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Groups Take Stance on BPA Allocation Plan
Six public interest groups outlined their proposal on how the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA ) should maintain its regional stewardship obligations for conservation, renewables, and low-income efficiency services should BPA agree to a utility plan to slice up allocation of federal power. In a letter to BPA Administrator Steve Wright and Northwest Power Planning Council Chair Larry Cassidy , the groups call for BPA to "retain ultimate responsibility and accountability to meet the conservation, renewables, low income and RD&D obligations."
The joint settlement proposal by the region's public and private utilities would transfer almost all of BPA's conservation and renewable energy efforts to local utilities. The public interest proposal calls for a high level of accountability for results through independent measurement and evaluation of investments. Accountability rests with individual utilities in the settlement proposal.
The Renewable Northwest Project, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Citizens' Utility Board of Oregon, Climate Solutions and the NW Energy Coalition call for approximately 175 aMW of energy savings through conservation investments at a minimum annual investment level of $350 million. Last year, in response to the energy crisis, the Power Council proposed that the region's utilities capture 100 aMW per year. The public interest target is drawn from preliminary results from a new study that provides an updated assessment of the potential for efficiency and renewable energy in the region.
The groups' proposal assumes that all load growth in the region can be met with cost-effective conservation and new renewable resources. They then calculate approximately 350 aMW of annual growth (assuming a 1.49% growth rate). With energy efficiency delivering about 175 aMW of energy savings, the region would need another 175 aMW of new renewable generation. The proposal estimates that the "maximum average annual above market cost of implementing 175 aMW of renewables per year is $98 million (in 2002 dollars)."
In response to the utility slice plan BPA is seeking input on how to allocate power from the Federal Columbia River Power System post 2006. Public hearings across the region begin in mid-September and run through the end of the month.
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Nancy Hirsh