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    Integrating energy and the environment in the Columbia River Basin

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    • Fish and Wildlife Planning
    • Salmon and Steelhead
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  • Fish and Wildlife

    The Council works to protect and enhance fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. Its Fish & Wildlife Program guides project funding by the Bonneville Power Administration.

    Fish & Wildlife overview

    The Fish and Wildlife Program

    • 2020 Addendum
    • 2014/2020 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
    • Subbasin Plans
    • Project Reviews and Recommendations

    Independent Review Groups

    • Independent Economic Analysis Board (IEAB)
    • Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB)
    • Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP)

    Forums and Workgroups

    • Asset Management Subcommittee
    • Ocean and Plume Science and Management Forum
    • Regional Coordination
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    Topics

    • Adaptive Management
    • Anadromous Fish Mitigation
    • Blocked Areas
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    • Invasive and Non-Native Species
    • Lamprey
    • Predation: Sea lions, pike, birds
    • Protected Areas
    • Research Plan
    • Resource Tools and Maps
    • Sockeye
    • Sturgeon
    • Hatchery Map
  • Energy

    The Council develops a plan, updated every five years, to ensure the region’s power supply and acquire cost-effective energy efficiency.

    Energy overview

    THE NORTHWEST POWER PLAN

    • The 2021 Northwest Power Plan
    • The Seventh Power Plan
    • Planning Process and Past Power Plans

    TECHNICAL TOOLS AND MODELS

    • Regional Portfolio Model
    • Generation Evaluation System Model (GENESYS)

    Energy Advisory Committees

    • Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • Demand Forecast Advisory Committee
    • Demand Response Advisory Committee
    • Generating Resources Advisory Committee
    • Natural Gas Advisory Committee
    • Resource Adequacy Advisory Committee
    • System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Regional Technical Forum
    • RTF Policy Advisory Committee
    • System Integration Forum
    • Resource Strategies Advisory Committee (Not Active)

    Energy Topics

    • Energy Efficiency
    • Demand Response
    • Power Supply
    • Resource Adequacy
    • Energy Storage
    • Hydropower

    Energy Forums and Workgroups

    • Pacific NW Demand Response Project
    • Northwest Wind Integration Forum (Archive)
  • Meetings
    See next Council meeting March 9 - 10, 2021 in Portland (Webinar) › See all meetings ›

