Advocating Responsible Stewardship

PNGC Power recognizes that careful stewardship of the environment through its operations is both good business and the right thing to do.

We strongly support the clean, renewable hydro system in the Northwest. And as the regional demand for electricity continues to grow, PNGC is committed to retaining the environmental and economic benefits while exploring other sustainable resources to meet our loads, now and in the future.

Conservation

Energy conservation is important to our members and their customers locally — and to all of us globally. That is why PNGC Power staff members with experience in environmental issues get involved in helping set regional policy relating to energy conservation and renewable resources.

PNGC Power's approach to energy conservation and renewables mirrors our approach to the other services we provide to our members — as a group, we can do more than any one of us can alone.

Conservation Rate Credit (CRC) program

The region-wide Conservation Rate Credit (CRC) program has been offered by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as a way for utilities to promote conservation and to earn a rate credit. The program runs for three years and it began October 1, 2006. Over the three-year life of the program, PNGC Power and our members have a possible total of $6.6 million in credits to earn to offset the discount from BPA.

Under the current CRC program there are fewer qualifying measures than in the previous C&RD (Conservation & Rate Discount) program, but PNGC Power may be able to earn more credits by investing in renewable resources. Renewables that qualify to earn credits include wind, geothermal, solar and biomass energy projects. Supporting research and development for renewable projects such as wave energy is also an option for utilities. The goal is to help nurture infant technology for the benefit of the region.

To learn more about energy conservation and renewables, please contact Eugene Rosolie at PNGC Power: 503.288.1234.

Climate change

Recognizing considerable variation, the PNGC board has a policy supporting consideration of diverse, reliable and efficient electric generation sources that are economically and environmentally sustainable as options to meet current and future load requirements. We are working to meet our future energy needs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Most of PNGC Power’s electricity comes from clean, renewable hydropower provided by the dams of the Federal Columbia River Power System.