BROUGHT TO YOU BY INLAND POWER & LIGHT & THE WASHINGTON RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION
THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE
Open & Voluntary Membership
Co-op membership is open to everyone who can use the co-op’s services
Democratic Member Control
Members get to make decisions about the co-op. Why? Because co-ops are created for the members, by the members!
Members’ Economic Participation
Members contribute money to the co-op to make sure the co-op runs smoothly now and in the future. At your electric co-op, this happens through paying your energy bills.
Autonomy & Independence
Members create co-ops to provide a service that is needed. Co-ops are independent and can operate on their own, which benefits the members.
Education, Training & Information
Just like you, we’re always learning! The co-op focuses on education to ensure that employees and members have the training and information they need to make the co-op successful.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Co-ops share and learn from other co-ops. They help each other out when needed because co-ops want other co-ops to be successful!
Concern for Community
All co-ops work for the greater good of the local communities they serve. Co-ops give back to their communities to make sure they thrive and grow.
PRIEST RAPIDS DAM
Priest Rapids Dam is a significant hydroelectric facility located on the Columbia River in Washington state. Its history is tied to the broader development of the Columbia River for hydroelectric power and flood control.
Early Planning and Construction
• 1940s: Initial discussions and surveys for harnessing the hydroelectric potential of the Columbia River included considerations for a dam at the Priest Rapids site.
• 1950s: The federal government and private interests debated over the best approach for developing the Columbia River’s hydroelectric resources. The Grant County Public Utility District (PUD) emerged as a key player, advocating for local public control of the project.
• 1955: Grant County PUD received the federal license to construct and operate the dam.
Construction Phase
• 1956-1959: Construction of Priest Rapids Dam took place. The project involved significant engineering challenges, including diverting the Columbia River, constructing the main dam structure, and installing the hydroelectric generating equipment.
• 1959: The dam was completed and began operations. It stood 178 feet high and stretched 10,103 feet across the river.
Operational History
• 1960s-Present: Priest Rapids Dam has been a key component of the Columbia River hydroelectric system. It contributes to the region’s power supply and supports various uses, including irrigation, flood control, and recreation.
• Modern Upgrades: Over the years, the dam has undergone various upgrades to improve efficiency, safety, and environmental impact. This includes modernization of turbines, installation of fish passage facilities, and other ecological mitigation measures to support the local fish populations, particularly salmon and steelhead.
Environmental and Social Impact
• Environmental Considerations: The dam, like many others on the Columbia River, has had significant impacts on fish populations and river ecosystems. Efforts have been made to mitigate these effects, including the construction of fish ladders and hatcheries.
• Community and Economic Impact: The dam has provided substantial economic benefits to the region through job creation, irrigation support for agriculture, and reliable hydroelectric power. However, it has also been a point of contention regarding its impact on indigenous communities and local ecosystems.
Today, Priest Rapids Dam remains a critical infrastructure asset managed by Grant County PUD. It continues to produce renewable energy while balancing the complex environmental and social challenges associated with large hydroelectric projects.
NATIVE HERITAGE
The Wanapum are a Native American tribe who lived along the Columbia River in Washington State from Priest Rapids to the mouth of the Snake River. Their name comes from the Sahaptin words sahapt meaning “river” and pum meaning “people”, and translates to “River People.” They are one of the few Native American tribes who are still called by the name they chose for themselves. The Wanapum were known for being peaceful, spiritual and respectful. They lived semi-nomadically, coexisting with white ranchers and farmers, and working in their fields and hop yards. They also fished for salmon using nets, spears, and woven willow traps, and ate venison, berries and roots.
The Wanapum still live on the Columbia River. It has been their home from time immemorial. They believe they were put there to protect and preserve the land and river for themselves, their children, and those not yet born. As spiritual people, the Wanapum continue to practice their religion. Friendly, understanding, and respectful of all people and things, the Wanapum only wish to live in peace. Through strenuous and prudent efforts, the Wanapum have successfully built relationships with federal, state and local agencies. The respect, trust and mutual understanding that results from these relationships allow the Wanapum to actively participate in decision-making processes that affect their responsibilities to care for the creator.
The language of the Wanapum is a Sahaptin tongue similar to that of other Plains tribes. The Waashat religion has played a large role in the survival of the language. Regular church services in the native tongue have aided in the preservation of the language.