    View all council meetings View full calendar

    Recent and Upcoming Meetings

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    • Sep 2020 Wed Thu 09 - 10
      RTF Meeting: September 9, 2020
    • Sep 2020 Thu 10
      10:00 am—11:00 am Informal Hatchery Workgroup Meeting
    • Sep 2020 Tue Wed 15 - 16
      Council Meeting
    • Sep 2020 Fri 25
      9:30 am—11:00 am RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
    • Sep 2020 Tue 29
      9:00 am—1:00 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Sep 2020 Wed 30
      9:30 am—12:30 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • Oct 2020 Thu 01
      9:30 am—12:30 pm Power Committee Webinar
    • Oct 2020 Tue Wed 06 - 07
      RTF Meeting: October 6, 2020
    • Oct 2020 Tue 06
      1:30 pm—4:00 pm Resource Adequacy - Technical Committee
    • Oct 2020 Wed 07
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Oct 2020 Mon Wed 12 - 14
      Council Meeting
    • Oct 2020 Thu 22
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Oct 2020 Fri 23
      9:00 am—10:30 am Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • Oct 2020 Tue 27
      10:00 am—12:30 pm Demand Response Advisory Committee
    • Nov 2020 Wed 04
      9:30 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Nov 2020 Tue 10
      9:00 am—1:30 pm RTF Meeting: November 10, 2020
    • Nov 2020 Tue Wed 17 - 18
      Council Meeting
    • Nov 2020 Mon 30
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Dec 2020 Tue 01
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Resource Adequacy - Technical Committee
    • Dec 2020 Wed 02
      9:30 am—11:00 am Generating Resources Advisory Committee
    • Dec 2020 Thu 03
      9:00 am—11:00 am Power Committee Webinar
    • Dec 2020 Tue 08
      9:00 am—1:00 pm RTF Meeting: December 8, 2020
    • Dec 2020 Wed 09
      9:00 am—11:00 am RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting 9:30 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee 10:00 am—12:00 pm Informal Hatchery Workgroup Meeting
    • Dec 2020 Fri 11
      9:30 am—11:30 am Resource Adequacy - Steering Committee
    • Dec 2020 Tue Wed 15 - 16
      Council Meeting
    • Dec 2020 Thu 17
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • Jan 2021 Fri 08
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis and Resource Adequacy Combined Committee Meeting
    • Jan 2021 Tue Wed 12 - 13
      Council Meeting
    • Jan 2021 Tue 19
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Jan 2021 Wed 20
      9:00 am—1:00 pm RTF Meeting: January 20, 2021
    • Jan 2021 Thu 21
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Regional Coordination Forum
    • Jan 2021 Tue 26
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • Jan 2021 Thu 28
      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
    • Feb 2021 Wed 03
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Feb 2021 Mon 08
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm Demand Response Advisory Committee
    • Feb 2021 Tue Wed 09 - 10
      Council Meeting
    • Feb 2021 Thu 11
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm 2021-2022 Anadromous Fish Habitat and Hatchery Review: Proposal Form Workshop 1 of 2
    • Feb 2021 Wed 17
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Feb 2021 Wed Thu 17 - 18
      RTF Meeting: February 17-18, 2021
    • Feb 2021 Fri 19
      9:00 am—2:30 pm SIF: 2021 Power Plan and DEI
    • Feb 2021 Wed 24
      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar - CANCELLED
    • Feb 2021 Thu 25
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm 2021-2022 Anadromous Fish Habitat and Hatchery Review: Proposal Form Workshop 2 of 2
    • Mar 2021 Wed 03
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee - CANCELLED
    • Mar 2021 Mon 08
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Fish and Wildlife Program Objectives and Strategy Performance Indicators Workgroup
    • Mar 2021 Tue Wed 09 - 10
      Council Meeting
    • Mar 2021 Tue 16
      9:00 am—1:00 pm RTF Meeting: March 16-17, 2021
    • Mar 2021 Wed 17
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Mar 2021 Fri 19
      10:00 am—12:00 pm RTF Policy Advisory Committee Orientation 1:00 pm—3:00 pm RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
    • Mar 2021 Wed 24
      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
    • Mar 2021 Wed 31
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Apr 2021 Thu 01
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • Apr 2021 Tue Wed 06 - 07
      Council Meeting
    • Apr 2021 Tue Wed 13 - 14
      RTF Meeting: April 13-14, 2021
    • Apr 2021 Wed 14
      9:00 am—12:30 pm System Analysis Advisory Committee
    • Apr 2021 Wed 21
      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
    • Apr 2021 Thu 29
      9:00 am—12:00 pm Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
    • May 2021 Tue Wed 04 - 05
      Council Meeting
    • May 2021 Tue Wed 11 - 12
      RTF Meeting: May 11-12, 2021
    • May 2021 Wed 26
      8:30 am—11:30 am Power Committee Webinar
    • Jun 2021 Wed 02
      1:00 pm—4:00 pm RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
    • Jun 2021 Tue Wed 08 - 09
      Council Meeting
    • Jun 2021 Tue Wed 15 - 16
      RTF Meeting: June 15-16, 2021
    • Jul 2021 Tue Wed 13 - 14
      Council Meeting
    • Jul 2021 Tue Wed 20 - 21
      RTF Meeting: July 20-21, 2021
    • Aug 2021 Tue Wed 17 - 18
      Council Meeting
    • Aug 2021 Tue 31
      9:00 am—1:00 pm RTF Meeting: August 31, 2021
    View Council Meetings View all Meetings
  • Reports and Documents

    Browse reports and documents relevant to the Council's work on fish and wildlife and energy planning, as well as administrative reports.

    Browse reports

    Reports by Topic

    • Power Plan
    • Fish and Wildlife Program
    • Subbasin Plans
    • Financial Reports
    • Independent Scientific Advisory Board
    • Independent Scientific Review Panel
    • Independent Economic Analysis Board

    Columbia River History Project

Close

Northwest Power System’s 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Poor water conditions led to higher emissions

February 1, 2021
Carol Winkel

Share

At the Council’s January meeting, Senior Policy Analyst Gillian Charles briefed members on the region’s power system carbon emissions in 2019.

In the Pacific Northwest, the system’s carbon emissions are directly connected to the hydro system. In a good hydro year, emissions are lower as less natural gas and coal are dispatched and conversely, emissions tend to be higher in poor hydro years as fossil fuel resources are dispatched more often.

In 2019, the region experienced its worst hydro year since 2005, leading to an increase in emissions of about 16 percent—from about 48.5 million metric tons in 2018 to about 56.6 million metric tons in 2019.

As coal units begin to retire in the region, and in the country, and existing natural gas generation continues to displace coal generation, emissions will begin to trend downward in the coming years. Natural gas is less carbon intensive, releasing roughly half the emissions of coal.

The extent of the trend will depend on what kind of resources come online. But with state renewable portfolio standards and other clean energy policies in place, it’s likely the region will see an increase in zero-carbon resources such as energy efficiency, renewables, and energy storage.

Topics: 
Energy

Related News

Mar 1, 2021

Extreme Weather Outages in Texas Prompt Questions About Grid Reliability in the Northwest

Power Division Director Ben Kujala added his perspective to news coverage on the outages in Texas from extreme winter weather last month

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Feb 25, 2021

What Does an Equitable Energy System Look Like?

In February, the Council hosted a forum on diversity, equity, and inclusion in its power planning and in its 2021 Power Plan. The forum – with 130 attendees – builds on past work in the Council’s advisory committees to address underserved  communities and marked a step forward in ensuring equity in our energy planning.

Read full story
Feb 18, 2021

Emerging Trends from Scenario Analysis Modeling

Reducing carbon will transform the power system

Read full story
Jan 3, 2021

State of Northwest Utilities in 2019

Flat load growth continues and on site solar takes off.

Read full story

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