July 2006 Issue

Integrating Wind Power and Renewables Into the Northwest's Power System

A panel of energy experts from Northwest utilities with experience integrating wind power discussed some of the issues that need to be addressed in order to integrate additional wind power into the Northwest's power system. Panelists included Kevin Conway, Grant PUD, Casey Johnston, Northwestern Energy, and Elliot Mainzer, Bonneville Power Administration. Understanding how wind can be modified to fit load, the need for more transmission, forecasting, and increased regulation costs are just some of the questions they are trying to answer. Despite these issues, Jeff King, senior resource analyst for the Council, noted the rapid development of wind power currently underway in the region, and that the Council will be participating in a group that will be exploring how to integrate renewable energy into the Northwest's power system. [See agenda item 2].

Latest Research on the Effects of the Hydrosystem on Snake River Chinook Salmon and Steelhead

John Williams, Steve Smith, and Bill Muir of NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center, presented some of the major findings (820k PDF) from NOAA's technical memorandum, "The Effects of the Federal Columbia River Power System on Salmonid Populations."  In particular, they focused on how variations in spill and flow affect the survival and travel time of the fish.