Council, the four-state regional council responsible for balancing energy
production with fish and wildlife conservation, criticized the decision to
favor chum. The species that need spring and summer flows, particularly
chinook and steelhead, are more important to the Northwest, Cassidy
said."
The War of the West; The battle over the region's energy crosses
industries and borders--The Portland Tribune, Portland, OR (Feb
9)
Story on the fight over Bonneville's power. Quotes Dick Watson: "The
risks of a serious assault on regional preference are greater now than at
any time since David Stockman, the federal budget director in the early
years of the Reagan administration, mounted an attack on it, said Richard
Watson, the Northwest Power Planning Council's power division
director."
Power v. Salmon?--KGW-TV Channel 8, Portland, OR (Feb
8)
News story quotes Larry Cassidy: "There is no question mortality
will be increased. Will it mean extinction of the fish runs because we
have to go to [an] emergency situation? No, it will not."
NW Power Planning Council--KTCI-TV Channel 26, Vancouver, WA (Feb
8)
Newscaster: "The Northwest Power Planning Council predicts the
region won't be able to meet both the demand for power and the commitment
to save the salmon. A below normal rainfall year will mean less water
flowing in the rivers and lower dam reservoirs."
BPA Owed $121 Million From California--KPAM Radio, Portland, OR (Feb
8)
Reporter: "Testifying to the Northwest Power Planning Council, BPA
Vice-President Greg Delwiche disclosed that the power marketer sold
electricity to California utilities over the Christmas holidays and
haven't been able to collect — several members of the Power Planning
Council questioned that decision."
Hydro Power Report Released--Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland,
OR (Feb 8)
Newscaster: "A new report says northwest salmon will need nearly $2
billion worth of water this year, based on the current inflated prices for
hydo power. And the report said the Northwest Power Planning Council also
predicts that the northwest won't be able to meet both power demand and
its commitment to salmon recovery."
BPA Sacrifices Salmon--KATU-TV Channel 2, Portland, OR (Feb
8)
Newscaster: "?The BPA recommends scaling back the costly steps
to save salmon in order to meet the region's power needs without going
bankrupt. Members of the Northwest Planning Council agree, saying they
don't think Bonneville has a choice."
There is an Answer to State's Energy Woes--The
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, WA (Feb 8)
Op Ed by Washington state senators Bob Morton, Dan McDonald and Dino
Rossi on their Senate Bill 5550 that seeks to encourage construction of
larger power generating facilities. Mentions the Council: "Last year
the Northwest Power Planning Council did a study predicting that by winter
2003, our region faced a one-in-four chance that electricity supplies
would not meet demand, noting that it would take another 3,000 megawatts
of capacity?"
Power Planners Face Tough Choices--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA (Feb 8)
Feature story on the Council and Council Chair Larry Cassidy. The
Council story focuses on the strained hydrosystem due to the low
reservoirs and dry weather this winter. Also highlighted are the difficult
decisions council members must make this year: "Cassidy and his
four-state power council are faced with a kind of Solomon's decision:
allow the Columbia basin's network of hydroelectric dams to run hard
enough to keep the region's lights on, or demand that federal agencies
save that water to help outmigrating salmon and steelhead when they need
it in the spring and early summer."
Proof That True Power Corrupts Absolutely--The Daily Astorian,
Astoria, OR (Feb 8)
Op Ed on the energy crisis, especially how California's failed
deregulation has affected the West. Mentions that Council: "Twenty
years ago, the WPPSS fiasco led to passage of the Northwest Power Act,
which created the Northwest Power Planning Council and put energy
conservation on a par with construction of new power sources."
Official Says BPA Power Crisis Should Sacrifice Salmon--The
Daily Astorian, Astoria, OR (Feb 8)
AP story on Bonneville's report at the February council meeting on the
need to suspend some Bi-Op measures regulating the operation of the
hydrosystem to maintain the agency's financial solvency. Quotes council
members Larry Cassidy and Tom Karier: "Tom Karier, a Washington state
member of the council, said biologists need to determine which rules for
operating the hydrosystem can be violated with least harm to salmon."
Also appears in The Oregonian, Portland, OR; and The Register Guard,
Eugene, OR
Meeting Discusses Power Situation--KEX Radio, Portland, OR (Feb
7)
Dick Watson: "The probability that we would have a shortfall is
quite small."
Will Power Supply Hold?--KPAM Radio, Portland, OR (Feb
7)
Newscaster: "There was talk today at the Northwest Power Planning
Council meeting of a possible power emergency locally, although that is
unconfirmed."
Power Price Caps Would Delay Long-term Solution--The Longview Daily
News, Longview, WA (Feb 7)
Editorial supports the rejection of price caps, believing that they will
hinder the development of the demand side of the energy market and the
building of new facilities. Notes the Council's work: "In testimony
before a U.S. Senate committee last week, officials of the Northwest Power
Planning Council observed that demand for electricity has grown 24 percent
in the Northwest over the past 10 years, while generating capacity has
grown by only 4 percent."
The Energy Crisis--The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA (Feb
4)
Feature on the causes of the energy crisis and how people can conserve.
Mentions the Council: "The Northwest Power Planning Council publishes
the results of a study that indicates the region has only one chance in
four of dodging power blackouts if, as in Bonneville's scenario, an Arctic
cold spell hits during a time when generators are off line and a supply
transmission line is knocked out."
NW States Hanging Together on BPA--The Tri-City Herald, Kennewick,
WA (Feb 4)
Editorial on the Northwest governors' agreement to defend Bonneville's
NW preference policy. Mentions the Council: "Washington Gov. Gary
Locke apparently had been the holdout in a regional BPA coalition, telling
the Northwest Power Planning Council as recently as six months ago he
feared a regional BPA partnership would embolden Idaho, Oregon and Montana
to demand a reallocation of BPA power around the region."
Fish Programs Add 20% to Cost of NW's Energy--The Capital Press,
Salem, OR (Feb 2)
Op Ed on the Council's report on fish and wildlife spending: "In a
report issued by the Northwest Power Planning Council, consumers are going
to find the costliest wildlife recovery program in the nation." The
writer concludes, "Maybe the energy shortage is a blessing in
disguise. With higher consumer awareness about the costs associated with
our power bills, there'll be more scrutiny of questionable programs that
we're all paying for."
NW States Agree to Battle for BPA; Governors unite in attempt to
preserve region's cheap power--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA (Feb 2)
Story on the four Northwest governors' agreement to defend Bonneville
power from outside interests. Notes Gov. Locke's earlier resistance
because of fears that Washington's allocation may be affected: "But
last spring, Locke told the Northwest Power Planning Council he wasn't
interested in taking up the issue, saying he wanted to wait until new BPA
contracts are approved."
Live with Larry Cassidy--KPTV Channel 12, Portland, OR (Feb
1)
Interview of Council Chair Larry Cassidy where he explains the role of the
Council and the Council's analysis of the energy situation.
NW Lawmakers Want Congress to Enact Power Price Controls--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA (Feb 1)
Story contrasts the electricity prices Californians pay to the soaring
prices Northwesterners face, prompting calls for price caps. Quotes Tom
Karier: "'In short, prices are phenomenally higher than in past
years,' Karier said, adding that the electric power grid stretching from
British Columbia to Arizona has created one huge West Coast energy market.
'Clearly, what started out as a California crisis has spread throughout
the West Coast.'"
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