News

The U.S. government is modifying hydropower operations on the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, providing more hours of spill in the spring and curtailing spill operations in August. In preparation for an upcoming adequacy assessment, Council staff incorporated these changes in modeling to understand the impact to power generation.

Power demand forecasts are showing significant increases in the Pacific Northwest over the next five years, and the Council is closely monitoring the region’s progress on key targets from its 2021 Power Plan and analyzing whether that will ensure that the power supply is keeping pace.

The Northwest River Forecast Center says the runoff and water supply forecast is well below normal in the north of the basin, but above normal in the south.

The Council hosted a discussion on the next phases to study and test the feasibility of reintroducing salmon in the upper Columbia, with tribal members and representatives from several federal agencies presenting.

A panel of long-time regional leaders on energy and fish and wildlife issues shared their thoughts about the significance of the Northwest Power Act and the Council

Meeting the Pacific Northwest’s growing need for power with a shifting mix of energy resources will be a major undertaking on its own. Balancing supply with demand, however, is only one part of the challenge for the Council’s power planning efforts.

WDFW briefed the Council on the survival of adult summer steelhead through the Columbia River hydrosystem.

Understanding how ocean conditions affect salmon, especially as the climate warms, is a priority of the Fish and Wildlife Program. NOAA presented findings on 2023 ocean conditions for salmon and steelhead, and explained how actions taken in freshwater can improve ocean survival.

The public can help inform early preparations for the Council’s next power plan, and guide formation of an advisory committee on the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on the Pacific Northwest’s power system.

New data on electric vehicles, data centers, and computer chip manufacturing suggests a shifting trend. Power demand in these sectors is growing, and over the next five years this demand could grow substantially.