NWEC Timeline
- 1975: Natural Resources Defense Council released the “Alternative Scenario” for NW energy future
- 1976-1980: NRDC, Sierra Club & League of Women Voters lobby for energy conservation, new renewable energy and salmon restoration aspects of a federal NW power bill
- 1980: Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Act passed
- 1981: Founding of the Northwest Conservation Act Coalition (NCAC)
- 1982: First “Model Electric Power and Conservation Plan for the Pacific Northwest” is released.
- Early 1980s: Termination of four planned Washington Public Power Supply System nuclear power plants
- 1983: Northwest Power Planning Council releases first regional Power Plan
- 1985: Coalition and NRDC propose the development of a facility to promote energy-efficient lighting for commercial buildings
- 1988: Northwest Power Planning Council adoption of the hydropower protected areas program – includes setting aside 44,000 miles of Northwest streams as critical habitat for fish and wildlife
- 1989: Seattle Lighting Design Lab opens its doors as a testbed showcasing energy-efficient lighting
- 1991: Coalition helps launch the Save Our wild Salmon (SOS) coalition
- 1994: Coalition successfully advocates for the first BPA stakeholders meeting and helps launch the Renewable Northwest Project
- 1997: NCAC changes name to NW Energy Coalition (NWEC), and helps establish the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
- 1998: Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is established, Utility Scorecard is published, and Oregon and Montana energy efficiency investment requirements pass
- 2002 – 2004: Coalition influences the 5th Northwest Power and Conservation Plan to include expanded energy efficiency targets and consideration of new renewable energy resources
- 2002: Coalition becomes an inaugural member of Idaho Power’s energy efficiency advisory group
- 2004: Citizens Energy Plan (describes regional and state policy change to attain NW clean energy potential) is published
- 2006: Coalition leads effort to pass clean electricity ballot Initiative-937 in Washington State
- 2007/ 2008: Coalition successfully advocates for the passage of Washington & Oregon greenhouse gas emissions performance standards
- 2009: Coalition influences the 6th Northwest Power and Conservation Plan and releases the report “Bright Future: How to keep the Northwest’s lights on, jobs growing, goods moving and salmon swimming in the era of climate change.” This year also marks internal expansion, as the first Montana staff is hired.
- 2010: Coalition helps negotiate a settlement with Portland General Electric to transition Boardman generating facility off coal by the end of 2020
- 2011: Coalition plays a key role in negotiating the retirement of TransAlta Corporation’s coal-fired power plant in Centralia, WA by the end of 2025
- 2012: Membership grows to 100 organizational members across four states and British Columbia
- 2016: Research paper “Building ‘good load’ to reduce carbon emissions: Getting Northwest utilities more involved in widespread transportation electrification” is released
- 2017: Agreement in Puget Sound Energy (PSE) rate case to provide transitional funding for the community of Colstrip.
- 2018: Lower Snake River Dams Power Replacement Study is published
- 2019: Coalition is instrumental in developing and passing landmark energy and climate policy in Washington
- Co-authored national white paper “Reversing Energy System Inequity: Urgency and Opportunity During the Clean Energy Transition.”
- Launched a regional campaign, called Harmonious Grid, to bring attention to the critical role of customer-side resources in meeting our clean energy future
- 2020: Coalition continues to bring its vision to ongoing forums, legislatures, utilities, and regulators.