November hydropower generation climbs in US Pacific Northwest

Data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shows that total net generation at 23 hydroelectric plants across the Pacific Northwest in November was 8.4% higher than the year-ago level and 1.4% higher than the 10-year average as it reached 5.31 million MWh. That figure is up 49.4% from October.

Year-to-date hydropower production through November totaled 68.70 million MWh, up 21.7% versus the year-ago level and up 2.8% from the 10-year average for the period.

In the upper Columbia River Basin, the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest of the region, generated 1.69 million MWh, up 19.1% versus the year-ago month and up 9.4% versus the 10-year average for the period. The Chief Joseph Dam generated 912,004 MWh, up 19.2% versus November 2021 and up 11.0% versus the 10-year average for the month.

November flows in the lower Columbia River Basin were mixed versus the year-ago period. Located on the Washington-Oregon border, the Bonneville Dam produced 396,355 MWh, down 2.9% from November 2021 and 0.9% lower than the 10-year average for the month. The Dalles Dam, 50 miles upstream, produced 504,898 MWh, up 0.8% from the year-ago month but down 3.7% from the 10-year average for November.

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