Posted on 12/02/2006 7:51:20 PM PST by calcowgirl
Setting the stage for a knockdown fight over the fate of four towering Klamath River dams accused of hammering salmon stocks and the West Coast fishing industry, a new government study released Friday has found that decommissioning the dams could cost $100 million less than operating them for another generation.
The economic analysis, ordered by the California Energy Commission in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Interior, should provide ammunition for Indian tribes, environmentalists and commercial fishermen eager to see the hydropower dams demolished to reopen more than 300 miles of river that have been blocked to migrating salmon for more than half a century.
"It's now official: The Klamath hydro project is an economic loser," said Steve Rothert of the group American Rivers.
The report, produced by a private consulting firm and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Technical Services Center, found that the cost of demolishing the dams and buying market-rate electricity to offset the lost hydropower over the next three decades would be far less than installing the vast infrastructure and improvements expected to be needed for the dams to win license renewal.
Though the hydro project historically has been able to cheaply deliver enough power for about 70,000 homes, new environmental rules would limit the project's unfettered operation, reducing electricity generation by 23%, the study found.
The cost of erecting fish ladders and other projects to help salmon get past the dams and cure water-quality problems would boost the 30-year cost of the project to between $230 million and $470 million, according to the report.
Removing the dams and buying replacement electricity over the next three decades would cost between $152 million and $277 million ... Depending on the price of power in the future, dam removal could save PacifiCorp ratepayers up to $285 million ...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Even if it bankrupts hundreds of farmers it must be OK. The LA Times says so.
PING.
And so it begins...
These whackos keep it up like water pressure!!!
Inexorable IncreMentalism!!!
I sure want to be pinged on any Klamath issues...
Here is a link to the report (304 pages, PDF file, 2.35MB)
http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=11197393
Problem is, the enviros only have to win once...
Well just damn(!) that as well...
I pinged it based on folks that posted on one of the last threads. I'm sure I probably missed quite a few folks.
Here is who I did ping:
B4Ranch , SierraWasp, tubebender, marsh2 , Carry_Okie , fish hawk, forester, freepatriot32, hedgetrimmer, Issaquahking , Paloma_55, sasquatch , sergeantdave, backhoe , Czar , DoughtyOne, ElkGroveDan,
Thanks for the ping... To yet another wave of GREEN POND SCUM IDEAS!!!
My blood is boiling.
A lot of enviro groups wanting to take down dams are going to be thrilled that their investment in the democratic party may start to reep dividends.
Removing the dams and buying replacement electricity over the next three decades
A state that has rolling blackouts because it CAN'T get enough electricity is going to shut down production of electricity. "We're the government and were here to help you..."
Check out the story at the link that tubebender posted.
(snip)
Humboldt County Supervisor Jill Geist, who has been a part of the settlement talks, said the report is crucial to leveraging a settlement. Money that could be used toward decommissioning of the dams was approved as part of a bond measure passed by California voters last month. Geist said groups have had productive conversations lately that could produce an offer to Pacificorp for the dams by mid-month.
A couple more to be pinged...
Because at this point, the whole thing is insane. Not only what you posted, but when combined with the new rules for Global Warming regulation, including not being able to buy power from 'dirty' producers in other states, one wonders if there will be any electricity at all. Back to your caves, Californians!
Ahnold..... He'll be back
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