Category – Energy

With an ever-growing need to decarbonize the grid while providing reliable and affordable generation, offshore wind is receiving significant industry attention.

While it is possible to replace the output of the four lower Snake River dams while meeting aggressive clean-energy goals, the cost would be substantial, and the reliability of the system could depend on future technologies.

In a challenging economy when costs seem to be rising constantly, low-income households face an increasing risk of being unable to afford basic necessities, including electricity

Against the backdrop of soaring fossil fuel prices due to the war that Russia is waging on Ukraine, a transition to cleaner fuels is underway in the Northwest that will touch nearly all aspects of the economy.

Ensuring the future reliability of the Northwest electric power system while complying with policy goals to reduce carbon emissions is “a challenging process” involving “a mind-spinning array of uncertainties”.

The Council is set to make improvements to the Northwest’s resource adequacy assessment this year. John Fazio discussed the upcoming work to improve the annual assessment, which acts as an early warning of potential future power shortfalls.

The war in Ukraine will affect future natural gas prices in Europe, and possibly in the United States including in the Pacific Northwest.

As the Council prepares to revise its forecast of future wholesale power prices, power planning staff is closely monitoring wholesale power markets outside the region.

The Council has appointed Jennifer Light as interim director of power planning to replace Ben Kujala, who has taken a position starting in June with Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors.

At its February meeting, Council members discussed scoping a workplan for a proposed lower Snake River dams analysis.