Press Releases
10/31/2019
Coalition Files Complaint Against Bonneville Power Administration for Breaking Contracts, Undue Economic Discrimination
Coalition Files Complaint Against Bonneville Power Administration for Breaking Contracts, Undue Economic Discrimination
Companies seek FERC intervention to force BPA to comply with Federal Power Act and decades of regulatory policy
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June 13, 2011
PORTLAND, Ore. — A coalition of leading Pacific Northwest energy companies filed a complaint against the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) today, accusing the agency of using its monopoly control of the region’s grid to break its contracts and seize transmission rights.
The complaint was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), citing violation of the Federal Power Act and decades of regulatory policy.
“The policy is the most egregious example of BPA choosing to not play by the rules that apply to other transmission providers,” said Don Furman, senior vice president of Iberdrola Renewables. “The Federal Power Act exists to prevent this kind of discrimination and enforce contracts for energy delivery.
“This is setting a dangerous precedent for the sanctity of contracts in the Pacific Northwest and the nation, and will greatly jeopardize the development of renewable energy in the region,” said Furman.
About the Coalition
The coalition initiating the legal filing against Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is composed of leading Northwest energy operators Iberdrola Renewables, PacifiCorp, NextEra Energy Resources, Horizon Wind Energy, and Invenergy. Collectively, the coalition has invested more than $6 billion in new renewable generation in the Pacific Northwest.
Media Contact:
Art Sasse, Director, Communications & Brand, Iberdrola Renewables, 503-796-7740
Paul Copleman, Media Relations, Iberdrola Renewables, 207-641-2805
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About Iberdrola: Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.
With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
