Energy from wind must give way to energy from water, federal power agency in Northwest says

Heavy snows in the Cascade and Rocky Mountains this year could force a temporary shutdown of wind-energy producer Pacific Northwest, and that may just be the beginning of conflicts between the new industry and the old-line producer of power from water in the Columbia River basin, Hal Bernton reports for The Seattle Times. (Times photo by Steve Ringman: Wind farm near Walla Walla, Wash.)

"Bonneville Power Administration officials say that limiting wind production could be required to free space in the regional transmission system to handle hydro power generated from the melt-off of a large mountain snowpack," Bernton writes. This statement comes as part of BPA's new proposal to "periodically shut down wind-power farms to balance loads" instead of overproducing power and giving it away to utilities across the West. BPA's service area is largely in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but it sells power outside the Northwest.

Wind-power producers are unhappy and believe the federal agency should compensate them for any prolonged shutdowns. "BPA officials say the shutdowns will only happen as a last resort and that wind producers should not receive compensation," Bernton writes. Since payments would raise operating costs, resulting in possible rate increases for BPA's major customers, "We think that is not a fair transfer of costs and puts too much of a burden on public-utility ratepayers," BPA spokesperson Doug Johnson said. (Read more)