Renewable energy developers file lawsuit against BPA

June 14, 2011

A coalition of leading Pacific Northwest energy companies filed a complaint against the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) today, accusing the agency of using its monopoly control of the region’s grid to break its contracts and seize transmission rights.

The complaint was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), citing violation of the Federal Power Act and decades of regulatory policy.

“The policy is the most egregious example of BPA choosing to not play by the rules that apply to other transmission providers,” said Don Furman, senior vice president of Iberdrola Renewables. “The Federal Power Act exists to prevent this kind of discrimination and enforce contracts for energy delivery.

“This is setting a dangerous precedent for the sanctity of contracts in the Pacific Northwest and the nation, and will greatly jeopardize the development of renewable energy in the region,” said Furman.

The coalition initiating the legal filing against Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is composed of leading Northwest energy operators Iberdrola Renewables, PacifiCorp, NextEra Energy Resources, Horizon Wind Energy, and Invenergy.

Collectively, the coalition has invested more than $6 billion in new renewable generation in the Pacific Northwest.