California's drought (Photo : Reuters)
California is enduring from drought not just of water, but of snow from the last three consecutive years resulting hydro-energy scarcity which might continue to this year.
The Snowpack at 12 percent of average in the Sierra Nevada which recorded to be the lowest means there is less runoff to feed rivers that run through dams to generate cleanly produced hydroelectric power, as reported by Chronicle Bulletin.
It is because of the strong winter rain which made up such poor snow and counted to lower energy yielding from dams.
As reported by New York Times, this year's winter average has been 47.4 degrees. And that is a main reason why the snowpack is so small.
According to the scientists, high temperatures mean more rain than snow, and rain tends to be absorbed by the ground before it reaches the reservoirs and to melt whatever snow is on the ground.
The State officials are turning to dirtier power resources, in spite of their clean air goals, which are even more costly fossil fuel plants to fill some of the power gap. They are also seeking more hydroelectricity imports in those regions which are expected to have considerably less to supply power.
According to a study a week ago by the Pacific Institute, conducted in Oakland, California, estimated that to meet the abating hydroelectricity from the past three years, ratepayers had already paid $1.4 billions as per utility which also included purchases of energy from organic gas-fired plants.
Robert Oglesby, executive director of the state power commission, although he did not expect the decline of hydro energy and the increase in gas-fired energy. Despite of the fact, that the huge hydroelectric dams block natural flow of the rivers.
As dams created 12 percent of the state's electricity and natural gas massively provided a 61 percent according to figures of last year which are considered as the current record readily available.
The numbers for hydroelectric power will go down for California in 2015 but not disappear, Oglesby said.
According to Bonneville Energy Administration, which serves utilities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana,"Hydroelectricity is even extra important for California's northern neighbors, accounting for extra than 60 percent of Washington State's power and 45 % of Oregon's," they said.
