DOE asked to support historical partnership between PMAs and their customers

In considering possible changes to the federal power marketing administrations, the Department of Energy should continue to support the collaborative, historical partnership between the PMAs and their preference customers, APPA said Jan. 22. The association filed the comments on draft recommendations by DOE staff to implement proposals in Secretary Steven Chu’s March 16, 2012 memo at the Western Area Power Administration.

APPA "remains concerned that DOE (under this or future presidents) could use these recommendations to overhaul the PMAs for the benefit of new ‘stakeholders’ and at the cost of PMA customers," the association told the DOE Joint Outreach Team (JOT). APPA also joined with 30 public power and cooperative groups in comments questioning the legal basis for some of the recommendations (see the Jan. 25 Public Power Daily).

While the draft recommendations omitted some of the more controversial portions of Chu’s memo and include some noncontroversial recommendations, "the lack of specificity in the recommendations could allow DOE to take steps in implementation that could increase costs for the primary constituency of the PMAs: the preference customers," APPA said.

APPA’s comments address each of the draft recommendations, with the common theme that the PMAs’ preference customers should not pay for changes that benefit others or that would violate the statutes and principles underlying the PMAs. The comments are posted on APPA’s website. —ROBERT VARELA

1875 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20009-5715

Voice : 202/467-2900
Fax : 202/467-2910
www.PublicPower.org