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Johnson Retires After Long BPA Career by Associated Press The Oregonian, February 15, 2005

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The man who managed the Northwest power grid for 38 years at the Bonneville Power Administration has retired. Frederick M. Johnson, of Vancouver, Wash., helped build and maintain the BPA's 15,000-mile high-voltage electrical power grid.

On Tuesday, a building at the northern terminal of the line connecting the Northwest to the Southwest was named in his honor.

"Fred has been involved in almost every major technical transmission innovation during his career," said Steve Wright, BPA administrator.

Wright praised Johnson for "ensuring the reliability of the system while stressing the value and importance of each and every employee."

BPA owns, operates and maintains about 75 percent of the region's electrical grid in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, as well as small portions in Wyoming, Northern California and Nevada.

Johnson was responsible for managing all field functions, from maintenance of lines and substation equipment to construction of new facilities.

Johnson, a Portland native, graduated from Oregon State University with an engineering degree. He worked at BPA summers and during school vacations, joining the agency's engineering training program in 1965 after graduating from Benson High School.

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