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AROUND THE REGION
BRITISH COLUMBIAAs of October 1, 447 of BC Hydro's largest commercial customers had pledged to conserve at least 3 percent of their electric use over the next 12 months, surpassing the utility's target for enrollment in its new "Power Smart ePoints " effort by 150 percent. The new program allows customers to collect points based on their electricity savings, which will be tracked on-line through BC Hydro's ePoints web site. Awarded annually, ePoints will be redeemable toward the cost of energy efficiency investments at any of the customers' business locations in BC.
MONTANA
Three new coal-fired power plant proposals were submitted for eastern Montana last month. A 200 megawatt (MW) plant is proposed for Broadview , a 700 MW plant for Roundup and a 100 MW coal gasification plant for Hardin . The facility proposed for coal gasification, or so-called "clean" coal technology, is a demonstration plant. Gasification technology is still entrenched in the design phase and is not competitive with other forms of generation (see the July, 2001 Report). If built, all three plants would sell their power into the Western grid over existing transmission lines running out of eastern Montana south to Nevada and Utah . Three natural gas-fired power plants are being proposed for western Montana, however, new transmission facilities would be needed to move power from those plants out of the state.
WASHINGTON
Governor Gary Locke last month appointed James Luce as Chair of the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council . Luce worked for more than two decades for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA ) as a senior assistant general counsel for the environment. He was involved in contract negotiations, policy development and environmental issues. Since his retirement from BPA in 1999, Luce has served as a consultant on some energy-related projects as well as a Governor-appointee on the bi-state Columbia River Gorge Commission . Prior to working for BPA, he served as a legislative assistant to Senator Henry Jackson , as an economic programs manager for the city of Everett , and as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Snohomish County . Luce's appointment will require Senate confirmation.
IDAHO
Two proposed power plants in North Idaho threaten to provoke a water battle across state lines. If approved, an 800 MW gas-fired power plant proposed by Cogentrix and another 1,300 MW facility from Newport Northwest in Rathdrum will draw 17 million gallons of water a day from the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer . The aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for the area's 400,000 residents, the majority living across the border in Spokane. An attorney representing Cogentrix recently told the Associated Press that downstream impacts in Washington should not be considered in Idaho water permit application proceedings. Spokane currently has a 10-year waiting list for new water permits. A coalition of environmental and labor groups is challenging the two plants. Hearings are scheduled for January.
NORTHWEST
The Bonneville Power Administration is getting a bit of help paying its bills this year through a little-known section of the Northwest Conservation Act . Section 4(H)(10)c) of the Act requires that U.S. taxpayers pay a portion of BPA's fish recovery costs, including so-called foregone revenues for water BPA uses to aid salmon migrations rather than to generate power. Normally the credits are in the range of $50 million, but this year, due to high power prices, the credits will be close to $600 million, enough to cover most of the agency's annual Treasury payment. Salmon advocates point out that taxpayers are paying a lot for very little flow and spill and very little benefit to federally listed endangered salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers .
Quote of the Month
"Terrorists can blow up oil pipelines or nuclear plants. . . They cannot stop 100 million households from switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs or installing energy-efficient appliances. And they cannot stop American technology and ingenuity when it comes to finding ways to save money, energy and natural resources. "
Jim Scarantino, executive director of Republicans for Environmental Protection in an opinion-editorial headlined "End America's energy insecurity." Scarantino's piece appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on October 12.