On April 13, 2020, NRECA filed comments with the Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville Power Administration on the Columbia River System Operations Draft EIS, which could have a significant impact on the cost of Bonneville hydropower for our members in the Pacific Northwest depending on the course of action the agencies ultimately take in the Final EIS and could set a precedent for federal hydropower across the country.

We supported the agencies’ decision not to recommend breaching the Lower Snake River dams, but instead to use flexible spill operations to achieve a reliable power supply and mitigate fish impacts, while urging spill levels to be adjusted as new information becomes available.