Time for western Washington residents to buy a generator??? (Seattle: how much, houses)

[509]

Interesting article in the Wenatchee World on the flow predictions for the Columbia River............

“We’re looking at about 65% of average flows into Wells (Dam) for July, with continued low flows into August. June has also been dry,” wrote Meaghan Vibbert, Douglas County PUD spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the flows at the Wenatchee River in Peshastin are anticipated at 50% of normal in early July and 70% of normal by the end of July, according to the Northwest River Forecast Center. Flows for the Columbia River at Rocky Reach Dam for early July are expected at roughly 70% of normal and by the end of July, flows are likely to be around 85% of normal.

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/...8e77fa9ea.html

In 2000, when the last low flows occurred on the Columbia River, President Clinton suspended the Endangered Species Act for Salmon Recovery. Killing salmon, but sending the electricity to western Washington and California. Doubtful, that it will happen this time.

https://transmission.bpa.gov/Busines...d/baltwg3.aspx

The "gray line" shown on the BPA chart is northwest electricity that is primarily sent to California. It is a lot.

The city of Seattle in 2000 said they were done conserving electricity. So I assume, that will mean rolling blackouts this time around.

Next time you look at a weather satellite picture see if it is raining in the Canadian Rockies.

For those interested in historical flows on the Columbia River, this paper is worth reading. Everybody should at least read the introduction.

http://www.washington.edu/news/archi...thisID8221.pdf

[rkcarguy]

I already have one, totally saw this coming. Too bad they want to take out the snake river dams too, 3rd world here we come.

[Hemlock140]

I have two, one is 6,000 watts and can run most of the house, used only for the rare outage of more than a day. The other is 2,000 watt inverter generator that is used for camping, and for shorter periods of outages at home. It will run either the refrigerator or the freezer, alternating, plus a light, and charge devices. Where I live is woodsy and we lose power 1-3 times a year due to trees when we have a windstorm. Our electricity is from Puget Sound Energy.

46% from their own 3,500 megawatts of power-generating capacity, the rest is purchased from other agencies.

Their Hydro is from the Baker River Hydroelectric Project, located on a tributary of the Skagit River, and from Snoqualmie Falls in Snoqualmie. Both are below normal flows, but the other sources are:

They own part of a large coal-fired generating facility in eastern Montana, and several natural-gas-fired power plants in the Puget Sound region.

They own and operate three large wind farms in central and eastern Washington.

[MechAndy]

I have the large Costco Firman tri fuel one and could use a couple more.
I’d like to add one that can also weld and another that is small and easy to lift and carry.

[jacqueg]

Originally Posted by 509

The city of Seattle in 2000 said they were done conserving electricity. So I assume, that will mean rolling blackouts this time around.

I found this a rather odd statement - also, it's a pretty old statement.

Don't know what was true 20+ years ago, but Seattle does indeed enforce conservation measures.

https://www.seattle.gov/sdci/codes/c...z)/energy-code

However, I absolutely do think every homeowner should have at least some off-grid power capacity. Crippling heat waves are no joke, and we will be having plenty more of them in the future.

[509]

Originally Posted by jacqueg

I found this a rather odd statement - also, it's a pretty old statement.

Don't know what was true 20+ years ago, but Seattle does indeed enforce conservation measures.

https://www.seattle.gov/sdci/codes/c...z)/energy-code

However, I absolutely do think every homeowner should have at least some off-grid power capacity. Crippling heat waves are no joke, and we will be having plenty more of them in the future.

It is a old statement, but it indicates the city of Seattle views on conservation in 2000. They were willing to kill salmon, but not turn out streetlights or conserve energy in any manner. They actually said that.

Have you been following their views on the re license for the Skagit River dams?? Those dams need to come out way before the Snake River dams. The future of Orca and salmon survival in Puget Sound is dependent on removal of those dams.

I suspect it will not be different this time.

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

46% from their own 3,500 megawatts of power-generating capacity, the rest is purchased from other agencies.

Their Hydro is from the Baker River Hydroelectric Project, located on a tributary of the Skagit River, and from Snoqualmie Falls in Snoqualmie. Both are below normal flows, but the other sources are:

They own part of a large coal-fired generating facility in eastern Montana, and several natural-gas-fired power plants in the Puget Sound region.

They own and operate three large wind farms in central and eastern Washington.

PSE is in trouble. Wait, I meant people getting service from PSE are in trouble. The utility will do just fine. BTW, they will join the carbon auction in two years, so the increase in gas prices will be matched with the increase residential electricity and gas rates.

