BPA Definitions - C

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C

See Celsius.

CAA

See Clean Air Act.

cable

A conductor with insulation (single conductor cable) or a combination of conductors insulated from one another (multi-conductor cable). Cables up to 115 kV usually have solid type insulation; cables rated 230 kV and above are oil-filled.

control and instrument cable

Two-conductor up to 12-conductor with 600/1,000 volt insulation.

fiber optic cable

Optical fibers incorporated into an assembly of materials that provide tensile strength and external protection, and have handling properties comparable to metallic cables.

power cable

Available from 2.4 kV up to 800 kV with current ratings up to 1,200 amperes. At lower voltage either single-phase or three-phase, while at higher voltage single-phase only.

CAD

See computer-aided design.

calendar year (CY)

The 12-month period from January 1 through December 31. See fiscal year, operating year.

California/Oregon Transmission Project (COTP)

A 500-kilometer (300-mile) transmission line between southern Oregon and the San Francisco Bay Area, managed by the Transmission Agency of Northern California, to increase Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest intertie capacity. Also see Third AC.

callback

A power sale contract provision that gives the seller the right to stop delivery of power to the buyer when it is needed to meet other specified obligations of the seller.

calorie

Originally, the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree C, but because this quantity varies with the temperature of the water, the calorie has been redefined in terms of other energy units. One calorie is equal to 4.2 joules.

Canadian Entitlement

Short for Canadian Entitlement Exchange Agreement. Under the Columbia River Treaty, Canada’s 50-percent share of the increase in usable energy and capacity downstream from, and based on the filling of three reservoirs at Duncan, Keenleyside, and Mica storage dams in Canada and the reservoir behind Libby Dam in Montana.

Canadian Storage Power Exchange (CSPE

A non-profit entity composed of Northwest public and private utilities that bought Canadian Entitlement rights for 30 years from the filling of each of the Columbia River Treaty reservoirs.

capability

The maximum load a generator, piece of equipment, substation, or system can carry under specified (standardized) conditions for a given time interval without exceeding approved limits. Sometimes used interchangeably with capacity, although not a synonym. Also see rating.

assured capability

In BPA power sales contracts, the firm peak and firm energy capabilities for each of the purchaser’s firm resources that the purchaser dedicates to serving their firm loads.

peak capability

The maximum output of a generating plant or plants during a specified peak-load period.

capability building

Creating the knowledge, tools, work force, and processes necessary for BPA to acquire conservation on a large scale within a sector of the economy when savings are needed, including pilot programs, demonstration pro- jects, and research and development projects from which programs may result, such as weatherization.

capability curve

A curve developed for gener- ators showing the limits of reactive and active power that a generator can produce without overheating or becoming unstable.

capacitance

That property of an arrangement of conductors and dielectrics that stores energy in the form of an electrical charge when potential differences exist between the conductors. See inductance.

capacitor

1) In a power system, installed to supply reactive power. See reactive power. 2) A device to store an electrical charge (usually made of two or more conductors separated by a non-conductor such as glass, paper, air, oil, or mica) that will not pass direct current and whose impedance for alternating current frequencies is inversely proportional to frequency. 3) In a power system, capacitors consist of metal-foil plates separated by paper or plastic insulation in oil or other suitable insulating fluid and sealed in metal tanks.

capacitor bank

A grouping of capacitors used to maintain or increase voltages in power lines and to improve system efficiency by reducing inductive losses.

series capacitor bank

An installation of capacitors with fuses and associated equipment in series with a line. Generally located near the center of a line (but can be located at any point). Used to increase the capability of interconnections and in some cases to achieve the most advantageous and economical division of loading between lines operating in parallel.

shunt capacitor bank

An installation of capacitors with fuses and associated equipment; generally located in substations, and used to increase system voltage and to improve the power factor at the point of delivery.

capacitor voltage transformer

See transformer.

capacity

The maximum load that a generator, piece of equipment, substation, transmission line, or system can carry under existing service conditions. Sometimes used interchangeably with capability, although not a synonym.

assured system capacity

The dependable capacity of system facilities available for serving system load after allowance for required reserve capacity, including the effect of emergency interchange agreements and firm power agreements with other power systems.

baseload capacity

In electricity production, the power output that can be continuously produced, usually computed by considering equipment that the operator/utility intends to run at least 70 percent of the time.

fifty-hour peak capacity

The amount of capacity that can be sustained for 10 hours a day, five days a week, during peak-load hours.