Priest Rapids Dam is located on the Columbia River, 24 miles south of Vantage and 200 miles downstream from Grand Coulee Dam.
The dam was named in recognition of the Wanapum religious leader Smowhalla and the small band of indigenous people that lived during the winter at a village near the last of seven rapids, called Priest Rapids.
ENERGY 101
Below is a list of commonly used energy terms and their definitions.
Watt: A unit for measuring electric power.
Kilowatt (kW): 1,000 watts
Kilowatt Hour (kWh):
One kilowatt of electrical energy produced or used in one hour. (energy)
Megawatt (MW): 1,000,000 watts (Powers around 1,000 homes)
Gigawatt (GW): 1,000,000,000 watts (Powers around 750,000 homes)
Volt: The unit of measurement of force used to produce an electric current.
Transformer:
An electrical device that will raise or lower electricity’s voltage and current.
Substation:
An electrical facility where transformers convert high transmission voltages to lower voltages, which are distributed to rate payers.
Distribution Lines:
Overhead or underground power lines that carry electricity through cities and neighborhoods to your home or business.
Power lines that carry high voltage electricity over long distances from the place of generation to substations.
Brownout:
Transmission Lines: A temporary reduction of voltage supplied by the electric power distributor.
Blackout:
Total loss of electric power from the power distributor.
Peak Demand:
The highest level of electrical power consumption observed in a specific period.
Our hydropower system brought electricity to our region and today, it’s hard to imagine life without it. However, as efforts to remove dams continue forward, studies have helped us understand what that life might look like. Removing just the four lower Snake River dams will likely result in energy costs rising by up to 25% or more and an increased risk of energy shortages and blackouts.
The northwest is the leader in renewable energy and has a goal of relying only on carbon-free power by 2045. Today, the affordable and reliable carbon free energy from hydropower dams produces 90% of the region’s renewable electricity and is an essential tool in fighting climate change. Salmon are important to our environment and culture, especially to Pacific Northwest Native American tribes. Thanks to major upgrades in fish passage facilities, fish survival rates through every federal dam is between 95 and 98%.
Hydropower is renewable. Each year, rain and snow replenish the supply. It is the nation’s most abundant source of renewable energy.
Hydropower is efficient. Hydropower plants at dams convert about 90 percent of the energy in falling water into electrical energy. By comparison, fossil-fueled plants lose more than half of the energy content of their fuel as waste heat and gases.
Hydropower is clean. Hydropower produces no emissions. There are no gases or waste products that contribute to air pollution.
Hydropower is secure. Water from our rivers is largely a domestic resource that is not subject to disruptions from foreign suppliers, cost fluctuations in power markets, international political crises or transportation outages.
Hydropower is flexible. By adjusting the amount of water flowing through the dams, hydropower can be increased or decreased very quickly to meet changes in demand for power. This meets a fundamental requirement of all electric grids, which is that demand must exactly match supply at all times to keep the system stable.
Hydropower allows for the growth of other renewable resources. Hydropower is a great “back-up” for wind and solar power—for example it can be ramped up to meet demand when the wind is not blowing, and dialed down at times of high winds.
Hydropower is affordable. This is because the “fuel” – water – is free, which keeps operating costs low and protects against fluctuations in fuel prices. Over the years, the dams have consistently provided some of the nation’s most affordable electricity.
ENOUGH POWER?
Having enough energy resources is not a new topic. It has been a concern in the Pacific Northwest for years. There have been numerous studies conducted and coalitions formed to address the concerns surrounding having a secure electric grid.
According to an E3 Pacific NW Zero-Emitting Resources Study, having enough energy “is a critical concern under high renewable and decarbonized systems. Renewable energy availability depends on the weather. Storage and demand response availability depends on many factors.”
ENOUGH CAPACITY?
Energy capacity, on the other hand, refers to the maximum amount of electrical power that can be produced and/or delivered by a power plant, transmission line, or entire electrical grid. It is typically measured in megawatts (MW) or gigawatts (GW).
Key points include:
Generation Capacity: The total power output a power plant can produce. For example, a power plant with a capacity of 500 MW can produce 500 megawatts of electricity.
