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Council Spotlight

News about energy and natural resources in the Pacific Northwest

Exploring Key Power Supply Questions Through Scenario Analysis

The Council’s regional power plan is not just an opinion of how the region should supply electricity. It is a strategy developed through a rigorous analytical process, conducted in the public sphere, where interested parties are invited to participate. Read more.

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MARCH 17-18: Council Meeting, Portland

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seattle

Lower Load Growth is Forecast Over the Next 30 Years

Demand for electricity in the Northwest is expected to remain low over the next 20-30 years, thanks in part to the growing use of on-site solar generation at homes and businesses. Read more.


tern

Fish-eating Birds Kill Half, Or More, Of Young Salmon and Steelhead In The Columbia, Research Shows

Juvenile fish face a multitude of dangers as they migrate down the Columbia and Snake rivers to the ocean every spring – disease, water temperature and quality, hydropower dam passage, predatory fish, but the extent of predation by birds is alarming. Read more.


geothermal

Assessing Geothermal Energy Potential

The Pacific Northwest is literally a hotbed of geothermal activity. Part of the so-called Ring of Fire, an area of volcanoes and seismic activity, with hot spots deep within the Earth's mantle, the region is a prime location for geothermal energy. Read more.


bulb

Rollback of Efficiency Standards for Light Bulbs Creates Challenges in Setting Efficiency Targets for 2021 Power Plan

The past two years have seen upheaval around federal efficiency standards for several appliances, including dishwashers and clothes washers, but especially for lightbulbs. Read more.


critfc

Council Honors CRITFC For Successful Legislation To Increase Protection of Salmon

A bill signed by President Trump in 2018 expanded authority to remove a limited number of the most aggressive sea lions that have been identified as killing fish in the Columbia River and its tributaries downstream of McNary Dam. Read more.