Bob Pierce answers questions about energy efficiency, consumer products, and cooperative governance. He is Clearwater Power’s Chief Operating Officer and welcomes your questions on our Ask Bob page.
How critical were the lower Snake River dams during January’s cold snap?
The importance of the lower Snake River dams really came into play as we experienced record-low temperatures during the mid-January cold snap. The lower Snake River dams were critical to ensuring our members had lights and heat when they needed it the most.
According to a Bonneville Power Administration news release on January 30, the lower Snake River dams were putting out more than 1,000 megawatts during the peak use our region experienced. On January 15 and 16, the output was 1,137 MW and 1,146 MW, respectively. That is about 10% of BPA’s overall load during those same times.
Equally noteworthy is that during this cold snap, wind and solar either were not producing or producing at near 0 levels. This is a good example of why the power generation and capacity of the lower Snake River dams cannot be replaced with solar power or wind. Clearwater Power’s highest peak loads always occur during the coldest temperatures.
During cold snaps in the Pacific Northwest, wind and solar tend to generate next to nothing. The solar panels on our net-metering demonstration at Clearwater Power’s Lewiston headquarters were covered in almost 2 inches of ice and were not generating electricity. One of the benefits of hydropower is it can be increased nearly instantly to meet demands.
Without the lower Snake River dams, we would have been at risk of rolling blackouts. Rolling blackouts can cause issues at any time but can be catastrophic during subzero weather when electricity is critical to providing heat and keeping equipment running and pipes from freezing.
The lower Snake River dams are critical. Let your congressional representatives know that you depend on electricity from the lower Snake River dams.