Transmission Capacity: The maximum power that can be transported through a transmission line without overheating or becoming unsafe. This is determined by the physical properties of the transmission infrastructure.
System Capacity: The overall capacity of the electrical grid to deliver power to end-users, accounting for generation, transmission, and distribution capacities.
Peak Demand: Capacity must be sufficient to meet peak demand, which is the highest level of electrical consumption observed in a given period.
ENOUGH TRANSMISSION?
Energy transmission refers to the process of transporting electrical energy from power plants (where it is generated) to substations (where it is distributed to consumers). This involves high-voltage transmission lines, transformers, and other infrastructure that ensures electricity can travel long distances efficiently.
Key points include:
High Voltage: Transmission lines typically operate at high voltages (e.g., 110 kV, 220 kV, 500 kV) to reduce energy losses during long-distance travel.
Infrastructure: Includes transmission towers, transformers, substations, and switchgear.
Grid: The network of transmission lines is often referred to as the electrical grid or power grid.
Function: Ensures that electricity generated at different power plants can be delivered to regions where it is needed.
DO WE HAVE
HAVE ENOUGH?
ENOUGH LAND?
• The direct renewable land use needed to accommodate enough wind and solar infrastructure to serve Washington alone is around 567.6 square miles, which is roughly 2.5 times the size of Portland and Seattle combined.*
• The indirect renewable land use needed is around 2,270 to 11,350 square miles, which is roughly 10 to 50 times the size of Portland and Seattle combined.*
*Source: E3
Simply put, we don’t have the capacity for the electrification of sectors like transportation even with our current resources. Taking away any hydro would be catastrophic and would leave voters and ratepayers in the dark.
The Northwest Power Pool considers an outage risk of less than 5% to be safe, but warns that the state faces a 26% probability of an outage from insufficient generation to meet an increased load.
Four times in the last four years, life-threatening cold snaps drained our energy resources. During the most recent event, wind and solar did not produce even one KW for 48 hours. It was hydropower that kept our lights on and more importantly heaters running.
PNW RIVER SYSTEM
HYDRO BY THE NUMBERS
14M
approximate US households served by the Northwest’s hydro in an average year.
34K
megawatts of generating capacity of Northwest hydroelectric dams.
16K
yearly average output of megawatts by Northwest hydroelectric dams.
90% of the Northwest’s renewable, carbon-free annual electricity production.
47% of the Northwest’s total average annual electricity production.
0
carbon emissions generated by hydropower production.
INVESTMENTS IN SALMON RECOVERY
New fish protections have been put into place at all eight lower Columbia and lower Snake River dams. Examples of protections include fish bypass systems that keep fish from entering the turbines, and cooling systems for fish ladders.
Major upgrades to dams on the lower Columbia and Snake Rivers have led to a survival rate past each dam of 93 to 99%, depending on the fish species. About 50% of the juvenile salmon that enter the uppermost reservoir in the lower Snake River make the journey past Bonneville Dam, which is a comparable survival rate to that of a free-flowing river. Conversely, only 1% of those same fish return to the river due to uninhabitable ocean conditions.
Through the Columbia Basin Fish Accords, which provide approximately $100 million a year to Northwest states and tribal nations, 968,621 acres of habitat have been protected, treated, or maintained.
Additionally, the most recent data shows that 7,236 miles of stream have been protected or improved, 397 barriers have been improved or removed, and 37.3 billion gallons of water have been protected and conserved each year.
CLIMATE CRISIS OUR OCEAN’S IN HOT WATER
An independent peer-reviewed study conducted by Canadian researchers showed a 65% decline in Chinook salmon survival in Pacific coast rivers over the last 50 years. This decline spans from northern California to southeast Alaska, pointing to a growing problem in the shared ocean environment.
According to NOAA’s 2020 Biological
Opinion there is potential for the extinction of some salmon populations within the next two to three decades as a direct result of climate impacts on the ocean, further highlighting the need for swift climate action.
Rising sea surface temperatures are estimated to lead to a 90% decline in survival for Chinook salmon in the marine stage. NOAA stated that this would place all studied populations at high risk for extinction, regardless of actions to improve freshwater survival.
Marine heatwaves are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity over the next few decades as a result of increased warming and carbon emissions.
