With recent approval from the EPA to increase total dissolved gas limits in parts of the Snake and Columbia rivers through spring, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is ready to implement a new spill regime at eight hydroelectric projects this spring and summer.
FERC on April 1 accepted a series of Open Access Transmission Tariff modifications from seven NorthernGrid members, officially allowing NorthernGrid to be the region's transmission planning organization. Read More
The Oregon PUC has slowed the pace of several important regulatory filings, the agency's administrative hearings division announced March 27. Read More
Thirteen congressional Democrats from Washington and Oregon have asked the Council on Environmental Quality to extend the 45-day comment period on the Columbia River System Operations draft EIS until at least 30 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency is over. Read More
The Environmental Protection Agency was denied a rehearing by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on March 30, signaling again EPA must create a water quality plan—called a total maximum daily load—for temperature in the Snake and Columbia rivers. Read More
Seattle City Light and Arizona-based Salt River Project went live April 1 in the Western EIM operated by the California ISO. Read More
Steve Crow, executive director of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council for almost 25 years, will retire this summer. Read More
New York-based LS Power plans to build a 1,000 MW or higher wind farm near Twin Falls, Idaho, the company announced March 20, making it potentially Idaho's largest wind facility. Read More
The Montana PSC appears to be inching closer to defining the length of a "long term" QF contract, after years of wrangling and controversy. Read More
The Trump administration's proposal to peg BPA prices to market rates and to sell its transmission network would devastate the Northwest economy and run afoul of federal laws, according to a letter from Council Chair Richard Devlin and? every member of the Northwest congressional delegation. Read More
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has canceled an upcoming fishing season for spring Chinook on the Umatilla River, where it will also close steelhead fishing two weeks early. A news release from the agency said spring Chinook returns are predicted at 900 adult fish at Three Mile Da… Read More
In the first of a series of columns/podcasts featuring leaders of Northwest utilities and their responses to the coronavirus pandemic, I talked with Snohomish County PUD CEO/GM John Haarlow. He shared the utility's focus on health, safety and economic-mitigation measures, as well as insights… Read More
The latest California snowpack measurement shows March precipitation helped, but failed to significantly offset February's extreme dryness. Read More
For your convenience, NewsData has compiled a list of the acronyms we utilize throughout the Clearing Up Publication. Read more
Umatilla Electric Cooperative has asked the Oregon PUC for permission to build a 4.3-mile, 230 kV overhead line in Morrow County to support future load growth. Read More
Citing numerous problems, the Montana PSC has told NorthWestern Energy to address inadequacies in its application to buy Puget Sound Energy's 25 percent stake in Colstrip Unit 4, or give up its bid. Read More
With recent approval from the EPA to increase total dissolved gas limits in parts of the Snake and Columbia rivers through spring, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is ready to implement a new spill regime at eight hydroelectric projects this spring and summer. Read More
Water supply in the Columbia Basin this summer will depend on where you are, according to an April 2 forecast from NOAA's Northwest River Forecast Center. Read More
FERC gave top priority to maintaining reliability in a regulatory guidance policy issued April 2 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, House Democrats are pressing for inclusion of in-frastructure funds in a fourth pandemic response bill. Litigation likely against Trump adminis… Read More