They did have the foresight to sign a long-term contract with Chelan County PUD #1 a few years ago. That was a sweetheart contract. I could not believe the Chelan County PUD signed the contract!!

But they have always had a "special" relationship with PSE. Maybe the AG needs to review the relationship.

I do know that they have bought "wholesale" surplus power from the PUD's.

The eastern Washington PUD's are holding back on new electrical contracts, even inside the county. When MicroSoft said they were moving to Douglas and Chelan counties, the PUD's said fine, but you have to find your own electricity which we will route to your facilities. You don't get PUD power, because your not creating jobs in the local area. Same reason that got rid of the crypto miners.

Douglas County is using their "surplus" electricity to generate green hydrogen. If that works out, there will be little electricity available from eastern Washington PUD's.

Yeah, I use to hunt those areas before the PSE's Industrical Wind Areas went in.

They have destroyed thousands and thousands of acres of land in Garfield and Columbia counties. The access roads for the turbines ARE LARGER than the state highways in that part of the state.

Every fall I spend a month hunting over there and watching the turbines NOT MOVE. They generate electricity in the spring when the northwest is awash in electricity and displace PUD electricity on the market due to mandatory purchase requirements under Federal law.

Primary reason Douglas County PUD is shifting to the production of green hydrogen instead of electricity.

[PS90]

So, when hydroelectric decreases and/or the dams go, then we will have no choice to switch to natural gas to run our generators.

Oh wait, Inslee doesn't like that:

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintel...rvice-61819435

So, I guess it's time to go back to wood heat, just to survive.

Oh, wait. We won't be able to do that after 2030:

https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/new...water-by-2050/

Where, exactly, is this electricity to run our houses and cars going to come from? Should we just cover Eastern WA with turbines? Seattlites won't be able to see these eyesores, so it won't hurt anything....

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by PS90

So, when hydroelectric decreases and/or the dams go, then we will have no choice to switch to natural gas to run our generators.

...

Where, exactly, is this electricity to run our houses and cars going to come from? ....

and those of us who are thinking, and acting.. and have BTDT for decades...

How much Natural Gas resources does WA have? (it's a fine (temporary) option for those regions who actually have Natural Gas resources)

Bring back WPPSS (?)

WPPSS originally aimed to build 20 nuclear power plants to provide electricity to the Pacific Northwest.

https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/washin...ies-litigation

Whoops! A $2 Billion Blunder: Washington Public Power Supply System
Fallout from a record default spreads from Washington State to Wall Street
By Charles P. Alexander Monday, Aug. 08, 1983

https://content.time.com/time/subscr...955183,00.html

Maybe the blunder was in walking away.

BTDT many times, tough lessons to learn. Public Infrastrucure need does not allow the freedom of unlimited TIME.

[509]

Originally Posted by PS90

So, when hydroelectric decreases and/or the dams go, then we will have no choice to switch to natural gas to run our generators.

Oh wait, Inslee doesn't like that:

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintel...rvice-61819435

So, I guess it's time to go back to wood heat, just to survive.

Oh, wait. We won't be able to do that after 2030:

https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/new...water-by-2050/

Where, exactly, is this electricity to run our houses and cars going to come from? Should we just cover Eastern WA with turbines? Seattlites won't be able to see these eyesores, so it won't hurt anything....

Yeah, those Industrial Windmill Areas are really getting people mad over here.

I was at a "special" meeting in Spokane representing the Forest Service where Christine (as the head of the Department of Ecology, 1990's) was hosting the meeting. It was about 2020 Washington and the future we wanted for the state.

A elderly woman asked Christine why "our cities were so ugly". Christine answered "cities are suppose to be ugly"!!

As the Forest Service representative I told Christine that the Forest Service was spending lots of taxpayer dollars to preserve the scenic corridors along state highway. Places where people just drove for a few minutes. Shouldn't cities be attractive places to live, where most Americans spend the majority of their time??

Too expensive, and too hard was her reply.

But when she became Governor she overrode local zoning to allow the destruction of rural lands by Industrial Wind Areas.

Christine thinks the whole world should be as ugly as Seattle.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by PS90

So, when hydroelectric decreases and/or the dams go, then ...

Where, exactly, is this electricity to run our houses and cars going to come from? Should we just cover Eastern WA with turbines? Seattlites won't be able to see these eyesores, so it won't hurt anything....

maybe here;

"Next-gen nuclear reactor company signs deal to build up to 12 reactors in Washington state"
https://www.geekwire.com/2023/next-g...hington-state/

I'm in.
(they can put one at my house) maybe they'll bring me internet!