The Power of Water: Fighting to Keep the Power Flowing at the Lower Snake River Dams
Telly Stanger’s job centers on a basic need that’s as essential as it is contentious. It’s a topic that stirs heated debates and power struggles behind closed doors, in courtrooms, and within the halls of government.
What is this essential resource? Water, or more specifically, its power.
“Hydropower is huge,” said Stanger, Chief Executive Officer at Clearwater Power, a not-for-profit electric cooperative that keeps the lights on for thousands of people in more than 11 counties in the Northwest, including Nez Perce and Asotin. “Reliable power increases lifespan, and here we’re lucky to have our primary source flowing in our rivers.”
Indeed, the member-owned cooperative derives nearly 75% of its electricity from hydropower, facilitated by the locks and dams of the Columbia-Snake River System. Thanks to this reliable, carbon-free resource, Idaho boasted the most affordable electricity rates in the nation as recently as 2021. However, Idaho has since dropped to eighth place, and it may slip further if efforts to dismantle the Lower Snake River Dams succeed.
“They want to spill water rather than generate power, and that makes no sense,” said Stanger, who came to Clearwater Power with 20 years of experience in the utility industry, most recently in Montana. “These dams are crucial for maintaining affordable power.“
The debate surrounding the Lower Snake River Dams has spanned decades, but tensions have escalated recently following a Portland judge’s preliminary injunction mandating increased water spillage at federal dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. While supporters of dam breaching claim it is vital for salmon survival, Stanger views it as waste and an unproven theory disguised as fact.
“Data and science don’t matter anymore,” he said, noting that millions have already been spent on ways to enhance salmon survival. “We need to focus on reliability, affordability, and keeping people safe.”
Over his years in the industry, Stanger has developed a profound appreciation for the people behind electric cooperatives and the communities they support. Clearwater Power itself was formed in 1937 by local farmers to bring electricity to rural communities often overlooked by larger companies of the time. In the decades since, the company has stayed true to keeping rates affordable.
“Each co-op is different in some way, but we all have the same interests and concerns,” Stanger said.
The increased spillage through August poses a significant challenge for cooperatives, with estimates suggesting a potential loss of up to 400 megawatts of power generation during the hottest months of the year.
As demand increases, so do costs, and despite the dedicated efforts of public utilities like Clearwater Power, these rising expenses will ultimately be passed on to consumers.
“We have to look at our budgets like everyone else. We have to see what we can take out of it to keep rates as low as possible,” Stanger said.
Solutions posed for the resulting loss via increased spillage won’t bridge the gap. Stanger notes that the injunction promotes 100% spillage from April through August, spanning the period of largest demand in the region – the sweltering summer season.
“These dams are absolutely essential for reliable power,” he asserted, emphasizing that solar and wind energy lack the necessary reliability. “Dams are complex and efficient, ramping up power quietly and dependably.”
Stanger noted that Clearwater Power members recognize the tremendous value offered by hydropower and the Lower Snake River Dams, expressing hope that others will appreciate what they have before it’s too late.
“Why would we take away a guaranteed resource to face a shortage in supply?” he asked. “We are lucky to have this amazing infrastructure. Hydropower is carbon-free, it’s in place and it’s working.”