Bonneville Power Administration officials recently announced the decision to join Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ day-ahead market. They say the move will yield economic benefits for its customers and more equitable management of the region’s energy resources. 

“The policy sets the agency’s strategic direction for future processes and provides the best option to meet BPA’s long-term strategic business interests and statutory mission,” said BPA administrator and CEO John Hairston in a statement. 

BPA currently sells its power via a “real time” market under the California Independent System Operator, which requires more intensive management and coordination among the agency and the utilities it serves.  

Some utility authorities and companies have criticized the move as too expensive and possibly leading to BPA power being distributed far outside its current service area. BPA officials have asserted its current market gives too much power over the region-wide energy system to California because the California Independent System Operator is governed in part by the California Legislature. 

Public power providers, including the three utilities that serve the Tri-Cities and its surrounding communities, have endorsed BPA’s move to a day-ahead market. They have said the new market’s design and governance structure is better suited to BPA’s hydroelectric power generation and will lead to more efficiency.