NW Energy Coalition

Our August newsletter here! The latest edition of The Energy Activist includes:

• A message from our new executive director, Tamara Kennedy
• Announcement of our Fall 2025 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference in Portland
• Spotlight on one of our member organizations, Energy Trust of Oregon
• Federal, regional, and state updates

Read it here.

The post August 2025 Newsletter first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

Join the Renewable Hydrogen Alliance at the 2025 Northwest Renewable Hydrogen Conference – the longest running and only locally led hydrogen conference in the Pacific Northwest. Returning to Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, this year’s conference will focus on the latest policy and project developments in our region and give you the opportunity to network with RHA members, policy partners, and local industry leaders.  

The Conference will also include exclusive RHA member only networking opportunities on Monday, September 15, and will conclude with RHA’s Annual Member Meeting on Wednesday, September 17.

The post Northwest Renewable Hydrogen Conference first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

In Montana and across the Northwest, energy demand is climbing. Add to that increasingly severe weather events, and you have a recipe for high costs and insufficient energy and transmission during peak demand. To address this, our region needs more access to reliable, affordable and renewable energy for decades to come. One way to do that is to tap into diverse energy resources by sharing power across a broad, interconnected Western transmission system.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), as the primary distributor of power from federal dams across the Northwest, has transmission lines that stretch throughout the region — including in western Montana. BPA’s lines connect reliable, affordable wind and hydro power to its utility customers, and in turn, to homeowners and businesses in Montana and the region.

For decades, BPA and its partners have traded power to meet local needs. NorthWestern Energy also trades as a member of an existing western market that has garnered the utility over $134 million in benefits since 2021. But as energy demand climbs and severe weather stresses our grid, we must modernize the system. That’s why a broad array of stakeholders is expanding the current energy trading market to access lower-cost electricity, particularly during times of severe weather when electricity demand peaks.

This larger and more robust market, known as the Extended Day Ahead Market (EDAM), will build upon the success of the existing western power market and allow for even more stability, by buying and selling electricity the day before it’s needed. Unfortunately, a smaller, less robust market is also vying for our utilities’ business—the Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+.

Done well, expanding the existing energy market can strengthen our regional economy and increase energy resilience by accessing diverse, low-cost energy resources. However, choosing the wrong market could do just the opposite – translating into escalating energy bills, less reliable energy supplies, and fewer low-cost, renewable energy resources to meet growing energy needs. Like any market a larger size provides more opportunity to find the lowest cost options to meet our needs. This is why several Western utilities have announced intentions to join the larger EDAM market.

Regrettably, BPA recently announced its plan to join the Arkansas-based, Markets+, a surprising decision in light of the clear benefits of expanding a Western market through EDAM. BPA’s own studies show that joining Markets+ is a costly decision: Over the next decade, customers in the region could pay over $4 billion due to BPA’s choice. Because BPA operates 80 percent of the Northwest’s transmission system and sells power to nearly all utilities in the region, most of us can expect to face higher monthly bills as a result.

Fearing escalating power costs, energy and business leaders around the region have voiced serious concerns about BPA’s choice to join Markets+. But BPA ignored Montanans and hundreds of others across the region, who had urged the agency to prioritize EDAM’s larger market and resource diversity, to save costs for utility customers.

We urge BPA, the region’s largest energy supplier, to reconsider its decision. This is a pivotal moment in our energy future, and decisions today will have ramifications for generations to come. We all share the goal of abundant, affordable energy. As residents and utility customers, western Montanans have invested in BPA for decades. It’s incumbent on BPA to return that public investment by safeguarding our shared resources and protecting our region’s future.

As BPA’s own analysis shows, joining EDAM is the best answer for BPA and other utilities in our region. By doing so, we become part of a regional solution that will cut customers’ costs, improve regional energy reliability, increase the development of clean energy, and secure our children and grandchildren a more prosperous future.

Published in The Missoulian on August 12, 2025. For more information please contact Derek Goldman at derek@nwenergy.org.

The post Op-ed: BPA needs to think about costs, customers first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

Portland, OR | October 6-10, 2025

Sustainable Building Week offers a week of events to break down siloed thinking to improve cross-disciplinary education, connectivity, and future collaboration to promote sustainable practices and design across the city of Portland and beyond.

