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This story appeared on http://www.individual.com December 11, 2000
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Federal Agencies Gear Up Hydro System to Meet Demand



PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/  via NewsEdge Corporation  -
Due to an impending power shortage,
federal agencies will increase generation at nearly all of the federal dams.
This may cause some projects to operate outside the limits of the biological
opinion under the Endangered Species Act as additional water is released for
generation from upstream reservoirs, the Bonneville Power Administration said
today.


The announcement came following a call by the Regional Emergency Response
Team and Northwest governors for conservation of electricity when arctic air
invades the Northwest beginning this weekend. The team comprises Northwest
utilities, the Northwest Power Planning Council and representatives of the
four Northwest states.


BPA officials said that this step must be taken in order to ensure that
heavy demand for electricity can be met in the region through next week.
Forecasters are predicting freezing temperatures on both sides of the
Cascades. BPA supplies about 40 percent of the region's electricity, most of
it generated at dams in the Columbia River Basin.


"Utilities in the region have assessed their generating inventories and
determined that the region is clearly short of energy and in an emergency
status," Delwiche said. "The BPA and other utilities must take extraordinary
steps immediately to avoid potentially severe shortages next week."


Water is stored in reservoirs behind upstream dams and released in the
spring to assist downstream migration of juvenile salmon. BPA manages the
storage to ensure that enough water is available to both meet electrical
generating requirements and flows for salmon. BPA has the authority to exceed
guidelines of the biological opinion under emergency conditions.


"It is very important that everyone - residential and commercial consumers
and industries -- do what they can to cut back on their use of electricity
during this cold snap," said Greg Delwiche, BPA's vice president for
generation supply. "Every kilowatt hour saved now means less need to draw
water from the reservoirs."


SOURCE  Bonneville Power Administration



CONTACT:  Ed Mosey, Bonneville Power Administration, 503-230-5359
Web site:  http://www.bpa.gov


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