10,000 megawatts
what’ s working
Center in SeaTac. In one, he drew from his experience as a chess player, noting that it’ s essential for high-level players to be objective about their position and focus on their weaknesses. That’ s exactly how the summit started, with a discussion starkly defining the challenges facing Washington’ s energy future.
Crystal Ball, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, and Dan Krischner, executive director of the NW Gas Association, spoke about the interconnectedness of the region’ s electricity and natural gas systems. They recalled the January 2024 cold snap where the region was, they said,“ dangerously close” to not having enough energy to meet demand.
Over the next decade, the Northwest’ s power needs are expected to surge by 30 %. By 2035, the region will face a gap of nearly 10,000 megawatts if no new power resources are added.
“ We need to build more generation to meet the projected increase in demand,” Ball said.“ And we need to build the transmission to deliver that generation from where it is produced to where it is needed.”
Throughout the day, speakers elaborated on the looming need for large amounts of new power and the hurdles that stand in the way of not only producing it but also getting it to customers. In addition to the demand for more power generation, Washington will require 35,000 miles of new transmission lines.
“ We need transmission today. And it takes a long time to build transmission,” said Mike Miller, senior vice president of transmission services for the Bonneville Power Administration.
“ We need to build more generation to meet the projected increase in demand. And we need to build the transmission to deliver that generation from where it is produced to where it is needed.”
— Crystal Ball, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee
By 2035, the region will face a gap of nearly
10,000 megawatts
if no new power resources are added.
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