BPA Final Decision on FY2011 Overspend

On Jan. 25^th, BPA released its final decision document detailing how it plans to manage a large overspend in capital for energy efficiency resources in its FY2011. As earlier reported, BPA’s draft decision was consistent with its stated principle to live within the total 5 year budget allocation for energy efficiency capital spending. With this principle in place, the question for BPA became how to best spread the pain of out year budget reductions across its retail utility customers. The final decision, while adhering to previously stated core principles, did differ in some areas from the draft. Notably, BPA’s formula for determining budget allocations for each utility will recognize that no single utility should be “zeroed out” in 2013. As such, BPA will ensure that all utilities have at least 35% of their base case 2013 budget allocation for their use in operating energy efficiency programs. In an e-mail to public interest group constituencies, BPA states, “Although the consequences of the energy efficiency capital overspend may present challenges in meeting future conservation targets, BPA is confident that, by a renewed commitment to self-funding by BPA’s utility customers, we will together continue to effectively achieve and exceed Northwest Power and Conservation Council targets.”  To review the final decision document from BPA, click here.