Articles by Carol Winkel

The Council's advisory committees bring outside advice and diverse perspectives about future energy needs to the work of developing a regional power plan. Committee members come from a variety of organizations, including utilities, state regulatory commissions, tribes, and public interest

The Council uses an integrated resource planning model, called the regional portfolio model, to identify adaptive, least-cost resource strategies for the region.

Relatively low wholesale power prices are forecast to continue, a result of low-cost hydopower and wind generation, flat load growth, and low natural gas prices.The Council's 20-year forecast region is used in developing its regional power plan.

Assessing different generating resources in order to know the best options for ensuring the region's power supply is a key element of the Council's power plan. The analysis considers things like cost, construction timeline, operation and performance, and regional availability.

The Council will be holding a webinar to give stakeholders and the public an overview of the process we use to develop our regional energy plan.

Salmon are returning from the Pacific Ocean to the Columbia River in big numbers this year.

The Council has begun work on its Seventh Power Plan, which provides guidance to the region on resource development. The Northwest Power Act requires that the Council include in the power plan a method for determining the quantifiable environmental costs

The Council's power plans give the region guidance on resource acquisition so we'll have the energy we need without sacrificing our natural resources.

The Council has contracted the Northwest Hydroelectric Association to conduct a scoping study on the region's hydropower potential. The study is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.