Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Friday, December 20, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Executive Director of Northwest Public Power Association to Retire in March (American Public Power Association)
Will Lutgen,
executive director
of the Northwest Public Power Association in Vancouver,
Wash.,
will
retire on March 31,
2014.
"It has been the best job of my career and
I’ve appreciated the opportunity to be of service to the consumer-owned
electric utility industry," said Lutgen.
He will pursue consulting or
limited project work upon his retirement.
He was hired as NWPPA’s
executive director in March 2002.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Bonneville Power Administration Hiring Issues and the Road Ahead (Public Power Council, Portland, OR)
Today, Scott Corwin, Public
Power Council Executive Director, made the following comments at a news conference held by U-S Senator Ron Wyden, OR:
(PORTLAND, OR) -- We
share Chairman Wyden’s resolve that the BPA hiring practices issues be
addressed quickly for the sake of job applicants including veterans, for the
sake of current employees at BPA who desire certainty about their future, and
for the sake of consumers who are concerned about how this could impact agency
operations and the cost of electricity.
We
appreciate the focus of Chairman Wyden and other members of the Northwest
Congressional delegation upon this key issue.
Electricity ratepayers have a strong interest in the effective operation
of this regional wholesale utility. They
trust in BPA’s reliable management of the grid and in the stable supply of
clean hydropower.
These
hiring issues are serious and must be corrected. But, they should not be seen as an open door
for assertions of Department of Energy control over BPA policies that are
governed by the laws passed by Congress.
BPA’s critical missions for the region are being achieved every day by
thousands of hard-working BPA employees in Portland, Vancouver and around the
region.
Electricity
ratepayers pay all of the costs of BPA through rates. This is unlike other federal agencies. Its proud history, mission, and funding are
regional by design. It is a key part of
the fabric of our daily lives in the Northwest.
The system investments have been made by the millions of Northwest
citizens so that they can see the benefits in the region.
PPC
is looking for clarification of the leadership status, and for a transparent
approach to correct the hiring issues, including identifying the scope of
needed actions, the specific steps needed, and the legal basis for those
steps. This will help instill confidence in the system, and will aid employees
and consumers in better understanding the potential costs and operational
impacts.
During
this time of challenges to our industry, our region needs certainty and a clear
path forward for BPA. We will work with the agency, with Congress, and with DOE
toward that goal.
PPC represents
Pacific Northwest consumer-owned utilities on issues related to the Federal
Columbia River Power System.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
BPA Acting Administrator Statement on U-S Department of Energy’s DOE Inspector General Report (Bonneville Power Administration)
“The findings in the Department of Energy Inspector
General’s report are deeply troubling to all of us at the Bonneville Power Administration. The Department and BPA are fully committed to
addressing the problems with our human capital management program and providing
recourse to the many individuals, including veterans, who were impacted by our
flawed hiring practices. I also want to
reiterate my commitment to a workplace free of retaliation, particularly
against those who raise concerns. As we move forward to rebuild our human
resource capabilities, all of us at BPA will continue to serve our core mission
by bringing reliable, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable power and
transmission service to the people of the Pacific Northwest."
Elliot Mainzer, Acting Administrator
Bonneville Power Administration
Friday, October 4, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Lewis County PUD Looks Into Possible Rate Increase (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
(CHEHALIS, WA) -- Will the Lewis County
PUD be forced into raising rates next year? That’s not known at this
time. But, the BPA is raising wholesale rates by 9-percent. The
federal power broker also raised its transmission rates by 11-percent.
Those increases took place at the first of the month. The Lewis County
PUD gets nearly all of its power from the BPA. PUD leaders are now
looking into whether a rate hike will be necessary. A final decision is
expected by the end of the year.
Fed Shut-Down – Normal Operations at Bonneville Power Administration: Self-Funding Agency! (U-S Department of Energy)
Bonneville
Power Administration (BPA) will continue to operate normally (3,103 employees
financed by other than annual appropriations). BPA is self-funding under the
permanent, indefinite appropriation known as the Bonneville Fund, established
in the Federal Columbia River Transmission System Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. §
838i(b)). It markets wholesale electrical power from 31 federal hydro projects
in the Columbia River Basin, one nonfederal nuclear plant, and several other
small nonfederal power plants. BPA also operates and maintains about three-fourths
of the high-voltage transmission in its service territory, which includes
Idaho, Oregon, Washington, western Montana and small parts of eastern Montana,
California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Weather Forecast and Special Weather Statement from National Weather Service
Weather forecast and summary for the weekend:
Today
Rain. The rain
could be heavy at times. High near 61.
South southwest
wind 13 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Chance of
precipitation is 100%.
Tonight
Showers. The
rain could be heavy at times. Low around 52. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14
to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday
Rain. High near
59. South wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday Night
Showers. The
rain could be heavy at times. Low around 49. Breezy, with a south southeast
wind 22 to 25 mph becoming southwest in the evening. Winds could gust as high
as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Now to the
special weather statement as of late yesterday:
Synopsis:
Saturday will see increasing rainfall, heavy at times,
ahead of a strong Pacific cold front that will reach the Washington coast
Saturday afternoon, and then move inland through Puget Sound and the Cascades
Saturday night. Winds will pick up as the day wears on, with the
strongest winds occurring just ahead of, and with the front. Rain rates will
ease behind the front, however, moist westerly flow aloft will maintain
precipitation through the day Sunday. A second, strong front will reach western
Washington Sunday night. This front has the potential to produce the strongest
winds of the two weekend storm systems. In addition to the stronger winds, it
will bring another round of enhanced rainfall to the area, especially over the
mountains. Snow levels behind the front on Monday could drop as low as 5000
feet, which would impact the highest mountain passes in the Cascades.