Plan Today, Power Tomorrow

Conservation, Renewables and Technology Help Meet Electricity Needs - August, 2009

Utilities in the Pacific Northwest expect a significant increase in the need for electricity in the coming decade. Regional population growth and new technologies that rely on electric power will fuel this growing need.

"Our responsibility is to provide reliable power at the most reasonable cost, in an environmentally sound way,” says Jim Sanders, General Manager, Benton PUD. “To that end, we plan to diversify with alternative energy resources, intensify conservation and energy efficiency efforts and explore new technologies.”

Traditional resources, such as hydropower and coal, will continue to be a big part of the equation. Also, the use of natural gas, which has been on the rise, will continue to increase.

Development of wind power already tops the list of renewable resource projects and growth is expected to accelerate. Other new renewable technologies being explored include geothermal, solar, wave energy and biomass. 

"Renewable resources protect the environment, but also present challenges,” says Dan Bickford, Director of Power Management for Benton PUD. "Obstacles include significant cost and infrastructure needed to integrate renewables, transmission constraints and the need for back-up to provide reliability, such as other power sources for when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn't shining."

Benton PUD participates in the Plan Today Power Tomorrow regional energy project.  For more information visit www.pnucc.org