BPA releases plan to reimburse wind energy producers

The federal agency that sells and transmits most electrical power in the Northwest has proposed a plan to cover half of wind producers’ lost revenue when they’re forced to shut down wind farms during periods of excess hydropower production.

The plan would affect Cowlitz PUD, which owns interests in two Central Washington wind farms, but would not lower or raise rates significantly, PUD officials said.

“This is not going to do anything that would appear to be a rate-driver,” PUD spokesman Dave Andrew said Wednesday.

Over the objections of wind energy producers, the federal Bonneville Power Administration last spring ordered wind farms to shut down to avoid overloading the region’s transmission system. Abundant spring runoff in the Columbia River Basin produced too much hydroelectric power for the grid to handle. Since then, the wind power industry has been demanding compensation. Read more