§832m Sale of Excess Federal Power; Fish and Wildlife Conservation Within Federal Columbia River Power System; Residential Exchange; Personnel Flexibility

Summary

Lets the Bonneville Power Administration sell extra federal electricity under set rules. Administrator: the head of the Bonneville Power Administration. Council: the Northwest Power and Conservation Planning Council. Excess Federal power: extra power because customers bought from others after January 1, 1995, or power used mainly for fish and wildlife work. The Administrator may sell this extra power outside the Pacific Northwest on firm contracts up to 7 years, but only after first offering it for a reasonable time on the same basic rate and terms to Pacific Northwest public, cooperative, and investor-owned utilities and certain big industrial customers. The power can also be sold in areas that do not ban resale. Within 180 days of November 13, 1995, the Council must review and report to Congress on the best regional way to manage fish and wildlife work for the Federal Columbia River Power System. The Army’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Works, through the Corps’ North Pacific Division, may buy power-related and fish-and-wildlife goods and services from the Administrator using the Administrator’s authorities. For fiscal year 1997, the residential exchange cost benefits are $145,000,000, and each eligible utility gets $145,000,000 times its share of the net benefits it got in fiscal year 1995. The Administrator may offer voluntary separation payments up to $25,000. If a recipient takes U.S. government work within five years after leaving, they must repay the full amount to the Bonneville Power Administration. Unless Congress changes it, these authorities are meant to continue beyond the fiscal year.