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New Transmission Product Unveiled by Staff BPA Journal, May 2009

A new product will help customers transfer power across BPA's transmission system while they wait for additional lines to be built. In particular, the innovation is expected to benefit generators looking to deliver energy from wind and other renewable resources. The new product, called conditional firm transmission, allows BPA to provide long-term transmission that can be curtailed under certain conditions.

Under conditional firm agreements, BPA agrees to provide long-term transmission service. Customers agree to a designated number of hours each year that BPA can curtail service when certain conditions exist that would otherwise threaten reliable system operation. As BPA constructs additional high-voltage transmission lines, it will be able to convert the customers taking conditional firm service to long-term firm transmission. Many of the conditional firm transmission service offers will go to wind customers.

This product will help expedite transmission of renewable energy on BPA's transmission network while the agency builds additional transmission lines. BPA expects to make approximately 27 offers this year for about 1,300 megawatts of service for requests with start dates over the next three years.