Last week, the Northwest Power Planning Council predicted the likelihood of regional power shortages is less than 1 percent this year, and no greater than 6 percent by 2007. The council cited reduced demand of energy consumption in the aluminum smelting and paper pulp industries and increased availability of imported energy as factors in its forecast.
But despite the optimistic outlook toward regional power supplies, Eugene Water and Electric Board spokesman Scott Spettel said customers can still expect increased rates.
“Right now, rates are set for this winter,” Spettel said. “But cost will continue to climb based in part on near drought conditions this year.”
Spettel said the Bonneville Power Administration tries to keep power rates low for customers in the Northwest by selling surplus power to markets in California. But dry winter weather and a reduced snowpack have decreased the region’s supply of extra power available for export. Spettel said BPA could raise rates by 15 to 20 percent during the next year to offset lost export revenue.
“The BPA is painting a pretty grim picture,” Springfield Utility Board spokeswoman Meredith Clark said. “But we’re still waiting to hear from them.”
The Northwest River Forecast Center estimated this year’s January through July Columbia River runoff at 27 percent less than historical averages, which would be the ninth lowest runoff since 1929.
Northwest Power Planning Council spokesman John Harrison said during the 2000-01 energy crisis, drought reduced energy supplies by 4,000 megawatts — nearly four times the amount of energy used by Seattle in a year. Since then, 410 megawatts of wind power, 2,600 megawatts from new natural gas-fired power plants and 200 megawatts from energy conservation have bolstered the region’s power supply.
Harrison said the council predicts the demand for power in the Northwest will grow at an average annual rate of about 1.33 percent, or 380 megawatts a year.
“In the long term, five to six years out, we could get back into the situation we were in before the energy crisis,” Harrison said. “There’s a point where you can’t cover that growth and you have to build more power plants.”
Jeff Kline, a research associate for the center of housing innovation, said the Knight Library and Klamath Hall consume the most energy on campus and are targeted for energy saving modifications. Kline said continued studies are being conducted around campus to test sensor lighting and occupancy-controlled power strips that would automatically turn off when areas are vacant. Kline said energy conservation can be as simple as turning off computer monitors when not in use.
“Just using a desk lamp and turning off overhead lights will help a lot,” Kline said. “In general, just turn off what you don’t need.”