Rep. Napolitano Welcomes New Renewable Energy Coming to California from Pacific Northwest

(Washington D.C.)- Today at a hearing for the Subcommittee on Water and Power, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano supported funding requests from the country’s four Power Marketing Administrations and welcomed new efforts to bring additional energy from wind power to California from Washington and Oregon.
     “I know that representatives from the Pacific Northwest are actively looking for ways to develop renewable energy while balancing their hydropower resources and the integrity of the Bonneville Power Authority grid,” Napolitano said. “As a member of the California delegation, I welcome these efforts and hope to see more energy from wind powering our homes and businesses.”
     More than half of the wind power generated in the Pacific Northwest region goes to California.
     Napolitano also supported the funding requests made by the Power Marketing Administrations to repair aging infrastructure and develop the new capacity needed to carry renewable energy on their grids. The four Power Marketing Administrations (Bonneville Power Administration, Western Area Power Administration, Southwestern Power Administration, and Southeastern Power Administration) are self-funded and will eventually repay their funding requests from their own revenues.
     “The Power Marketing Administrations are doing well,” Napolitano said. “They have been partners with cities, tribes, and customers in meeting environmental protections. They have made repairs to outdated infrastructure and added new capacity to convey renewable energy. They have met these standards and have still been able to provide our cities with inexpensive power and cover their own costs. This is clean energy we can afford, and I continue to give them my full support.”
     Napolitano is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Water and Power.