Plaintiffs’ motion endangers affordable power, regional reliability, and climate progress
Now is the time for discussion and consensus-building, not litigation
All the following statements may be attributed as quotes to Kurt Miller, CEO & Executive Director of the Northwest Public Power Association
(VANCOUVER, WASH.) — The plaintiffs’ push for sweeping
restrictions on the Columbia and Snake River dams is an alarming threat to the
livability of the Northwest. At a time when energy prices are climbing and our
electric grid is under unprecedented strain, this motion risks plunging our
region into crisis. The potential consequences are clear: less clean energy,
soaring costs for families, schools, farms, and businesses, and a genuine
danger of blackouts. The stakes could not be higher—every Northwest resident
stands to lose.
In recent weeks, the governors of Oregon and Washington have
chosen to escalate legal battles rather than engage with the utilities that
keep our communities powered. Their choice to ignore the interests and concerns
of millions of utility customers has become a troubling pattern. For example,
Oregon and Washington excluded utility representatives from negotiations that
led to the December 14, 2023, agreement with the Biden administration. Anti-dam
proponents billed the agreement as a pathway to dam breaching. The recent
decision by Governors Kotek and Ferguson to litigate puts their constituents
directly in harm’s way and jeopardizes years of progress on decarbonization and
salmon recovery. We believe that the governors of the two Pacific Northwest
states are well-intentioned but misinformed, which is why we again urge them to
meet with utility experts who can educate them about the dire implications of
their actions.
There is a better path forward. Calls to dismantle
productive hydropower dams or curtail their CO2-free generation ignore climate
science, the will of Northwesterners, and the rising cost of electricity. The
facts are clear: since the first federal dam was built, adult salmon returns to
the Columbia River Basin have tripled. Meanwhile, NWPPA and its not-for-profit
utility members are committed to real solutions—like the Upper Columbia United
Tribes’ Phase 2 Implementation Plan. P2IP seeks to reintroduce salmon above
areas blocked by the construction of Grand Coulee Dam. Importantly, this
solution helps salmon without harming much-needed hydropower production.
Now is the time to talk, not fight about hydropower and
salmon. NWPPA and its members stand ready to work with policymakers on
solutions that enhance salmon recovery and secure an affordable, reliable, and
clean energy future.
About NWPPA:
NWPPA is a not-for-profit association representing over 150
consumer-owned electric utilities across 10 Western United States and British
Columbia. The association also serves over 350 associate members allied with
the not-for-profit electric utility industry. For more information, visit www.nwppa.org.
