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What an Act! – the 40th Anniversary of the NW Power Act
On December 5, 1980, the groundbreaking Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Power Act) was signed by President Jimmy Carter. This December, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the passage of this historic bill. The Power Act established a number of “firsts” for the region. It reprioritized power resources to put energy efficiency…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Consumer Protection Updates
The last six months in the utility world and how it affects customers The public and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been undeniable. Most prominently, job and business loss have affected families and communities who are now struggling to pay bills, including utilities, and stay safe at home. In the Northwest and nationally,…
Read MoreRegional electric system and demand management make the difference during California heatwave
Lower Snake River dams not critical – clean energy solutions will cover peak demand and protect salmon August is usually a time to take things easy, maybe go on vacation and enjoy our beautiful Northwest. But sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate. This year, that was the case in the middle of August, when a…
Read MoreWA Climate Legislation Implementation
Following the passage of important climate legislation in the 2019 session of the Washington legislature, many rulemakings are now underway to implement the intent of that legislation. Rulemaking for most of these bills concluded in 2020, while others will extend into 2021 or further. The NW Energy Coalition was involved in many of these proceedings;…
Read MoreFlexible demand webinar explores potential of customer-side technologies as an energy resource
Welcome to a conversation with Geoff Wickes, Jeff Harris, Conrad Eustis, and Tony Koch about how grid-integrated water heaters and other customer-side technologies can contribute to electric system efficiency and reduce the need for additional generations resources. The session runs about 90 minutes. It was recorded on July 1st, 2020. The moderator is Fred Heutte,…
Read More30 days of the DOE Better Buildings webinar series
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Webinar Series takes on pressing topics facing energy professionals, with new experts leading the conversations on proven best practices, cost-effective strategies, and innovative new ways to approach sustainability and energy performance. The webinars are frequent, free, and informative. See the FAQs. SCHEDULED 2020 SUMMER WEBINARS: BEHIND-THE-METER DISTRIBUTED…
Read MoreJustice, unity, change: A call for action
(Earlier today, NW Energy Coalition executive director Nancy Hirsh sent the following letter to the Coalition’s members.) Dear NW Energy Coalition members, I was concerned that Mr. Floyd’s senseless death, and all those before him, would get swept under the rug yet again. Now we see a massive collective response to systemic racism and the…
Read MoreCoalition recommends clean energy stimulus spending
To help Americans and businesses cope with the economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis, the federal government is considering targeted investments into the US economy. In the immediate future, more funds need to be invested in bill assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help utility customers with growing unpaid balances. In…
Read MoreMay 2020 Northwest Energy Update
May 2020 Northwest Energy Update NW Utilities’ COVID-19 Response The Coalition’s effort to persuade utilities to suspend service shut-offs during the coronavirus crisis has been quite successful, especially among the region’s largest utilities many of which are also increasing support for bill assistance and reconnecting those whose service may have been shut off before the…
Read MorePanel explores paths to NW resource adequacy
As the Northwest electric system transitions away from fossil fuel resources, many are asking how utilities plan to meet future power needs. On May 7, 2020, the NW Energy Coalition hosted a webinar exploring that question and others. The webinar was moderated by Coalition Senior Policy Associate, Fred Heutte. Joining him on the panel were…
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