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Grant PUD’s General Manager Promotes Hydropower in Nation’s Capital
Tim Culbertson Joins Industry Leaders to Offer Renewable Energy Solutions
March 6, 2009

EPHRATA, WA – Grant PUD General Manager Tim Culbertson was in Washington D.C. this week to discuss hydropower’s role in meeting America’s most critical goals during meetings with senior administration officials, key legislators and top regulators. The discussions were part of National Hydropower Association’s (NHA) inaugural hydropower executive leadership forum and fly-in, an event designed to introduce new officials and members of the 111th Congress to the leaders of America's largest renewable energy industry.

Culbertson was among 12 industry leaders at the CEO Council working to ensure that national policies reflect the benefits the hydropower industry provides. 

“The bottom line is that there is significant untapped emissions-free hydroelectric generation potential in the U.S.,” Culbertson noted. “It is our belief that the Obama administration and the 111th Congress will understand the value of developing the full potential of hydropower and recognize its value as a renewable resource. Additional hydropower can be developed by increasing generation capacity at existing facilities, adding hydro to non-power dams (only three percent of U.S. dams generate electricity) and bringing to market new technologies, such as pumped storage, ocean, wave, tidal and hydrokinetic power. Hydropower also supports other renewable energy sources by helping integration of new power sources into the electrical grid.”

With the capacity to produce 2,000 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity, the Priest Rapids Project in Grant County produces enough power to supply a city the size of Seattle. Grant PUD has already begun to optimize existing water resources with more efficient hydro generating equipment. New turbine replacements at Wanapum Dam improve fish protection and increase generation capacity. Upcoming work to begin installing new generators will further enhance the power output of Wanapum Dam.

During their discussions with policymakers, Culbertson and the other industry leaders focused on solutions and insights in the following key areas:

• How incentives to increase hydro capacity will attract and stabilize investment, while creating long-term, family-supporting jobs.
• How hydropower is a fundamental building block for both climate and energy policies.
• How federal R&D partners can accelerate technology development and double the clean-energy capacity of the U.S. hydropower industry.
• How hydropower’s pivotal role in energy transmission and storage will serve the 21st century energy infrastructure.
• How increased intergovernmental cooperation can make the permitting and licensing of hydropower resources more effective and more efficient.

NHA president Rick Miller reported that they found policymakers receptive to hearing how the hydro industry can play a role in all these policy areas.

Grant PUD External Affairs Director Andrew Munro participated in the meetings as the incoming NHA president.

“The U.S. can double its hydropower capacity in the next 5-20 years without building a single large new dam,” shared Munro. “Over 90,000 megawatts of clean, reliable, renewable power remains untapped. This potential must be developed to help meet the energy, environmental and economic challenges facing the United States.”

Industry leaders joining Culbertson in Washington D.C. included NHA members in all areas of the hydropower industry across the country, including generators, developers, manufacturers, engineering and environmental consultants and others. Their unified voice through NHA will continue to promote the common goal of growing a waterpower industry for the benefit of all Americans. With Munro taking the helm in May, NHA plans to continue this effort with a series of activities planned to keep the momentum going by advocating for policies that expand hydropower's role in all key energy, environmental and economic legislation.

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Grant County Public Utility District is a Washington state municipal corporation that began electric service in 1942.  Owned by the people it serves, Grant PUD generates and sells electricity to Grant County residents and millions of customers throughout Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest.  The Priest Rapids Project, comprised of Priest Rapids and Wanapum Dams, produces nearly 2,000 megawatts of clean, renewable and reliable electricity – enough to supply a city the size of Seattle.  A leader in science based technology; Grant PUD is committed to finding effective measures for the protection, mitigation and enhancement of salmon, steelhead and other natural and cultural resources.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dorothy Harris
(509) 793-1516 / dharris@gcpud.org