Who We Are | Northwest RiverPartners

Northwest RiverPartners is a member-driven organization that serves not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming. We also proudly represent partners that support clean energy, low-carbon transportation, and agricultural jobs.

Conduct

Northwest RiverPartners commits to R.I.S.E. principles:

Represent our members with integrity and respect

Include the perspectives of the diverse communities of the Pacific Northwest

Seek holistic solutions that consider both people and the environment

Explore collaborative and actionable answers to challenging issues

Actions

We educate the public and policymakers about the important role of hydroelectricity

We partner with our members, Native American tribes, communities, agencies, and businesses to achieve common goals

We support research and analytics so the region can reach informed decisions

We engage in public processes to provide balanced insights and suggestions

Our History

Northwest RiverPartners (NWRP) was founded in 2005 as The Coalition for Smart Salmon Recovery in response to the court challenge of the 2004 National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion. The goal of the organization was to provide the public and policymakers with information that they weren’t hearing from the litigants. More than anything, NWRP recognized that the only way for the region to come together in agreement while debating over the emotional issue of salmon recovery was by focusing on sound science.

As time went on, NWRP would grow to include over 100 members, representing their voices and the voices of the communities they serve. While we have continued to evolve, we still believe in informing the public and policymakers with the best available science. We also hope to work towards collaborative solutions with our members and to reach those with differing views. The journey of our organization is a challenging one, but we strongly believe it is worth the effort.

Our Staff

Kurt Miller
Executive Director

Kurt grew up in Gresham, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. His mother was an immigrant from Guatemala and his father’s family was from Germany, and from this experience, Kurt learned to appreciate the importance of diverse perspectives from an early age. He has spent most of his life in the electric service sector where he has successfully led many diversity and inclusion efforts within the organizations he has been a part of. Today, Kurt and his wife Jennifer live in Vancouver, Washington, with their daughter Emily, who attends a local university. Kurt’s main hobby is cycling, and he loves the opportunity to cycle around the Pacific Northwest. (See

Austin Rohr
Media & Communications Specialist

Originally from Gig Harbor, Washington, Austin realized his passion for storytelling early on when he got involved with his high school radio station, KGHP-FM. After winning multiple Washington State High School Radio first place awards, he decided to attend University of Washington’s Tacoma campus to study communications. Following graduation, he moved to the San Diego area to assume the role of managing editor at TransWorld Motocross and travelled the country to cover professional racing at the highest level. He would eventually return home to the Northwest, where he shifted his focus towards another passion; energy and environmental issues. Today he calls Washougal, Washington, home and loves spending his free time hiking, fishing, kayaking, and continuing to race motocross.

Our Members

Alliance of Western Energy Consumers
Asotin County PUD
Association of Washington Business
Benton PUD
Benton Rural Electric Association
Blachly-Lane Electric Co-Op
Big Bend Electric Cooperative
Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Central Lincoln PUD
Chelan County PUD
City of Bonners Ferry, ID
City of Burley, ID
City of Cascade Locks, OR
City of Richland, WA
City of Rupert, ID
Clark Public Utilities
Clatskanie People’s Utility District
Clearwater Power Co.
Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative
Columbia Power Cooperative Assoc.
Columbia River PUD
Columbia Rural Electric Assoc.
Consumers Power, Inc.
Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative
Cowlitz County PUD
Douglas Electric Cooperative
Douglas PUD
Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light
Energy Northwest
Eugene Water and Electric Board
Fall River Electric Cooperative
Flathead Electric Cooperative
Franklin PUD

Partnerships

Foundation for Water & Energy Education (FWEE)
The Foundation is committed to providing balanced information regarding the use of water as a renewable energy resource in the Northwest.
www.fwee.org

National Hydropower Association (NHA)
The National Hydropower Association (NHA) is a nonprofit national association dedicated to promoting the growth of clean, affordable U.S. hydropower. It seeks to secure hydropower’s place as a climate-friendly, renewable and reliable energy source that serves national environmental, energy, and economic policy objectives.
www.hydro.org

Northwest Hydroelectric Association (NWHA)
The Northwest Hydroelectric Association (NWHA) provides a regional voice for the hydropower industry, representing the needs of its membership since 1981. NWHA is dedicated to the promotion of the region’s waterpower as clean, efficient energy while protecting the fisheries and environmental quality which characterize our Northwest region.
www.nwhydro.org

Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA)
Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) is a not-for-profit association of over 155 public/people’s utility districts, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and Crown corporations in the Western U.S. and Canada. NWPPA also serves the networking needs of over 350 Associate Members across the U.S. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry.
www.nwppa.org

Northwest Requirements Utilities (NRU)
NRU advocates on behalf of its members for cost-effective and reliable wholesale power supply and transmission service (including transfer service) from BPA. NRU educates and informs members about BPA and other regional power supply and transmission issues.
www.nru-nw.com

Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Assocation (ORECA)
ORECA represents and promotes the interests of electric cooperatives and their members.
www.oreca.org

Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee (PNUCC)
Bringing the power of good ideas together to assist PNUCC members in fulfilling their company missions in this ever changing electric industry.
www.pnucc.org

Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA)
PNWA is a collaboration of ports, businesses, public agencies and individuals who combine their economic and political strength in support of navigation, energy, trade and economic development throughout the Pacific Northwest.
www.pnwa.net

PNGC Power
PNGC Power is a Portland-based electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative owned by 15 Northwest electric distribution cooperative utilities with service territory in seven western states (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming).
www.pngc.com

Public Power Council (PPC)
The mission of the Public Power Council is to preserve and enhance the benefits of the Federal Columbia River Power System for consumer-owned utilities. All of the region’s consumer-owned utilities have a legal and historic first right to federal power at cost.
www.ppcpdx.org

Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association (WRECA)
WRECA’s mission is to proactively influence the regulatory environment in the best interests of the consumer-owned electric utilities in the State of Washington.
www.wreca.coop

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