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I know that there are many people within Bonneville who are working hard to find a way to come up with the money for this cable. Officially, BPA has not reached any decision, and I think that if we force the issue at this particular point in time, we may receive an answer that we won't like. It is more to our interest to ease this process along without cutting off any avenues. While I was in Portland, I attended the annual BPA Customer Meeting. This is a full day meeting for the senior staff at BPA and the managers and directors of BPA's public power customers to get together and discuss what is happening. BPA's main concern seems to be that the results of the recently completed Regional Review are going to make significant changes in Bonneville that may not be in the public power's best interest. As the meeting progressed, it became apparent that the BPA staff really does understand their customers' issues. Those attending felt that BPA did a better job expressing their customers' points of view than the other way around. I also attended a meeting with other utilities and BPA staff concerning retail wheeling and customer choice. Under bills introduced in our legislature as well as other states and in Congress, each of you would be able to purchase your electric power from anyone you want - much as you are able to choose your long distance telephone company today. Those who understand such things tell me it will be 1998 before our state has retail access legislation. There are several pilot projects underway or under discussion in our state that will give utilities the opportunity to gain experience with retail wheeling. In my comments to the BPA group, I pointed out some of the technical complexities that must be resolved before retail wheeling becomes widely available. I also pointed out that most of the attendees were from very large utilities, and BPA needs to be aware of the special needs of their smaller customers like OPALCO. The more I learn about retail wheeling, the more excited I get about it. I don't think it will reduce electric rates for the small, residential users, but it will open a new era of services for you. As a utility with no industrial loads or large commercial loads (as defined by the very large utilities), we will be working to make sure that our residential and commercial members are treated fairly and don't suffer so the very largest electricity users in the Northwest can have lower rates. Let's watch it unfold! Doug Bechtel
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