On May 3, 2023, Renewable Northwest (RNW) and the Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition (NIPPC) published a whitepaper exploring how to ensure that the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) maintains one of its core purposes—transmitting power needed across the Northwest, regardless of which entity generates or consumes it—at a time of rapid change in the electric industry. The whitepaper can be viewed here. RNW and NIPPC stated that by adopting the reforms proposed in the whitepaper, or some similar combination of reforms, BPA can help ensure that the grid the Northwest needs will be in place and on time so that all consumers in the region continue to enjoy affordable, clean, and reliable electricity. [Read more…]
BPA Adopted Settlement in TC-24 Related to Changes in BPA’s OATT
February 24, 2023 By
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) issued the Administrator’s Final Record of Decision (Final ROD) on February 9, 2023 in the TC-24 proceeding. The Final ROD adopts changes to the terms and conditions of BPA’s open access transmission tariff (OATT) in accordance with the settlement reached among parties to the TC-24 proceeding (the TC-24 Settlement). The TC-24 Settlement itself was adopted following a collaborative process that included stakeholder workshops and settlement negotiations. [Read more…]
Ninth Circuit Rejects Challenge to FERC Decisions on BPA Oversupply
August 18, 2015 By
On August 10, 2015, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Ninth Circuit) rejected a challenge to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) decisions finding that Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) policies discriminated against wind generators. The Ninth Circuit did not address the merits of the appeal, but found that the BPA’s wholesale preference customers did not have statutory standing to challenge FERC’s decision. [Read more…]
FERC Approves BPA Oversupply Management Protocol and Rates
November 2, 2014 By
On October 16, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued two orders accepting Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) controversial oversupply management protocol and oversupply rates. FERC accepted BPA’s filings as temporary solutions to address the problem of high levels of generation that exceeded the available end use consumer loads on BPA’s system. This is called “oversupply” because BPA has too much generation. FERC found that BPA’s policy to displace and compensate wind generators during oversupply events is equitable and results in comparability in the provision of transmission service. [Read more…]
Ninth Circuit Remands DSI Lookback to BPA
October 6, 2014 By
On September 18, 2014, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) decision not to seek a refund of some of the amounts unlawfully paid to Alcoa could be arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion. In a 2-1 decision, the appellate court remanded the matter back to BPA to more carefully consider whether BPA should seek a partial refund from Alcoa. The Ninth Circuit also concluded that BPA has no general constitutional or statutory duty to seek a refund any time it makes an unlawful payment, and that BPA reasonably explained why it did not seek a refund from Port Townsend Paper. A third judge concurred with most of the ruling, but would have directed BPA to consider seeking larger refunds from Alcoa. [Read more…]
