Western welcomes new Acting Administrator

On Aug. 15, the Department of Energy announced that Anita Decker, Chief Operating Officer at the Bonneville Power Administration, will serve up to a four-month detail as Acting Administrator of Western. She starts Aug. 20 and will work out of the Administrator's office at the Corporate Services Office in Lakewood, Colo.

“This is a great development opportunity for Anita and for Western. I have worked with her closely over the years as a fellow Power Marketing Administration COO, and I am excited to have her come on board. Anita brings a wealth of experience, professionalism and new perspectives. I am confident she will carry out Western's essential functions and services in support of our mission,” said Montoya, who will return to his COO position.

“I also want to thank customers for their support during my detail,” he added. “I enjoyed working with you.”

Anita’s focus will be to support and carry on Western’s core mission of delivering cost-based, renewable, non-carbon-emitting Federal hydropower to our firm electric service customers. “I’m honored by the chance to work with Western’s leadership team at a key time as they go through the process of hiring a new administrator.  I will gain from the experience and bring a different perspective back to BPA when I return,” Decker said.

Decker has served as COO for the BPA since 2007. Before this position, she spent 27 years with PacifiCorp, rising to the role of vice president. As COO she has responsibility for BPA’s Power Services; Transmission Services; Environment, Fish and Wildlife; Energy Efficiency; Customer Service and Internal Business services.

Decker earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Utah Valley University and completed a senior business leadership program through the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of the European Institute for Business Administration, also known as INSEAD, advanced management program in Fontainebleau, France.

See her full biography at http://www.bpa.gov/corporate/about_BPA/execs/adbio.cfm.

If you have questions, contact the Corporate Communications office at 720-962-7050 or corpcomm@wapa.gov.

Western shares study of current power system operations

Western released an operations study report Aug. 9. The study was created by an independent consultant, Miracorp, to evaluate its current power system operations and provide alternatives to consider as Western strives to operate efficiently and effectively in a dynamically changing environment. Read more on the Operations Study page.

Western to purchase RECs for Federal agencies

Western has issued a request for proposals for renewable energy certificates, or RECs, for five Federal agencies.

RECs represent the environmental attributes of energy generated by renewable resources such as solar, wind, biomass or landfill gas, physically delivered into the electric grid.

For more information on how to submit an RFP, read the full press release.

 Modernizing the grid with your help

Last week, we began a series of workshops and listening sessions to get input and recommendations from Western Area Power Administration customers and all stakeholders about how the Energy Department’s Power Marketing Administrations can work to modernize the electric grid. As costs to maintain Western’s aging transmission lines and power transformers steadily increase and new stresses and threats to the grid are emerging, the Department and Western are traveling throughout Western’s service territory to get feedback from customers and stakeholders that will help us draft a set of recommendations on how to move forward and tackle these issues. There are challenges facing the grid, and we want to engage in a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation with customers and other stakeholders as to how to plan for those challenges. Read the full article on DOE's blog.

 Western announces Estes-Flatiron Project public scoping meetings

Western will hold open house public scoping meetings in Loveland and Estes Park, Colo., Aug. 6 and 7 respectively, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days.

The public can drop by any time to learn more about the project or participate in brainstorming sessions and other activities.

For more information, read the press release.

The new ‘Hurricane Proof’ structure stands next to what is left of the pole destroyed by the June 27 monsoon.

 Western repairs line after Arizona monsoon in late June

Several dust storms swept through parts of Arizona June 27 with wind gusts reaching 40- to 50-mph, causing hundreds of outages to homes and businesses throughout the area.

The storm also destroyed 29 structures on Western Area Power Administration’s ED2-to-Saguaro Steam #2 115-kilovolt transmission line.

Western’s line was placed back in service July 6, after more than 10 linemen left one jobsite to immediately repair the Electric District #2-to-Saguaro #2 line on June 29.

The line serves power to the Central Arizona Water Conservation District which uses the power to pump water from the Colorado River through the Central Arizona Project canal to Tucson, Ariz. With pumping plants set up at intervals along the canal, CAWCD pumps the water up through the plant to help it continue to flow down the canal.

