BPA Joining Southwest Power Pool Markets+ Means Abandoned Benefits

PORTLAND, OR – Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) announced today its decision to join the Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Markets+. BPA’s decision comes after it held an open comment period on its draft policy, where it received numerous comments urging BPA to not join Markets+ at this time from several organizations, including NRDC, the NW Energy Coalition, the Sierra Club, and the region’s two largest consumer-owned utilities by number of customers: Seattle City Light and Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB).

Following is a statement from Kelsie Gomanie, a western markets advocate for NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“With BPA’s decision, it is perpetuating a fragmented western power grid, not only losing out on the cost savings for the agency and its direct utility customers but also increasing costs for all Northwest power customers. Multiple analyses, including BPA’s own, confirm this finding. This decision also rejects the opportunity of improved reliability and acceleration of meeting western states decarbonization targets. The decision is inconsistent with BPA’s broad mandate, as a federal agency, to act in the best interests of the whole region it serves. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure reliability and affordability benefits reach broadly across the region and advocate for a well-integrated West-wide grid.”

For more information, read Kelsie’s blog here.

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).