PORTLAND – A coalition of leading Pacific Northwest energy companies filed a complaint against the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) today, accusing the agency of using its monopoly control of the region’s grid to break its contracts and seize transmission rights for its own economic interest.
The complaint was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), citing violation of the Federal Power act and decades of regulatory policy.
“It’s critical that utilities, energy producers and the BPA continue to work together to balance serving our customers with the environmental and renewable energy obligations we share in the Pacific Northwest,” said Stefan Bird, senior vice president, PacifiCorp Energy. “But in order to do that on an even playing field, this filing is necessary.”
“BPA must play by the same rules that apply to others,” Bird said. “The agency needs to honor its commitments and contracts — and cannot unilaterally break or amend agreements, harming one party and benefitting others. That’s discriminatory behavior no matter who you are, and it violates the Federal Power Act. PacifiCorp believes FERC is the proper and best jurisdiction to prohibit undue discrimination,” Bird said.
