Overview of the U.S. Electrical System & the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)

US Electrical System Organization

US Electrical System

Actual System Interconnections

Western US System

Columbia River Basin & BPA Service Area WHAT IS BPA?  Self-financed federal agency within Department of Energy  Markets power at cost from 31 federal dams and 1 nuclear plant – 35% of electricity used in Pacific Northwest  Markets transmission services – owns 75% (15,440 miles) of the high- voltage lines in Pacific Northwest  Protects, mitigates & enhances fish & wildlife in the Columbia River Basin  300,000 square mile service area – includes WA, OR, ID, & Western MT  $3.3 billion in annual revenues

BPA: General Information and Structure (2007) BPA established 1937 Pacific Northwest population11,950,509 Transmission line Circuit miles)15,442 BPA-owned substations237 Employees (staff years)2,923 BPA is organized into three business units: Power Business Services: Approximately 250 employees. BPA markets the power generated at 31 Federal dams, one non-Federal nuclear plant at Hanford, Washington, and some non-Federal power plants, such as wind projects. Transmission Business Services: Approximately 1,600 employees. BPA owns and operates 75 percent of the Pacific Northwest’s high-voltage electric grid. The grid includes more that 15,000 circuit-miles of transmission line and 235 substations. It carries a peak load of about 30,000 megawatts of electricity and produces about $700 million a year in transmission revenues. Corporate: Approximately 1,100 employees. Includes Finance; Environment, Fish and Wildlife; Energy Efficiency; Customer Support Services; General Counsel; Planning and Governance; and Risk Management.

BPA History