Transmission
General Transfer Agreements (GTAs)
General Transfer Agreements (GTAs) are transmission
arrangements by which BPA wheels federal power
over the transmission grid of another (generally,
investor-owned, although not exclusively) utility
in order to provide power to public utilities that
are not connected directly to the BPA transmission
grid. Due to the onset of competition and
mandated industry restructuring, the future treatment
of GTAs is uncertain.
A number of BPA customers have agreed in principle
on how best to deal with the cost of GTAs in future
BPA rates cases. It is agreed that BPA should
propose to continue to include GTA costs in its
power rates -- only for existing customers and
only for sale of federal power to those customers. With
GTA contracts, BPA delivers federal power to customer
utilities over other utilities' lines rather than
building lines to reach all customer points of
delivery.
Approximately 60 public power customers
are served over GTAs. PPC
supports the continuation of GTA service and improved reliability/system maintenance
for those receiving sub-par service. The PPC Executive Committee
unanimously approved a position
paper describing its support for GTA customers and
expectations regarding continued service and rate issues.
Decisions that affect
GTA customers are made in multiple forums, including BPA
rate cases. PPC will continue working with
BPA and others in all relevant forums to preserve
GTA service.
In an August
12, 2004 press release, the Idaho Consumer-Owned
Utilities Association (ICUA) announced the publication
of the Final Report on the Regional Cost-Benefit
Study of General Transfer Agreements. A
full version of the report can be found on the ICUA
web site.
 Back
to top.
|
