River rises; Northwest wind farms, plants cut back | Environment | Idaho Statesman
PORTLAND, Ore. — For five hours early Wednesday the Pacific Northwest was running green, almost all of its electricity coming from hydroelectric dams in a river system flush with spring runoff.
That's a tiny carbon footprint. But it could also be a blow to the region's burgeoning wind industry, and could kill endangered fish in their spring migration.
The Bonneville Power Administration said Wednesday it followed through on a plan announced last week to shut down most of the region's power generation except that from government dams now running at full capacity.
The shutdown started at midnight and ended at 5 a.m. - while most in the region slept and electricity demand was low.
"Push came to shove," spokesman Michael Milstein said. "We didn't want to do this, and we will only to the extent that we have to."
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