For more about the repair work, read the news release.

 Estes-Flatiron Project scoping process extended

Western is extending the Estes-to-Flatiron Substation Transmission Lines Rebuild Project environmental impact statement public scoping process through Aug. 31. The extension provides additional opportunities for the public to provide comments and identify issues, opportunities and concerns that should be considered in the draft EIS.

Western proposes to upgrade and co-locate two aging transmission lines in the area onto one right of way. Upgrading these lines is necessary to comply with safety standards; ensure reliable and cost effective electricity in Estes Park, Loveland and along the Front Range in Colorado; and provide accessibility for maintenance and emergencies.

Comments received will be considered in defining the scope of the EIS. In order to ensure consideration in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received before the end of the scoping period.

 Centennial West Clean Line, Western sign agreement for transmission project development

Centennial West Clean Line LLC, an affiliate of Clean Line Energy Partners LLC, and Western Area Power Administration have entered into an agreement that outlines a working relationship to advance the development of the proposed Centennial West Clean Line Transmission Project.

The proposed project would deliver 3,500 megawatts of renewable power from northeastern New Mexico to communities in California, transported via a 900-mile overhead high-voltage direct current, or HVDC, transmission line. Due to its low electricity losses and smaller footprint, HVDC transmission is the most efficient and cost effective technology to move large amounts of electricity across long distances. The project will include an intermediate converter station in Mohave County, Ariz., to access the state’s abundant solar resource.

For more information, read the news release.

 HOOVER-MEAD RELAY UPGRADE - The need to upgrade translates to customer savings

Mead Substation

Technology advancements are said to save us time, money and resources. The 10-year Hoover-Mead Relay upgrade project at Mead Substation in Boulder City, Nev., proves this to be true. Upgraded relays on Western’s transmission lines not only communicate what is happening with the power from the power generation source to the substation, they also protect the Mead-Hoover transmission lines.

 Replacing the legacy type relays to the new microprocessor relays with event reporting capability is worth a celebration. With the new relays, real-time data is readily available and shows fault location, time of event, magnitude of the fault and event history. Legacy relays only had mechanical indication targets or limited history, as is the case with the solid state relays. This means that when they trip, the technician could only view a mechanical target, not knowing the location, time of the fault or the magnitude or history of the event. Upgrading to new relays not only saves time and resources but increases reliability. “The event reporting from the microprocessor relays reduces our response time because we are able to provide exact locations of the faults,” commented Jodi Harmon, Foreman II Communications and Instrumentation craftsman at Mead.

Read more in the news feature.

 FALL PROTECTION—Taking protection to new heights

Work restraint, work positioning and fall arrest: What do these actions mean to you? Probably not much, but to the 30-plus Western craftsmen who met in Boulder City, Nev., April 24 and 25 it meant employee safety. These three primary fall protection concepts are what keep our craftsmen who climb transmission and communication structures, transformers or other electrical equipment safe. 

As a result of numerous requests, the Bureau of Land Management is extended the scoping period for the proposed Southline Transmission Line Project. The scoping period, which was scheduled to end June 4, has been extended to end July 5. Western is a co‑lead agency on the environmental impact statement.

The Southline Transmission Project would collect and deliver electricity across southern New Mexico and southern Arizona, relieving congestion, strengthening the existing electrical system and improving transmission access for local renewable and other energy sources.

Learn more about the project on BLM’s webpage.

Secretary Chu blogs about DOE/PMA goals 

In March, Secretary Chu instructed the Power Marketing Administrations to help lead the 21^st century transformation of the nation’s electric industry. To achieve these goals, the Secretary is looking first to Western. A joint Western and DOE team will seek input from customers and other stakeholders regarding: 

• Upgrades to the power grid
• Incentivizing rates
• PMA role in transition to 21^st century grid
• Reform outcome
• Fundamental mission
• Investments
• System versatility and capability

Stakeholder workshops, set to begin in July, will take place in Phoenix, Ariz.; Loveland, Colo.; Folsom, Cal.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Rapid City, S.D.; and Billings, Mont.

Read Secretary Chu’s full message on his blog.