The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has contracted the Northwest Hydroelectric Association to conduct a scoping study on the hydropower potential in the Pacific Northwest. The study was scheduled to be complete by the end of September. This study will review all the numerous recent regional and national assessments identifying significant hydropower potential, with an emphasis on the potential in upgrading existing facilities. The study will factor in environmental impacts (including protected areas) and cost-effectiveness. The council's last major assessment of hydropower potential in the region was undertaken as part of its Fourth Power Plan, released in 1998. The council and its Generating Resources Advisory Committee planned to review the study results in October and November and recommend next steps.
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