Bonneville Power Administration (BPA): Wind Power in BPA Control Area Exceeds 1000 Megawatts

January 23, 2008 – Vol. 12 No. 44

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA): Wind Power in BPA Control Area Exceeds 1000 Megawatts.

Reaching the 1,000 MW milestone is significant because of the challenges involved with integrating wind power into the region's electrical grid. Building new transmission lines and substations is often required to deliver electricity from the new wind projects, which are usually located in remote areas, to customers. And because wind is an intermittent resource - power is only generated when the wind is blowing - BPA has worked with utilities and other stakeholders in the region to develop approaches to effectively manage the variability of wind power to meet consumer demand.

The region, including the three states that include many of the utilities served by BPA - Washington, Oregon and Montana - have enacted legislation requiring utilities to phase in additional renewable energy sources over time. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Fifth Northwest Power Plan anticipates wind power will play a major role in meeting the region's future demand for electricity. The plan foresees the development of up to 5,000 MW of new wind power over its 20-year planning period. To date, BPA has connected 13 wind projects into the region's transmission grid.

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Energy. BPA serves the Pacific Northwest through operating an extensive electricity transmission system and marketing wholesale electrical power at cost from federal dams, one non-federal nuclear plant and other nonfederal hydroelectric and wind energy generation facilities. (1/22/08)

Links:

Bonneville Power Administration
http://www.bpa.gov

Northwest Power and Conservation Council
Northwest Wind Integration Action Plan
http://www.nwcouncil.org/energy/Wind/library/2007-1.htm

Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No