PORTLAND, Ore. - The Bonneville Power Administration, regional utilities, and public interest groups have asked Northwest residents to help combat the effects of a dry winter by efficiently using electricity this spring and summer.

Another winter of low precipitation makes six in a row - the lowest cumulative runoff on record, meteorologists report. Barring unscheduled plant outages or other unforeseen circumstances, the region's utilities still expect to have enough electrical generating capability to meet demand. The primary effects will be financial. Low precipitation is reducing hydro system performance for utilities and suppliers in the region, which increases power purchases from other, more costly sources. Low water in rivers is also shrinking expected surplus sales revenues. All of this puts upward pressure on rates.

BPA Administrator Steve Wright said, "Last year we reduced rates 7.5 percent but notified the region that the biggest variable affecting rates going forward would be water and markets. The weather is not cooperating. We can't do anything about the weather, but we can do something about how much energy we use."