The Northwest River System Powers Our Lives
If you’re a resident or visitor to the Northwest, you’re experiencing the benefits of hydropower without even realizing it. The iconic rivers of the region not only support the livelihoods and way of life for millions of people, but are also our primary source of clean, reliable and affordable energy. The next time you turn on the light switch, make a pot of coffee or charge your electric vehicle, know that “Hydropower Flows Here”!
Hydropower played an important role in the early development of the region, and it remains the backbone of the Northwest’s clean energy economy. Because of its inherent flexibility, hydropower has helped integrate other newer renewable energy resources into the grid, while ensuring the reliability of the power system through all conditions.
Our Northwest rivers flow through our land, our economy and our lives. The Columbia and Snake river system traverses nearly 500 miles through four states, along the way defining what we grow, where we work and how we live.
The abundant hydropower provided by these rivers is the single biggest energy source in the Northwest—a carbon-free, low-cost resource that is powerful enough to create jobs while keeping our skies among the cleanest in the nation. The Northwest river system and the hydropower it provides are uniquely ours. They are gifts of our distinct geography and a natural resource that we need to protect and promote.