Northwest dam operators turned wind turbines off Tuesday -- putting into practice, a policy established just last week.
Bonneville Power Administration officials say that high river levels forced them to turn the wind turbines off.
Officials say that moderate winds could have produced up to 1400 megawatt hours of power, during the five-hour shut-off.
BPA estimates it cost wind companies tens of thousands of dollars, mostly in the form of production tax incentives.
Federal officials say the alternative to shutting off wind power, is to spill lots of water over the dams, potentially hurting salmon. But Nicole Cordan with Save Our Wild Salmon says BPA could have prepared better for high spring water.
Nicole Cordan: “So with some advanced planning, and better management, and better forecasting, we think we could’ve been in a better spot. And that’s what we’re hoping for, for the future.”
Wind energy producers have also been critical of the move.
But a group representing public power utilities says limiting wind was the right decision, under the circumstances.