According to a special report released by the IPCC, the “ocean has taken up between 20 to 30% of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions since the 1980s, causing ocean acidification.” This acidification reduces the prey availability for salmon, limiting their population.
THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS
Perhaps the most persistently controversial issue in the Pacific Northwest is the role of the lower Snake River dams in our clean energy future. Many people equate the timing of the construction of the dams in the 1960s-1970s to the declines in salmon populations on that stretch of the river.
But, are they correct?
According to the peer-reviewed 2020 Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement:
The decline in salmon populations is not isolated to the lower Snake River dams or any river with dams
Rivers up and down the North American Pacific Coast, from California to Alaska, have seen an overall decline of 65% of their Chinook salmon populations over the past 50 years—whether the river has a dam or not
This time period is correlated with warmer ocean temperatures, which are associated with an increase in the number of salmon predators and a decrease in salmon prey
Additonally, a 2019 report from the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicated that warming, acidifying oceans have become a major threat to all marine fish.
For these reasons, there is growing reason to believe that climate change and the health of the marine ecosystem are the greatest limiting factors for salmon.
REALITIES OF BREACHING REALITIES OF BREACHING
According to the 2020 Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement, breaching the lower Snake River dams could…
Double the risk of region-wide blackouts
Add an additional 3 million metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere each year from fossil-fueled electricity
Increase the region’s electricity costs by $800 million a year and the Bonneville Power Administration’s power costs by 50%, which could increase energy costs at home by up to 25% or more
Result in the loss of $540 million per year in regional economic productivity
Result in the loss of 4,900 jobs as a result of higher electricity costs
Reduce social welfare by $458 million annually from the loss of irrigated land and farm laborers
Add 79,000 more semi-trucks to the road each year
Several models and studies demonstrate that there may be little to no real-world benefit to the destruction of these dams, while the numerous harms are clearly outlined as shown above. Still, it is important to continue the mitigation efforts that have significantly aided salmon migration thus far.
THE VALUE OF THE DAMS THE VALUE OF THE DAMS
The lower Snake River dams support a growing community of nearly 300,000 people—one third of whom identify as Hispanic—who live in the Tri-Cities area, and provide a local source of affordable, carbon free electricity that is critical to the region.
Dam operators can increase generation to power roughly two million homes during heat waves or cold snaps, preventing blackouts. Under normal circumstances, they produce the power for about 750,000 on average.
The operation of Ice Harbor Dam and nearby McNary Dam provide a crucial source of drinking water for Tri-Cities communities. It also enables irrigation for 60,000 acres of farmland in central and southeastern Washington that provide important agricultural job opportunities.
The lower Snake River dams provide up to one quarter of BPA’s operating reserves. Reserves represent the additional generation that utilities are required to hold in case of unexpected changes in generation or electrical demand. Bonneville is required to hold these reserves to ensure the reliability of the grid.
All about Federal Hydropower
THE LARGEST SOURCE OF CLEAN POWER IN THE U.S.
44% of all hydropower in the U.S.
Federal Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership } 80YRS of partnership*
BPA
SEPA
SWPA
WAPA USACE Reclamation Public Power and Electric Cooperative Customers
35,000+ megawatts of competitive and reliable hydropower
133 hydropower facilities
34,000+ miles of high voltage transmission lines connecting rural areas, suburban communities and major cities to the grid
WAPA
SWPA
Annualcustomer investmentforinfrastructure i m p r o v e stnem noitazinredomdna
$544 MILLION
SEPA Power rates REPAY ALL EXPENSES & INVESTMENT at NO COST TO TAXPAYERS
BPA
Federal hydropower serves over 60 million
National Security and Economic Benefits
Bolsters national security and safety— our water cannot be controlled by a foreign government.
33 states
where federal hydro provides jobs and fuels growth— delivering economic benefits for the entire country
THANK YOU!!!
We know your time is valuable and we are thrilled you could join us on our tour of Priest Rapids Dam!
Washington has a bright future ahead and we look forward to working in collaboration with you as we continue our long standing tradition of providing affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly electric services to Washington’s voters and ratepayers.
We would also like to say a big thank you to Grant County PUD for hosting us and helping plan this incredible event!
Curious how hydropower is generated? Check out the graphic below!
