Improving Access to the Improving Access to the Federal Columbia River Federal Columbia River

Transmission System: The Transmission System: The IPP PerspectiveIPP Perspective

NIPPCSeptember 8, 2005

Stephen HallPartner

Stoel Rives, LLP

Improving Access to the FCRTSImproving Access to the FCRTS

• Redispatch• Curtailment• Scheduling• Ancillary Services

RedispatchRedispatch

• BPA currently uses redispatch to maintain Network (NT) transmission schedules only.

• BPA is currently exploring the use of commercial redispatch to create additional ATC across constrained paths for firm Point to Point (PTP) transmission schedules.

• Benefits of commercial redispatch for PTP:– Maximizes value of existing federal transmission system – Increases ATC to satisfy pending requests for long-term PTP firm

transmission – Facilitates new generation– Increases TBL revenues– May create new business opportunities for non-federal

redispatch providers

CurtailmentCurtailment

• Concerns of generators– Real time curtailments of paths such as John Day-COB are

frequent.– BPA does not distinguish between firm and non-firm

transmission when cutting schedules.– BPA does not make schedule cuts pro rata.– BPA places too much reliance on Remedial Action Schemes

(RAS) to reduce constraints.– Under BPA’s ‘take or pay’ policy, BPA does not give any

credit for the derated portion of the interties to customers holding firm transmission rights.

Non-Redirectable PowerNon-Redirectable Power

• Problem:– If TBL cuts a transmission schedule in which BPA or a BPA

Slice customer is the generator, BPA will not allow the buyer to redirect the power.

• Solution:– Revise practice to conform with other regional transmission

providers.

Transmission SchedulingTransmission Scheduling

• TBL is currently using a hybrid system to schedule transmission transactions– Real Time Operations Dispatch and Scheduling system

(RODS)– Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS)

Transmission Scheduling Transmission Scheduling (cont.)(cont.)

– OASIS (aka, OATI)• Not fully operational• Many communications still made by telephone

– Inefficient and introduces potential for mistakes– Customer Web Interface (CWI)

• Transmission requests are processed manually• Lacks functionality of other OASIS sites

– Limited information about ATC

– RODS• Transmission schedules require an accounting number for each

transmission path– TBL cannot build these accounts in real time. – TBL will not pre-build accounts unless such accounts

will be activated immediately.

Ancillary ServicesAncillary Services

• Issue: – Generators would like to TBL consider other sources besides PBL

for ancillary services.

• Proposal:– TBL should implement a pilot program to procure its ancillary

services (other than Scheduling, System Control and Dispatch) through a competitive bidding process, e.g., issue an RFP where third party providers could compete with PBL to provide ancillary services to TBL.