Thieves hit BPA substation in Gold Beach, Ore.; reward offered

 
Gold Beach, Ore. – Thieves broke into a Bonneville Power Administration’s Rogue substation in Gold Beach, Ore., and stole approximately 1,900 feet of copper wire and scrap worth more than $3,000.  Law enforcement officials are investigating the incident, which occurred the weekend of May 2. BPA is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

"This is a very serious offense involving theft of federal property," said Dale Coulombe, BPA Transmission Services Eugene district manager.  "Also, the costs associated with these thefts are ultimately paid by electricity consumers."

In 2008, BPA losses due to substation theft and vandalism totaled more that $277,000.  So far in 2009, such incidents have cost BPA nearly $28,000 to repair and replace.

Copper wire is used throughout the BPA system to help maintain reliable electrical service.  BPA and local law enforcement officials are appealing to local residents who may have details about the incident to contact them.

“We’re hoping that this information will help jog someone’s memory who may know about this theft or may have seen something suspicious occurring at the substation,” said Kevin West, BPA physical security specialist.  “Sometimes even small details can help law enforcement officials make significant investigative progress.”    

Through its Crime Witness Program, BPA offers up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of individuals committing crimes against BPA facilities and infrastructure. Anyone having information is asked to call BPA's confidential and toll-free Crime Witness Hotline at (800) 437-2744 or local law enforcement.

BPA is a not-for-profit federal electric utility that operates a high-voltage transmission system comprising more than 15,000 miles of lines and associated substations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.  It also markets more than a third of the electricity consumed in the Pacific Northwest. The power is produced at 31 federal dams owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation and one nuclear plant in the Northwest and is sold to more than 140 Northwest utilities.  BPA purchases power from seven wind projects and has more than 2,000 megawatts of wind interconnected to its transmission system.

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