firm capacity

Capacity whose availability is assured to the purchaser. The purchaser is usually required, under contract provisions, to replace the energy associated with the delivery of firm capacity.

installed capacity

The total of the capacities shown by the nameplate ratings of similar kinds of apparatus, such as generators, transformers, or other equipment in a station or system.

peak capacity

The maximum capacity of a sys-tem to meet loads. Also called peak-load capacity.

peaking capacity

1) The generating capacity available to assist in meeting that portion of the load that is above baseload. 2) The maximum output of a generating plant or plants during a specified peak-load period.

reserve capacity

Extra generating capacity available either to meet unanticipated demands for power or to generate power in the event of loss of generation resulting from scheduled or unscheduled outages of regularly used generating capacity. Reserve capacity to meet the latter situation also known as forced outage reserve.

surplus capacity

1) The amount of electrical capacity above the amount needed to meet the current load requirements of BPA customers. 2) The amount of excess intertie capacity available after reserving sufficient capacity for sale of BPA surplus firm and nonfirm energy.

surplus firm capacity

Capacity for which there is no regional market at the established price.

surplus peaking capacity

Electric peaking capacity for which there is no demand in the Pacific Northwest at the rate established for the disposition of such capacity.

system capacity

The difference between dependable capacity of an electrical system (including purchases, options, exchanges, and so on) and the actual or anticipated peak load for a specified period of time.

capacity additions

New equipment added to increase the amount of power that existing transmission facilities can carry.

capacity/energy exchange

A transaction in which one utility provides a second utility with capacity service during the second utility’s peak season and in return receives energy during its peak season; this type of exchange benefits utilities that do not peak at the same time.

capacity factor

The ratio of the average load on a generating resource to its capacity rating during a specified period of time, expressed in percent.

capacity-only pricing

A system of pricing that includes only a single annual or monthly demand charge with no separate charge for the amount of energy used by the purchase.

capacity rating

See nameplate rating.

capacity service

The service whereby one utility delivers firm energy during a second utility’s period of peak usage with return made during the second utility’s offpeak periods; compensation for this service may be return energy or money.

capacity value

See value.

capital addition

A budget item that refers to a facility or system addition that has multi-year benefits, usually funded through borrowing and repaid over the useful life of the project.

capital costs

See costs.

capital investment

For BPA, an outlay of money for such purposes as construction of transmission system facilities and fish hatcheries, and for the acquisition of conservation resources. Typically funded through borrowing from the U.S. Treasury; annual interest and depreciation are funded by BPA revenues, and therefore are included in BPA’s revenue requirements.

capitalization

For BPA, U.S. Treasury borrowing, customer third-party financing, and the use of cash reserves to finance capital projects.

capital programs

The budget programs that fund the development of assets and normally call for investment in depreciable or amortizable assets, which includes transmission and general plant physical assets which are tangible capital assets. Intangible assets of conservation and renewable resource acquisition investments may also be included. Funded by borrowings from the U.S. Treasury or by revenues from sales.

carbon dioxide (CO2)

1) A gas found in nature in the free state and also produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. 2) One of a group of gases, called greenhouse gases, that trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere.

carbon monoxide (CO)

A colorless, odorless gas which is the product of incomplete combustion when natural gas, oil, wood, coal, or other materials rich in carbon are burned. Carbon monoxide interferes with the delivery of oxygen throughout the body.

carrying capacity

1) In electrical terms, the same as capacity. 2) In wildlife management, the maximum number of animals an area can support during a given period of the year. 3) In recreation management, the amount of use a recreation area can sustain without deterioration of its quality.

cascading

1) In a power system, the tendency of a local line fault to trigger problems elsewhere on the system and lead to a widespread power outage. 2) In a transmission line, a succession of mechanical failures along the line caused by one event such as a broken insulator.

cash flow

The residual after adjusting net reve-nues for expenses not requiring cash, changes in accrued revenues and expenses, cash used for investments, and cash from borrowing and appropriations.

categorical exclusion (CX)

A class of actions, defined by Department of Energy rules, that either individually or cumulatively would not have a significant effect on the human environment and therefore would not require preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act.

catenary

The curve formed by a conductor between points of suspension at adjacent towers.

cathode

The electrode from which current flows to an external circuit.

cathode ray tube (CRT)

A tube, as in a TV set or computer monitor, in which a beam of electrons can be focused on luminescent particles on a screen and varied in position and intensity to produce a visible pattern.

cathodic protection

The reduction or prevention of corrosion by making a metal the cathode in a conducting medium by means of a direct current; corrosive metal loss occurs at anodes only.

cavitation damage

The pitting corrosion (erosion) on the turbine blades and the runner of hydrogenerators caused by low water pressures.

