FEC Chief Administrative Officer Tia Robbin joins the Public Power Council for a trip to Capitol Hill.
Flathead Electric Cooperative is a member of the Public Power Council (PPC), an advocacy organization representing consumer-owned utilities across the Pacific Northwest. These utilities receive power from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) via the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). PPC visits Washington, D.C., annually to discuss key issues with federal delegations.
This year, the Co-op’s Chief Administrative Officer Tia Robbin represented Montana at the PPC “Legislative Blitz.” She joined five executives from utilities in WA, OR, ID, WY, along with PPC CEO Scott Simms, and its D.C. representative. In two days, they held 21 meetings with Senators, Representatives (including Montana’s delegation), Department of Energy officials, and the White House Director of Strategic Initiatives. They focused on five key priorities:
- Transmission Development: The PPC group underscored the need for increased transmission capacity across the BPA system, and Tia highlighted the specific and significant transmission capacity constraints on the BPA transmission serving Northwest Montana.
- Wildfire Mitigation and Prevention: The PPC group expressed strong gratitude for the Montana delegation’s support of the Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to reduce fire risk on federal lands.
- Protection of the Lower Snake River Dams: With the need for more electric generation, not less, the PPC group stressed the need to protect the Lower Snake River dams, which are critical generation sources in the CRPS.
- Staffing Reductions at BPA: While reducing federal waste is crucial, the PPC group emphasized that the utilities, not the federal government, pay BPA costs through rates, and that utilities scrutinize BPA’s financial statements and costs to ensure no waste or fraud. Recent BPA staffing cuts—about 230 positions, including at least 50 critical roles like high-voltage line workers—pose risks to the integrity of the grid. The PPC group lobbied to relax the federal hiring freeze to allow BPA to replace these critical positions.
- Support for BPA’s Decision Regarding Markets+: The PPC group voiced its endorsement of BPA’s decision to join the Southwest Power Pool Markets+ rather than CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market. This choice promotes regional reliability and efficiency, supports our region’s unique hydropower resources, and ensures strong governance, allowing meaningful influence from utilities. Markets+ also fosters cooperation and transparency, giving BPA and customers like FEC a significant role in shaping market operations.
Engaging in these discussions ensures that Flathead Electric Cooperative is able to advocate for solutions that benefit our members and our region.
