Color Scheme

Subscribe now

This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Dams’ power not needed

According to BPA.gov, the lower Snake River dams produce 5% of the total hydroelectric power in the region. Furthermore, hydroelectric power comprises 59% of our total energy production. This means that removal of the Snake River dams would reduce our power production by 3%.

Part of this could be made up by reducing the curtailments on wind and solar that are now in place. When there are high river flows, wind and solar harvests are shut down so as not to overload the electrical grid. Curtailment is one of the reasons why not all the windmills are spinning on a reasonably windy day. More importantly, we export the equivalent of 21% of our hydroelectric power to Canada and other states (EIA.gov).

The need to replace the power produced by the dams is a bogus argument.

Jeffrey Joswig-Jones

Pullman

Letters Policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

  • No more than 250 words
  • We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
  • We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
  • With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
  • The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form
Submit your letter here
Mail
Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Email
editor@spokesman.com
Fax
(509) 459-3815
Phone
(509) 459-5430

Read more about how we crafted our Letters to the Editor policy