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NW Power Council Seeks Input by Associated Press Capital Press - February 22, 2002

PORTLAND(AP) -- The Northwest Power Planning council said it is seeking public comment on regional energy issues to help prepare its next Northwest energy plan.

The four-state federal agency created by Congress in 1980 is charged with balancing regional energy needs with salmon and wildlife conservation.

Council spokesman John Harrison says the agency hopes its next plan will help the Northwest avoid potential energy shortages, including incentives to develop new power plants.

The council also wants to find ways to minimize the impact of Columbia River hydroelectric dam operations on salmon runs, and to decide the future role of the Bonneville Power Administration, which manages the dams and supplies about half the region's electricity.

The Northwest Power Act of 1980 requires the council to produce a regional plan that incorporates 20-year forecasts of demand for electricity and assesses strategies for meeting future demand while protecting fish and wildlife.

The current plan was released in 1998, while the next plan will be developed over the next year. Comments are due by March 15. On the Internet: www.nwcouncil.org