Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110

§824r Protection of Transmission Contracts in the Pacific Northwest

Title 16 › CHAPTER 12 — FEDERAL REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF POWER › SUBCHAPTER II — REGULATION OF ELECTRIC UTILITY COMPANIES ENGAGED IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE › § 824r

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Stops the Commission from forcing certain Pacific Northwest utilities to turn firm transmission rights they held on August 8, 2005 into tradable or financial rights. That protection covers rights held by owning transmission facilities or by contract, and also rights gained by using related contract or tariff options. Electric utility or person — a utility or person that, on August 8, 2005, had firm transmission rights by contract or ownership and was located in the Pacific Northwest (see section 839a) or in the area proposed for an RTO in Commission Docket Number RT01–35 when that docket opened.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §824r

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definition of electric utility or person

In this section, the term “electric utility or person” means an electric utility or person that—

(1)as of August 8, 2005, holds firm transmission rights pursuant to contract or by reason of ownership of transmission facilities; and

(2)is located—

(A)in the Pacific Northwest, as that region is defined in section 839a of this title; or

(B)in that portion of a State included in the geographic area proposed for a regional transmission organization in Commission Docket Number RT01–35 on the date on which that docket was opened.

(b)Protection of transmission contracts

Nothing in this chapter confers on the Commission the authority to require an electric utility or person to convert to tradable or financial rights—

(1)firm transmission rights described in subsection (a); or

(2)firm transmission rights obtained by exercising contract or tariff rights associated with the firm transmission rights described in subsection (a).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 824r

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110