Washington's Energy Indicators

3.  Washington’s Energy Use — Electricity Generation

Source: Energy Information Adminsitration

WHILE 85 PERCENT OF ELECTRICITY GENERATED IN WASHINGTON COMES FROM HYDROELECTRIC DAMS, WASHINGTON CONSUMERS ARE SERVED BY ELECTRICITY FROM GENERATING PLANTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN INTER-CONNECTION. MANY OF THESE PLANTS ARE FIRED BY COAL OR NATURAL GAS.

How much of Washington’s electricity is hydro? The answer depends on how one defines "Washington’s electricity". While hydroelectric dams accounted for 85 percent of the electricity generated in Washington in 1996, Washington is part of an interconnected, regional bulk power system and Washington consumers are dependent on coal, natural gas, and nuclear plants in other states. Moreover, much of the hydroelectric generation in Washington is owned by the federal government and operated on behalf of customers in multiple states.

A better proxy for "Washington’s electricity" might be the mix of generation in the U.S. portion of the Northwest Power Pool (NWPP). This incorporates coal plants in Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah owned by utilities that serve Washington customers. Hydroelectric dams accounted for 61 percent of NWPP generation in 1996, while 34 percent came from coal-fired plants.

However, this still ignores seasonal purchases of nuclear, coal and gas-fired electricity from the Southwest. The 1996 generation mix for the U.S. portion of the Western Interconnection was 43 percent hydro, 35 percent coal, 13 percent nuclear, and 8 percent natural gas.

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