Western Power Pool

Talk about coming full circle – from their early days learning the industry acronyms to leading West-wide programs with typical energy abbreviations.

Our very own Sarah Edmonds and Rebecca Sexton joined the NewsData People in Power Podcast for a lively conversation about their unconventional paths to careers in energy, the role of the Western Power Pool and the latest developments for two of our programs, the Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP) and Western Transmission Expansion Coalition (WestTEC).

People in Power Episode 21: Sarah Edmonds and Rebecca Sexton of Western Power Pool on WRAP and WestTEC In this episode of People in Power, Ayla Burnett and Abigail Sawyer chat with Sarah Edmonds and Rebecca Sexton of the Western Power Pool about their backgrounds and the paths

“We’ve always solved our problems, but I’m not going to sit here and sugarcoat this one. We’ve got a lot of work to do this next 10 years.”

WPP, PNUCC and other Pacific Northwest organizations committed to strengthening reliability in the region recently shared their thoughts on growing concerns about resource adequacy and system reliability at the Regional Energy Symposium and in this video.

Hear voices from across the energy sector spotlight the increasing interdependence between natural gas and electricity systems and the vital need for clear communication and enhanced coordination and planning.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST: An Energy System Under Increasing Strain This is "PACIFIC NORTHWEST: An Energy System Under Increasing Strain" by WPP on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

We’re hiring: WPP is looking for a Principal Operations Advisor to join the team. Are you a power systems expert looking to make an impact on energy reliability in the West? Then check out the full job description and apply at https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/principal-operations-advisor.

WestTEC brings together an all-star roster of organizations and committee members from across the West. We’re excited to share this video to tell you more about it.

WestTEC: A New Approach to Transmission Planning in the West The Western U.S. is facing challenges to its energy infrastructure, including an aging transmission system and the need for reliable, affordable, and sustainable…

Current WRAP participants project a changing resource mix within the next five years, according to the proposed resource portfolios analyzed for the first non-binding phase of the WRAP. The modeling and its resulting set of metrics, including increasing required Planning Reserve Margins, underscore the importance of implementing the WRAP and provide additional context to the conversation about the tightening supply in the region.

https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/first-full-set-of-non-binding-data-highlights-impo

Western Power Pool Marks Major Milestone, Files WRAP Tariff with FERC:
Learn more about this big step toward implementing the Western Resource Adequacy Program in this video featuring WPP President and CEO Sarah Edmonds, WPP Director of Reliability Programs Rebecca Sexton, and WPP Director of Technology, Modeling, and Analytics Ryan Roy.
https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/western-power-pool-marks-major-milestone-files-wra

WPP Board Approves WRAP Tariff, Clears Path for FERC Filing:

The Western Power Pool Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the tariff that will implement the Western Resource Adequacy Program. Board approval was the final procedural step required before the tariff can be filed at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

“This is another major milestone leading us closer to making this first-of-its-kind program a reality,” said Sarah Edmonds, WPP President and CEO. “Resource adequacy is an urgent and immediate challenge, especially in the West, and requires this type of region-wide approach to address it.”

https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/wpp-board-approves-wrap-tariff-clears-path-for-fer

In April of 2022, the Western Power Pool Board of Directors selected transmission and markets expert Sarah Edmonds to lead the organization as President and CEO. This video highlights some of what Sarah uniquely brings to the table and provides a glimpse into what's next in the development and implementation of our Western Resource Adequacy Program.

WPP In April of 2022, the Western Power Pool Board of Directors selected transmission and markets expert Sarah Edmonds to lead the organization as President and CEO. This video highlights some of what Sarah uniquely brings to the table and provides a glimpse into what's next in the development and imple...

As the power industry – and the world – looked forward to the end of the pandemic and a return to normal, it became obvious that “normal” wouldn’t look like it used to.

Part 3 of the Pandemic Response podcast covers the impact of Omicron and how Covid affected long-term planning. We look ahead to the industry’s future and additional challenges of returning to offices.

A special thank you as we wrap up the series to all our interviewees for their memories and their honesty in telling this story.

Listen to Part 3 of our Pandemic Response podcast: A New Normal
🎧 https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/episode-13-nerc-lessons-learned

When it became clear things weren’t returning to “normal” any time soon, the power industry took challenges head-on and settled in for a very long ride.

In Part 2 of our Pandemic Response podcast, you’ll hear how just about every aspect of business changed, from how crews were staffed to adapting to remote work to a whole new way of conducting training. All while responding to ever-changing health protocols.

We cover April 2020 through the end of 2021 in Part 2 of our Pandemic Response podcast: Lights Stayed On

🎧 https://soundcloud.com/user-342299049/ep12-pandemic-response-pt-2-lights-stayed-on

“Resource adequacy in the Pacific Northwest looks even more challenging than it did three years ago,” says Steve Wright, who notes that moving the Western Resource Adequacy Program along can help.

“The national and regional evidence points toward this being the right conclusion. The Pacific Northwest is getting this more right than any other region of the country by making resource adequacy the highest priority while also advancing short-term market development.”

RA in the NW—Seems Like the Challenge Keeps Getting Bigger In this first of a two-part guest column, Steve Wright, former BPA administrator (2000-2013) and Chelan County PUD GM (2013-2021), examines resource adequacy in the Northwest, through conversations with regional

There’s always a plan in place to keep the power on when disaster strikes. In the first few months of 2020, those plans got put to the test.

In Part 1 of our Pandemic Response podcast, hear from those who were inside the operations centers and planning rooms, as the power industry found ways to keep our workers safe and the lights on when Covid-19 hit.

For customers, it’s a look behind the scenes at something you may not think much about. For those in the business, we hope these stories make you feel seen and, more importantly, proud of what you’ve accomplished.

Listen to Part 1 of our Pandemic Response podcast: Earth Stood Still
🎧 https://soundcloud.com/user-342299049/ep11-pandemic-response-pt-1-earth-stood-still