Hydropower Is the Foundation of Seattle’s Energy Past, Present, and Future
March 7, 2025
Hydropower is the backbone of Seattle’s electricity. It has played a vital role in powering communities across the Pacific Northwest for more than a century.
Skagit Employees Preparing for Winter in the Wake of Sourdough Fire
November 7, 2023
Fall is quickly passing by, and winter is nearly upon us. In the North Cascades where the Skagit Hydroelectric project sits, snow has already fallen and with it comes enough precipitation to extinguish the remnants of the Sourdough fire. Sourdough fire recap The wildfire first began on July 29, 2023,… [ Keep reading ]
Skagit River Hydroelectric Project: Fall 2023 Relicensing Update
October 31, 2023
Each autumn, many news outlets are keen to cover the annual salmon migration and spawning. This also sparks interest in the region’s numerous hydroelectric dams and what is being done to help protect and preserve fish populations. We have received several inquiries about the relicensing process for the Skagit Hydroelectric… [ Keep reading ]
Sourdough Fire Updates
August 27, 2023
UPDATE August 30: State Route 20 reopens. State Route 20 reopened between milepost 120 and milepost 171 this morning around 9:00 a.m. Travelers should plan for delays and unexpected closures. Real time data can be found here: https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/. The Sourdough fire is currently listed as 6,221 acres and 30% contained…. [ Keep reading ]
Updated: Sourdough Fire Likely to Burn for Many More Weeks
August 23, 2023
UPDATED: State Route 20 North Cascades Highway is open between Newhalem (milepost 120) and Silver Star campground (milepost 171). From 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., a pilot car will escort travelers along a 4-mile stretch of highway from Rainy Pass (milepost 158) to the Blue Lake trailhead parking lot (milepost… [ Keep reading ]
Updated: Sourdough Fire Continues to Burn Near City Light’s Skagit Hydroelectric Project
August 10, 2023
UPDATE: State Route 20 is closed, effective immediately, beyond Newhalem between Milepost 120 and Milepost 146 due to fire activity. Real-time alerts on road conditions and open/close status can be found here. The Sourdough Fire is currently 1,710 acres with 0% containment with gradual spread to the north, east and… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle City Light Providing Assistance as Sourdough Wildfire Continues to Grow
August 5, 2023
Seattle City Light is assisting in efforts to control the spread of the Sourdough wildfire in the North Cascades National Park Complex adjacent to its Skagit Hydroelectric Project near the towns of Diablo and Newhalem. The fire began Saturday, July 29, near the Sourdough Mountain trail as a result of… [ Keep reading ]
Energized Environmental Vision Set for Skagit Hydropower Project
April 28, 2023
Seattle is fortunate in that most of our electricity comes from hydropower — the most reliable renewable energy resource now available. But even hydropower impacts the environment, and Seattle City Light works closely with our partners to develop science-based approaches to protecting the watershed and nearby communities. The license we… [ Keep reading ]
Skagit Tours and Recreation 2023
April 3, 2023
For almost 100 years, Seattle City Light has provided public tours of the dams, powerhouses, reservoirs, and town that comprise the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project, and that tradition continues this year. City Light, in partnership with the North Cascades Institute, a nationally recognized leader in environmental education, offers fun, interactive… [ Keep reading ]
Updated Study Report Filed, Another Milestone Reached in the Skagit Relicensing Process
March 9, 2023
Two extraordinary summers and a total of 18 months of intense research on the Skagit River are complete with the results of 33 studies submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The filing of the Updated Study Report signals that another milestone has been reached in the Skagit Hydroelectric… [ Keep reading ]