Ebb and flow of wind power stress NW power grid

YAKIMA, Wash. — In the space of one hour last month, electricity generated at wind farms in the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge shot up by 1,000 megawatts – enough to power some 680,000 homes.

Less than an hour later, it plummeted almost as much.

… But the marriage of wind and water has begun to strain the system.

Fish need flowing water. Holding water behind dams when there’s plenty of wind power reduces that flow and harms fish.

But sending enough water around the dam – not through the turbines – for fish reduces the ability to generate power that will be needed when the wind dies off.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer