PR 02 09

BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
CONTACT: Katie Pruder, BPA, (503) 230-3111

BPA surpasses energy efficiency targets, plans for even more effective programs

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Bonneville Power Administration is launching a new public process to enhance energy efficiency programs in the Pacific Northwest. This comes on the heels of a banner year for BPA and its customer utilities, as the agency significantly surpassed its regional conservation goal. The new public process will facilitate improvements on this successful efficiency effort.

Numerous factors are driving BPA's initiative to update its energy efficiency program including new state regulations requiring energy efficiency, a need to meet increasing electricity demand and a national focus on energy independence. BPA's focus on energy efficiency also supports the new administration's goals of enhancing the economy, securing energy independence and reducing greenhouse gases. The process will start with a Jan. 27 kick-off meeting at BPA's headquarters in Portland, Ore.

"BPA wants to hear directly from customers and other regional stakeholders," says Mike Weedall, BPA vice president of Energy Efficiency. "BPA is in listening mode. We want input about the role BPA should play in developing, incentivizing and monitoring energy efficiency programs."

The region has been a national leader in energy efficiency for more than 30 years, and 2008 served as a landmark for BPA in terms of surpassing its regional goal. In partnership with its utility customers, the agency captured over 76 average megawatts of new conservation savings against a target of 52 average megawatts. This translates to the equivalent power consumption of about 65,000 households in the Pacific Northwest.

"The region is tremendously successful in providing power resources in the form of energy efficiency," Weedall adds. "But times are changing, and the region needs to continue with a pro-active strategy. This comprehensive public conversation is a great place to start."

The public process will also help define BPA's future role in energy efficiency after 2011, when a new tiered rate structure kicks in as part of new long-term power sales contracts. Energy efficiency is affected by this new rate structure because tiered rates provide a financial incentive for utilities to acquire the least-cost resources to avoid paying market rate power prices for new load growth.

For more information about this initiative, click here. http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/post-2011/.

BPA is a not-for-profit federal electric utility that markets more than a third of the electricity consumed in the Pacific Northwest. The power is produced at 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant in the Northwest and is sold to more than 140 Northwest utilities. The agency operates a high-voltage transmission grid comprising more than 15,000 miles of lines and associated substations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

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Bonneville Power Administration
905 N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232

Mailing Address: Media Relations - DM7, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621

Phone: (503)230-5131 FAX: (503) 230-5884 Web Site: http://www.bpa.gov

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