The Dams Help Settle The Storms

Posted: February 8, 2024

Afton, WYOMING – Mid-January storms in the Pacific Northwest stirred up cold weather and unusual demands on the grid that Lower Valley Energy belongs to. According to Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our federal electricity provider and supplier to the Pacific Northwest, the region suffered through the “most intense cold snap the Northwest had seen in 20 years.”

As an example, BPA reported the system peaking at 11,396 megawatt hours – with the previous high being in 1990. The colder-than-normal temperatures shut down many parts of the Northwest and caused higher than normal energy use. Ice ravaged the area with tree damage which affected roadways and power delivery.

“Serving consistently high energy demand took significant coordination with multiple partners for both proactive planning ahead of the weather and real-time adjustments as conditions evolved,” said BPA Vice President of Generation and Asset Management Michelle Cathcart. “The dependability of the federal power system in extreme and dangerous weather events demonstrates its value and importance to BPA’s power customers and the broader region.”

BPA went on to praise the lower Snake River dams as a “major contributor to [their] efforts to keep the lights on during the cold snap.” Jim Webb, Lower Valley Energy President/CEO, said that the dams are the backbone of the Northwest grid and very important to Lower Valley.  Without them, the grid could have collapsed during the January cold spell.  Without them, we could not support all the great wind and solar projects being built in the region.

Lower Valley Energy is committed to providing reliable, affordable, and clean energy to its customers, while also protecting the environment and the salmon. The cooperative believes that dams and alternative energy sources like wind and solar can work together to provide a balanced and sustainable energy mix for the region.