Hydro is our power!

solar and wind. While these sources are clean, they only provide intermittent power and offer limited reliability.

As you know, the Northwest region’s main source of power comes from our hydroelectric dams located throughout our rivers. The Pacific Northwest receives over 85 percent of its renewable energy from our hydroelectric system according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. The remaining small percentage of power comes from wind, biomass, nuclear and solar. According to Bonneville Power Administration, the hydropower plants in our dam system convert around 90 percent of falling water into electrical energy. By comparison, a wind turbine has only a 50 percent conversion rate at times of peak wind, and solar is only functioning when the sun is shining. Therefore, our regions’ most dependable, clean and affordable source of power remains to be hydro.

In 2020, Washington state passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), which requires all state electric utilities to become carbon-neutral by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free by 2045. Inland Power understands the importance of this law and is committed to a carbon-free goal. Maintaining and investing hydroelectricity is key to achieving this measure. Without our hydro system in place, Washington could face the same struggles that California is experiencing. California is currently over 66 percent reliable on thermal and nonrenewable sources. The state has limited hyrdo energy sources, with the majority of their renewable generation coming from

Inland Power is committed to advocating for its members and we will continue our focus to remain vocal about the need for hydro during Washington’s 2023 legislative session. Our region cannot solely rely on wind and solar based on the limited power and reliability they provide. We know that in order to achieve CETA’s carbon-free goal, our hydroelectric dams must stay intact.

We encourage our members to get involved and help us in our mission to keep utilities affordable and protect our power supply. To find out how you can get involved, visit our Grassroots Action Team page at inlandpower.com/grassroots-action, and to learn more about hydropower, visit inlandpower.com/hydropower