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Bonneville Power Administration Will Decrease Power Rates by an Average of 2.5% by Staff KNDO/KNDU, August 6, 2021

WASHINGTON STATE - The Bonneville Power Administration will decrease power rates by an average of 2.5% and slashed its proposed transmission rate increase in half to an average of 6.1%.

The new rates were announced as BPA released the final record of decision for its BP-22 power and transmission rate case as well as the TC-22 tariff proceeding.

The TC-22 tariff proceeding adopted new language in BPA's open access transmission tariff that will enable the power marketer to participate in the Western Energy Imbalance Market if BPA chooses to do so. The decision of whether to join the Western EIM is a separate process outside of the TC-22 proceeding and is anticipated to be made by the end of the fiscal year.

Under the settlement adopted by the BP-22 Record of Decision, the firm power tier 1 rates will decrease by 2.5% for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Looking back over the previous decade, BP-22 will cap a 10-year period during which BPA's power rate trajectory increased by less than 2 percent annually, which is in line with historical inflation rates.

"Rates that have matched inflation -- not just in a single rate case, but over a sustained period -- is proof of BPA's commitment to bending the cost curve and driving down rate pressures on our power rates," said BPA Administrator John Hairston. "Today's announcement demonstrates we are financially strong, competitive and responsive to our customers' needs."

With Transmission, the settlement provided for a 6.1% average effective rate increase across the rate period -- a number roughly half of what was proposed in the BP-22 Initial Proposal.

"We've landed in a spot where BPA will be able to continue to keep its transmission commitments and re-invest in the value of BPA's transmission infrastructure in a fiscally sound and responsible manner," Hairston said.

Beyond rates, the BP-22 Record of Decision also establishes revenue financing for up to $40 million for both the Power and Transmission business lines. This financing will allow BPA to issue less debt and decrease upward rate pressures in subsequent rate cases. The ROD also established the implementation of the Short-Distance Discount in the point-to-point Transmission rate and addressed the equitable treatment of fish and wildlife costs.

As part of the settlement, BPA has committed to holding workshops on various topics of interest to customers, including revenue financing, EIM costs and benefits, balancing services, the Eastern Intertie, and transmission losses.