BPA’s proposed changes to its grid access process have prompted questions about how new readiness criteria will affect established industry practices and financing of new projects.

The Bonneville Power Administration faces monumental challenges in implementing actions to meet the Pacific Northwest’s needs once it lifts its pause on transmission planning.

Following BPA’s pause on certain transmission planning processes, the agency’s customers say it might be time to consider creating a regional transmission organization or imposing stricter requirements to tackle the “exponential growth” of transmission service requests.

The Bonneville Power Administration’s first day-ahead markets workshop since issuing the draft policy stating its intention to join SPP’s Markets+ left little opportunity for critics to probe agency officials about the decision.

BPA could face high implementation fees and operating costs under both SPP’s Markets+ and CAISO’s EDAM, but exact amounts are in flux.

Stakeholders urged the Bonneville Power Administration to provide more transparency regarding the agency’s multibillion-dollar initiative to build and upgrade transmission to address evolving challenges for the region's grid.

BPA would earn $65 million in annual benefits from joining CAISO’s EDAM but face $83 million in increased yearly costs from participating in SPP’s Markets+, according to a new Brattle study.