Lewis County PUD voices support for legal battle over operation of PNW hydropower dams
The Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) is warning that a recent federal court order meant to help fish pass major dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers could mean higher power bills for local residents.
The local utility district last week announced support for an appeal of that order filed by the Public Power Council (PPC), which represents more than 100 rate payer-owned, nonprofit power utilities in the Pacific Northwest, including Lewis County PUD.
Supporters of the appeal and leaders of the local utility warn that the order could raise power rates and stress the region's power infrastructure during the coming hot weather this summer.
"This ruling reduces hydropower capacity at the times our region needs it," Lewis County PUD General Manager David Plotz said. "We are closely following BPA's implementation, and we are encouraged that PPC has taken this case to the Ninth Circuit."
According to reporting from the Capital Press, the Lewis County PUD is just one of many utilities in the area to voice their support for the appeal after Grays Harbor PUD announced its support for the suit late last week.
The PPC filed a notice of appeal on Tuesday, April 7, in response to a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon on Feb. 25. The order went into effect at the beginning of March.
The preliminary injunction in the case orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spill more water at four dams on the Columbia River and four dams on the Snake River during spring and summer periods of fish migration through the rivers. Spilling more water is used to lower the level of dam reservoirs and make it easier on migrating fish to bypass large dams.
The side effect of spilling water is that the water does not pass through hydro-electric dam turbines, meaning the dams produce less power for the region.
The dams impacted by the federal order are operated by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Lewis County PUD relies heavily on the regional power administrator for its power. According to the announcement from the local utility, it receives around 90% of the power it sells to ratepayers from the BPA.
Lewis County PUD leadership warns that the higher spill rate of the Columbia and Snake river dams will likely lead to lower than expected power generation from the dams leading BPA to purchase the necessary power on the open market at a higher rate. While the district states that BPA has not released an assessment on how the change will impact rates, leadership clearly expects rates will increase, meaning higher bills for Lewis County PUD ratepayers.
"Decisions made hundreds of miles away have real consequences for Lewis County ratepayers," said Mike Hadaller, President of the Lewis County PUD Board of Commissioners. "We are calling on federal agencies to fully account for the rate impacts on the rural communities they serve."
According to reporting by the Capital Press, other utility leaders and advocates have similarly raised the alarm, with some even warning of summer power shortages if the summer turns out to be as hot as expected.
A news release from PPC describes the appeal as necessary to prevent "immediate and potentially irreversible impacts" of the court order.
The release further warns that the order did not account for the potential impacts of the order.
"All eyes right now are on the month of August," PPC CEO and Executive Director Scott Simms said. "Fingers are crossed it won't be a scorcher summer combined with high spill rates that severely hobble hydro production and threaten blackouts."
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