BPA
Cowlitz PUD buys over 90 percent of its wholesale power from the Bonneville Power Administration. The majority of the BPA-marketed power comes from the Columbia River system hydroelectric projects. BPA also sells the output of the Columbia Generating System (nuclear plant) near Richland, WA, and makes other energy purchases on the open market, which includes some resources other than hydro.

Other Hydro Resources
Since the late 1950s Cowlitz PUD has owned and operated the 70 megawatt Swift No. 2 Hydroelectric Project located on the North Fork Lewis River, in the southeast corner of Cowlitz County near Cougar, WA. In 2006 We were granted a new 50-year federal license for Swift No. 2 by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Swift No. 2 provides 10-15% of the PUD's non-industrial wholesale power needs.

An additional source of low-cost hydro comes from the Mid-Columbia hydro projects owned by Grant PUD. Cowlitz PUD has purchased hydropower from Grant PUD since the 1950s, however as the demand for electricity grows in Grant County our ability to purchase this low-cost resource is waning.

Wind Resources
Cowlitz PUD has contractual rights to 46 percent of the electricity produced at the White Creek Wind Project, a 205 MW project that began operation in late 2007 in Klickitat County, WA. The PUD also owns 30 percent of the adjacent 98.9 MW Harvest Wind Project. It began commercial operation in December 2009. A portion of the wind power produced will be used by Cowlitz PUD to meet load growth and new State of Washington renewable resource requirements. Ratcheted amounts of 3%, 9% and 15% of Cowlitz PUD's power must come from new renewable resources (hydro power not eligible) in 2012, 2016 and 2020 respectively. The PUD sells wind power excess to its needs to other utilities. The PUD also purchases two megawatts of wind generation from the Nine Canyon project near Kennewick.

Special Reports

Our Fuel Mix

2012 Integrated Resource Plan Cover Sheet

2012 Integrated Resource Plan