About PPC

The Public Power Council (PPC) represents the Pacific Northwest's consumer-owned utilities on important issues in the region and in Washington, D.C. 

We focus on Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) ratemaking, revenue requirements and policies.  In addition, PPC engages with BPA and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council on issues related to power supply planning and conservation. PPC strives to keep its members informed about transmission issues, including rates, resources and efforts to form a regional transmission organization.

Columbia River Basin fish and wildlife recovery programs are a large component of power rates in the Northwest, and PPC tracks developments in this arena on behalf of its constituents. In all of these efforts, the bottom line for PPC is to safeguard and protect the priority rights of consumer-owned utilities to federally generated power at cost.

Formed in December 1966, PPC grew from the Rates and Economics Section of the Northwest Public Power Association.  At that time, BPA and regional utilities predicted their hydro resources would not be adequate to cover forecasted power needs.  As BPA and Northwest utilities considered adding thermal plants to the region’s power resources, public utilities formed PPC to ensure the collective interests of BPA's preference customers would be adequately represented in the changing environment. 

PPC’s mission from the outset was to represent public power in regional forums on wholesale power issues, provide technical expertise to public utilities in the Columbia River Basin and preserve our members' historical and legal first rights to the power generated from the federal hydro system.

Serving Consumer-Owned Utilities

PPC has provided the region's consumer-owned utilities an economic and effective way to address wholesale electric power issues. Working through PPC, consumer-owned utilities can speak with one voice on critical issues. For four decades, PPC has represented the views of its members and public power in general and influenced major legislation, such as the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980.  PPC intervenes when necessary before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and is active at state utility commissions as well, working to ensure that the voice of public power is heard in these arenas.

Until recently, PPC’s principal task was to represent and defend the views of public power before BPA.  We have participated actively in BPA rate proceedings and contract negotiations in an effort to keep wholesale power rates low and terms as favorable as possible.  As a result of rapid industry-wide changes, however, the relationships among regional power interests are shifting. 

A number of issues have emerged in recent years that will affect the future of public power – federal and state restructuring legislation, utility mergers, regional transmission organizations, Endangered Species Act listings, and the relationship between BPA and its preference customers, to name a few.  PPC is responding to these issues and finding ways to change with the times to carry out our mission on behalf of the Northwest’s consumer-owned utilities.

PPC Background

In the beginning.
Formed in December 1966, PPC arose from the Rates and Economics Section of the Northwest Public Power Association.  At that time, BPA and regional utilities predicted that their hydro resources would not be adequate to cover forecasted regional power needs.  As BPA and regional utilities considered adding thermal resources to the region's power supply, public utilities formed PPC in order to ensure that the collective interests of BPA's preference customers would be adequately represented in the changing environment.  PPC's mission was to represent public power in regional forums on wholesale power issues, to provide technical expertise to public utilities in the Columbia River Basin and to preserve its members' historical and legal first rights to the power generated from the federal hydro system.

Today.
Since its formation, PPC has enabled the region's consumer-owned utilities to deal with wholesale electric power issues in an economic and effective fashion.  Working through PPC, consumer-owned utilities can speak with one regional voice on the critical issues facing public power.  PPC has represented the views of its member utilities in regional forums during the past three decades.  PPC has also influenced such legislation as the Northwest Regional Power Act of 1980.  PPC intervenes when necessary before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and is active at the state commission level as well, working to ensure that the interests of public power in these arenas are fairly heard.

Until recently, PPC's mission -- to represent public power on those issues which they held in common -- has principally meant representing and defending the views of public power to BPA.  PPC has represented its member utilities in BPA rate proceedings in an effort to keep BPA's overall costs and the costs of its wholesale power down.  Now, the relationships among regional power interests are shifting as a result of the rapid industry-wide changes described below.

What the future holds.
Now that public utilities have the flexibility to obtain their power from sources other than BPA, the array of issues faced by public power has broadened considerably. Issues on the radar screen include restructuring legislation at both the state and federal levels; a rash of mergers among investor-owned utilities; the development of an independent transmission grid operator; and the changing relationship between BPA and its preference customers -- many of whom will continue to look to BPA for the bulk of their power needs.

For additional information on PPC history, click here.

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