Dam!

Cam LeHouillier, manager of energy research and development at Tacoma Public Utilities, gives us the scoop on all things electric vehicles in this episode of Dam! We take a look at bringing electrification to both residential and commercial transportation, charging and energy infrastructure, the important role of hydropower and clean energy, what responsibility utilities have in carving out a path for electrification, utilizing batteries alongside hydrogen for heavy duty applications, the unique challenges in electrifying a major port, and Cam's personal advice on switching to an EV.

This time on Dam!, author and executive director of ORECA, Ted Case, schools us on the history of hydropower and rural electrification in the Northwest. We discuss the subject matter of his books, Power Plays and Poles, Wires, and War, as well as the public power's representation in US politics, presidential libraries, the value of these assets in the modern day, and where the political trends are headed on the subject. As a bonus, Ted gives us the scoop on ORECA's involvement in bringing a rural electrification movement to Guatemala.

In this episode of Dam!, we catch up with Katie Pfennigs, the manager of community relations at Flathead Electric Cooperative. She provides us with a Western Montana perspective on hydropower and the challenges of electric utilities in the Rocky Mountain region of the country. We also explore the fundamental value of communications, policy and government affairs work, Montana's housing crisis, freezing your face off, damaged line trucks in the height of the rut, and advocating on behalf of hydropower.

Dam! explores the topic of Northwest agriculture and where it intersects with hydropower with Blaine Meek of AgriNorthwest. We get to know what farming in Southeast Washington looks like and the community behind our agriculture, gain insight into the role of dams in irrigation and agriculture, explore the sticky subject of the lower Snake River dams and what breaching could mean for our farms, and compare and contrast the biological systems of crops, salmon, and our own human selves.

Energy GPS's Director of Market Analytics, Steve Edburg, joins the podcast to do take a deep dive into clean energy, hydropower, and much more. We discuss everything from what Energy GPS does to the studies they've completed for Northwest RiverPartners on the impacts of removing and replacing the lower Snake River dams. Steve also shares his data-driven perspective on our clean energy goals and the pace of renewable buildout, policy and electrification, and his outlook on where the Northwest's grid is headed. Analysis, energy, and integrity are the common threads that sew together this episode of Dam!

On this episode of Dam!, Douglas PUD's Gary Ivory fills us in on his utilities exploration into hydrogen and what it means for his community and beyond. We also explore what else Douglas has going on, from hydropower projects to hatcheries and even broadband internet! 

Benton PUD's Rick Dunn joins the pod to share his expertise on regional energy, grid reliability, and the technologies, including hydropower, that power his community. He also describes his passion for educating policymakers and the public on the importance of safety, affordability, and reliability when deciding how the Northwest will steer its clean energy transition. 

In this episode, Rye Development's vice president of development, Erik Steimle, joins us to talk all things pumped storage. We explore this "alternative" hydropower technology, how pumped storage facilities work, and why they're an important asset in the transition to clean energy. Additionally, Erik breaks down what it takes to build pumped storage and the benefits communities can expect. Get pumped!

Northwest RiverPartners executive director and hydropower advocate Kurt Miller joins the show for our very first episode of Dam! We break down whos, whats, whens, wheres, hows, and whys–and any other questions you can think of–regarding a Northwest hydropower podcast. Together, we also give you some insight into the organization and what we're all about.

Alan Walker is a hero. He's a lot of other things too (namely, the executive director of the Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council and president of the Washington Community Action Partnership), but above all else, the work he does is essential to helping thousands meet their basic needs. Right now, the cost of those basic needs are increasing dramatically and rapidly, and the cost of electricity is among them. With 9 out of 10 residents in the Northwest now ranking cost as their primary energy concern, we hosted Alan on the podcast to learn what challenges the people he serves face, where energy costs factor into those challenges, and why keeping those costs low is non-negotiable for thousands in our region.