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Council to determine whether a major resource acquisition by Bonneville is consistent 

 with the plan. If the Council determines the resource is inconsistent, Bonneville must 

 seek congressional approval before proceeding. 



In contrast, our authority in the Act to insure that Boimeville actually acquires 

 resources in the plan is less clearly defined. In fact, we can only encourage Bonneville 

 and the region's utilities to acquire conservation and other cost-effective resources. 

 Frankly, progress has been slower than we envisioned. For example: 



• The Council has called for workable conservation programs in all 

 economic sectors since 1983. While the region has made great progress, 

 more work is needed on commercial and industrial programs, and also in 

 acquiring lost-opportunity resources — those that must be acquired now or 

 lost forever. 



• Bonneville's processes are slow, perhaps too slow to acquire needed 

 resources in the timely fashion envisioned by the 1991 Power Plan. 



• While Bonneville has committed to acquiring its full share of the Council's 

 regional conservation goal, more progress is needed to provide long-term, 

 stable financial and contractual arrangements so utilities can meet the 

 aggressive goals in the plan. 



Bonneville is a world leader in innovative transmission technology, and the 

 agency has had some outstanding successes in resource acquisitions. But we believe 

 Bonneville can - and must ~ do more. We believe Bonneville should bring the same 

 level of innovation to resource acquisitions — particularly conservation — as it brings to 

 building and maintaining its world-class transmission system. We have urged 

 Bonneville not to treat its Northwest Power Act obligations as discretionary funding, or 

 as "shock absorbers" in times of financial crisis. 



Resource Acquisition 



The Council's regional plaiming process, and its partnership with Bonneville, led 

 the Northwest into an era of energy efficiency. The 1991 Power Plan calls on 

 Bonneville and the region's utilities to aggressively acquire energy conservation. 

 Bonneville, as the major supplier of electricity in the region, has the biggest share of the 

 Council's 1,500-megawatt goal ~ 660 megawatts by the year 2003. It is important to 

 note that the Council considers 1,500 megawatts a minimum. Because of Bonneville's 



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