With planned educational events, plus partner events, SBW will increase the profile of sustainable building issues through outreach, advocacy, and education. A collaborative group of volunteer professional organizations and academic institutions has come together to provide a truly compelling program.

The post Sustainable Building Week first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

The NW Energy Coalition’s Fall Clean & Affordable Energy Conference returns on December 3 at Portland State University. Join utility leaders, policymakers, advocates, and energy experts from across the region to explore solutions for a reliable, equitable, and decarbonized energy future. 

This year’s conference will dive into some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities in the Northwest’s energy transition. We will:

• Explore how to meet rapidly growing electricity demand while maintaining reliability, protecting affordability, and achieving carbon reduction targets.
• Examine strategies for strengthening community and utility resilience in the face of extreme weather and wildfire risks, with a focus on protecting public health and advancing local energy solutions.
• Share insights into the latest research and innovations in transmission planning, from efficiency upgrades to new line proposals, and the vital role of state and Tribal leadership in shaping these efforts from the start. 

Be part of this timely discussion and solutions-focused conversation in Portland this December. 

Join us for a reception on December 3 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. following the main conference. 

NW Energy Coalition Members are encouraged to join us for the NWEC Member Meeting on December 2 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. at Portland State University. Member reception will be from 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. that day. 

Sponsorship, scholarship, and volunteer opportunities are available. Please contact kasi@nwenergy.org.

Schedule

8:00 – 9:00: Registration and Networking Breakfast 

9:00 – 9:30: Welcome from NW Energy Coalition Executive Director, Tamara Kennedy 

9:30 – 10:50: Panel 1 – Extreme Weather Resilience and Utility System Preparedness 

10:50 – 11:20: Networking Break 

11:20 – 12:20: Table Top Discussion 

12:20 – 1:35: Lunch and Awards 

1:35 – 3:10: Panel 2 – Transmission Planning for a Modern, Reliable Grid 

3:10 – 3:40: Networking Break 

3:40 – 5:00: Panel 3 – Meeting Increasing Energy Demands in the Region 

5:00 – 7:00: Clean Energy Reception 

Panel 1: Extreme Weather Resilience and Utility System Preparedness 

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, from wildfires to heat waves. This panel will look at how utilities and communities can work together to reduce wildfire risks, strengthen local energy projects, and maintain access to essential services during emergencies. Panelists will share approaches to balancing investments in clean energy goals with system planning that supports community resilience and public safety. 

Panel 2: Transmission Planning for a Modern, Reliable Grid 

Modernizing the Northwest’s transmission system is essential for meeting clean energy goals and ensuring reliable service. This panel will review recent efforts to plan for and improve transmission. Panelists will discuss what is needed, where upgrades are most critical, and how state and Tribal leadership can help guide these conversations early, before specific new transmission lines are proposed. 

Panel 3: Meeting Increasing Energy Demands in the Region 

Electricity demand in the Northwest is projected to grow faster than ever, raising questions about how to keep power reliable, affordable, and low-carbon. This panel will explore strategies for making the most of our existing infrastructure while adding new generation and transmission, managing costs for customers, and meeting state carbon reduction targets. Panelists will also discuss the roles of thermal generation, energy efficiency, demand management, distributed resources, and new renewables in meeting peak demand. 

The post Fall 2025 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

We all see the dynamic impact AI and the grid are having on each other. To stay ahead of the rapid evolution, GridFWD 2025 brings you “AI and the Grid: The rising tide of applications and demands.” This event will host dozens of industry luminaries, sessions with a panoramic view of AI and the grid, discussion groups, case studies and much more. You’ll hear the latest data center breakthroughs and get to see AI applications that are already making an impact today. Join leaders from leading AI companies, utilities, tech innovators and other industry experts this October 6-8 in stunning Monterey, CA.

The post GridFWD 2025 first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

October 14 – 16, 2025 | Detroit, MI
The Forth Roadmap Conference is the nation’s premier gathering of transportation electrification leaders, bringing together policymakers, utilities, automakers, charging providers, fleet managers, and more to drive solutions and power change. In 2025, we’re convening in Detroit – The Motor City– where innovation, workforce development, and good-paying jobs are shaping the next chapter of the industry.

This year’s conference provides a critical forum for industry leaders to recharge their commitment, navigate a changing landscape, and forge new pathways for sustainable mobility.

The post Forth Roadmap Conference first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.