Power Revenues Pay BPA Costs
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BPA pays its way by selling power, transmission and related services.
BPA receives no tax revenues or appropriations. Your electricity bill,
not your taxes, pays BPA's costs.
This financial responsibility ties BPA to the people it serves in the
Northwest.
BPA sells power at cost, providing a benchmark that helps
keep rates low to consumers. Low-cost Columbia River hydropower is a
cornerstone of the Northwest economy. Today, nearly 3 million people
and more than 1.2 million jobs depend on BPA power.
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BPA's revenues, about $2 billion a year, pay for its costs and for fulfilling its public purposes: maintaining low rates, funding for fish and wildlife programs, a reliable and environmentally sound power system and support for energy conservation and renewable resources. BPA's costs include the agency's debt. 
BPA pays over $700 million a year to the U.S. Treasury for its investment in the dams and transmission system. The U.S. power industry is being deregulated. Of necessity, BPA has become an efficient, lean power marketer. It has slashed its costs, downsized and reshaped its business practices. Like all utilities, BPA must cover its costs with revenues from power sales. This has become increasingly difficult in today's rapidly changing marketplace. |
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| NEXT: Enhancing A Renewable-Based System |
