Some renewable energy sources do not consistently produce energy. Wind power, for example, is not available if the wind is not sufficient for power production. If the wind stops blowing, the production from wind farms drops off, but our customers’ need for power continues.

We need dependable resources to back up these intermittent sources of power and our fully committed hydroelectric system can only do so much.

The challenge is finding a way to successfully combine intermittent resources with our more dependable hydroelectric and thermal generation. This integration process is not without costs, and the costs impact customers’ rates. Determining who will pay these costs and how, is at the center of the challenges surrounding the integration of some alternative resources.