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No New Coal Plants for Pacific Northwest by Staff Clean Skies, February 11, 2010

Efficiency, conservation, wind and natural gas - and no coal.

That's how the Pacific Northwest should invest for its next two decades, says the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

The regional planning body says the region can avoid the need for 5,900 megawatts of new power by investing in energy-efficient buildings and equipment and conservation. That's 85% of expected demand.

Wind and natural gas can make up the other 15%.

According to the Council, using efficiency and conservation would also cut carbon emissions 17 million tons and create 47,000 new jobs.

The Council specifically avoided any new coal capacity. Coal supplies more than 20% of power in the region, where federal dams supply the bulk of power.

Northwest Power and Conservation Council advises the Bonneville Power Authority, which manages the dams, and utilities serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

Related Pages:
Power from Nothing: Energy Plan Stresses Conservation by Don Jenkins, The Daily News, 10/25/9
New Power Plan is Good Start, But Needs to Attack Coal Plants by Beres & Patton, Seattle Times, 9/27/9
NW Power Panel: Save Juice, Build Fewer Plants by Associated Press, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/3/9