the film forum library tutorial contact

BPA Seeks Rate Increase for Wholesale Power by David Nogueras Oregon Public Broadcasting, November 19, 2010

The Bonneville Power Administration is looking to increase the rate it charges for wholesale power. It's likely that the 8.3 percent hike would eventually be passed on to consumers in the form of rate increases by utility companies.

Doug Johnson is a spokesman for the Bonneville Power Administration.

He says part of the rate hike would cover the various costs associated with restoring habitats for native fish.

But Johnson says most would go toward the operation and maintenance of 31 federal dams on the Columbia Basin, as well as a Tri-Cities nuclear facility.

Doug Johnson: "You incrementally keep pace on the improvements that you need to make but like anything else, the older things get the more you have to replace, the more you have to do. And that's kind of where we're finding ourselves right now."

If approved the new rates would go into effect in October of next year.

BPA increased rates last year. The federal power marketing agency implemented a 7 percent hike.