Bonneville Power Administration's wholesale power and transmission rates for the FY 2012-2013 rate period were established during the BPA-12 Rate Case. The rate proceeding, conducted through a formal process described in Section 7(i) of the Northwest Power Act, concluded when the Administrator signed the Final Record of Decision on July 26, 2011.

 

The complete rate proceeding record was then sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for their review and approval of the proposed rates. The Commission granted interim approval to the Power Rates Schedules and General Rate Schedule Provisions (revised 10-29-2011, 12/07/2011, 01/17/12, and 03/15/2012) and the Transmission, Ancillary and Control Area Service Rate Schedules on September 22, 2011. Subject to final approval from the Commission, these rates will be in effect from October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2013 (FY 2012-2013).

BPA establishes rates to be charged for power and transmission services in a rate proceeding, a formal evidentiary hearing process. Prior to the development of BPA's rates in a rate proceeding, BPA determines its spending levels through a public process, the Integrated Program Review (IPR). BPA’s initial rate proposal is then prepared based on the outcome of the IPR. BPA's rates must be set so that BPA will be able to recover its total costs, including obligations to repay its debt to the Federal Treasury. BPA's initial rate proposal is then evaluated in a rate proceeding during which BPA staff presents its rate proposal to customers and other parties for review. At the conclusion of the rate proceeding, the Administrator issues a Final Record of Decision, which includes BPA's final proposed rates. BPA then files its rates proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for confirmation and approval.