CBFWA

See Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority.

CDD

Cooling degree day. See degree day.

Celsius (C)

A scale for measuring temperature where water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Degrees Celsius and degrees Centigrade are the same.

Centigrade (C)

Same as degrees Celsius. Celsius is the preferred form. See Celsius.

central air distribution system

A system in which air is heated, cooled, and mixed with fresh “new” air and distributed from a central location through ducts.

central controller

A system by which the timing and temperature of the operation of individual zonal heaters can be controlled in a central location. Also see zonal heating.

CERCLA

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). See Superfund.

CFC

See chlorofluorocarbon.

cfm

See cubic feet per minute.

CF rate

Firm capacity (CF) rate. See rates.

cfs

See cubic feet per second.

channel

Each of the specific bands of frequencies within an information system assigned for a particular use. In a voice communication system, the band of frequencies that might be assigned as a signaling channel, tone channel, or voice channel.

charging current, line or cable

The current that flows in the capacitance of a transmission line or cable when voltage is applied at its energized terminals.

chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

A manufactured gas used in refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, solvents, propellant in spray cans, and insulation. Reduces ozone in the upper atmosphere.

circuit

A system of conductors through which an electric current is intended to flow; sometimes normally open paths that do not ordinarily conduct in a network can also be considered part of a circuit.

double circuit

To place two separate electrical circuits (for alternating current, each circuit consists of three separate conductors or bun- dles of conductors) on the same transmission structures.

single circuit

To place one electrical circuit that consists of three separate conductors or bundles of conductors on one tower.

circuit breaker

A switching device capable of making, carrying, and interrupting currents under normal circuit conditions and also making, carrying for a specified time, and interrupting currents under abnormal circuit conditions such as those under faults or short circuits. The medium in which circuit interruption is performed may be designated, as in oil circuit breaker, air-blast circuit breaker, gas or sulfur hexafluoride circuit breaker, or vacuum circuit breaker.

circuit miles

The total length in miles of separate circuits or transmission lines; one circuit mile equals 1.6 circuit kilometers.

circuit recloser

A line protective device that interrupts momentary line faults.

automatic circuit recloser

A self-controlled device for automatically interrupting and reclosing a circuit, with a predetermined sequence of opening and closing. Usually self-contained in that it includes protective overcurrent relays and control circuitry; available for system operating voltages up to 25 kV.

single-shot recloser

A relay scheme to reclose a circuit automatically, one time only, after it has been tripped by protective relays; if the circuit trips out after reclosing, it is locked out and prevented from any additional reclosing operations.

circuit switcher

A switching device that has limited fault interrupting capability (a load interrupter has no fault interrupting capability); used to switch shunt reactors, shunt capacitor banks, and some transformer banks on customer service substations.

Clean Air Act (CAA)

1) A 1963 Federal law, amended several times since, giving the Federal government powers to limit air pollution. 2) A term loosely applied to the Air Quality Act of 1967, which gave the Federal government a stronger regulatory role. An especially important effect was the development of standards based on concentrations of pollutants in air.

Clean Water Act (CWA)

A Federal law intended to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters and secure water quality that provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, as well as for recreation in and on the water.

clearance

A formal, scheduled and recorded permission for construction, test, and/or maintenance crews to work on particular transmission lines or components within the BPA system. Issued by a dispatcher at a system control center, coordinated with switching schedules to assure equipment is de-energized and safe during maintenance.

clearance requirements

1) The distances required between conductors of various voltages and the ground. 2) The distance required between the line and trees, buildings, and other objects on, above or immediately adjacent to the right-of-way.

clearing time

As used in a power system, the total time from the beginning of an overcurrent condition to the interruption and clearing of the circuit.

climate zone

Relative to the Pacific Northwest, one of three zones based on the number of heating degree days (HDDs); the three zones are: Zone 1: less than 6,000 HDDs; Zone 2: 6,000-8,000 HDDs; Zone 3: over 8,000 HDDs (western Montana and the severe higher elevations throughout the region).

closed

In a circuit breaker or other switching device, the state when the switch contacts are together, the switch is “on,” and current has a flow path.

close interlock

Circuitry that prevents the closing of a switching device (circuit breaker, disconnect switch) until certain prescribed conditions exist.

coastal zone

Lands and waters adjacent to the coast that exert an influence on, or are affected by, the uses of the sea and its ecology.

Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP)

A land use plan required by the Federal government in coastal States, to preserve, develop, and enhance land and water resources of the nation’s coastal zones.

coaxial cable

A cable, primarily used for the transmission of high-frequency signals, in which one conductor is centered inside a metallic sheath that serves as a second conductor.

COE

See U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

cogeneration

The sequential production of more than one form of energy such as heat and mechanical energy, or heat and electricity, or mechanical energy and electricity.

coil

1) One or more wound insulated conductors arranged to produce an electromagnetic force, used in relays and rotating electrical machinery in power systems. 2) Devices that provide inductances in electronic and power systems.

coincidence factor

In BPA power sales, the ratio between a customer’s (or customer class’) monthly peak electricity demand and that customer’s (or customer class’) peak demand during the highest monthly demand placed on the entire electrical system. Used for billing purposes and for allocation of costs.

coincidental demand

See demand.

coincidental peak demand

See demand.

Columbia Basin

See Columbia River Basin.

Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA)

A group of representatives from State and Federal fish and wildlife agencies and Indian tribes in the Northwest who review, advise, and help BPA establish funding priorities for projects that fit the Northwest Power Planning Council’s Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.

Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program

A Northwest Power Planning Council program mandated by the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act and published periodically as a guide for activities in the Columbia River Basin to be carried out by State and Federal agencies to aid fish and wildlife affected by Columbia River dams. Funded, in large part, by BPA power sales.

Columbia Basin Project

The development of dams and irrigation projects in eastern Washington by the Bureau of Reclamation, begun in 1934. The project's key feature is Grand Coulee Dam.

Columbia River

The fourth largest river in North America; 2040 kilometers (1,270 miles) long and making a steep descent, dropping from elevation 810 meters (2,650 feet) at its source in British Columbia’s Rocky Mountains down to sea level at Astoria, Oregon.

Columbia River Basin

The land area drained by the Columbia River and its tributaries; its principal boundaries are the Rocky Mountains to the east and north, the Cascade Range on the west, and the Great Basin to the south. Also called the Columbia Basin.

Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission

Formed in 1977 by resolution of the Yakima, Warm Springs, Umatilla and Nez Perce tribes, (the tribes that signed treaties in 1855 securing certain fishing rights), the commission supplies technical expertise and enforcement resources to the region.

Columbia River system

The Federal and non-Federal dams and reservoirs on the Columbia River and its tributaries.

Columbia River Treaty

The 1964 U.S. treaty with Canada for joint development of the upper Columbia River Basin for power benefits and flood control. Canada built three large storage dams —Duncan, Keenleyside, and Mica in British Columbia. The U.S. built Libby Dam in Montana, with its reservoir extending 67 kilometers (42 miles) into Canada.

Columbia Storage Power Exchange (CSPE)

A nonprofit corporation formed by U.S. public utility districts, municipalities, and private utilities to purchase Canada’s share of power accruing to U.S. power plants as a result of the Columbia River Treaty storage dams.

combined cycle

The use of a combustion turbine and a steam turbine in an electrical generation plant so that the waste heat from the combustion cycle provides heat energy for the steam cycle to increase its efficiency.

combustion turbine (CT)

See turbine.

come-along

A hinged bolted fitting that attaches to the conductor to permit pulling or snubbing without damage to the conductor.

comment period

Time provided for the public to review and comment on BPA studies or proposed actions.

commercial sector

See sector.

commutation

1) Generally, the process of performing a sequence of switching operations. 2) In a power system, when converting alternating to direct current, a switching process that switches alternating current phases on and off in a way that provides the desired level of direct-current flow.

compensation

The use of devices such as capacitors or voltage regulators to improve performance of an electric system with respect to some specified characteristic. The use of such devices to increase capacity.

competitive acquisition

BPA’s process of soliciting and selecting conservation and generating resources from customers and non-customers for long-term use by means of systematic criteria. Used to acquire new energy resources.

competitive bidding

An approach used by utilities similar to BPA’s competitive acquisition approach, but bidding programs are typically regulated by local utility commissions and often characterized by fixed-price bidding.

complaint

In law, the first or initiatory pleading on the part of a plaintiff stating the cause of action against the defendant.

compliance review

For the residential exchange, a review by BPA to determine whether a utility is conforming to the Pacific Northwest Electric Planning and Conservation Act, and the residential exchange agreement certification, and is passing benefits through to consumers.

composite retail rates

The average retail rates calculated for all publicly owned and investor-owned utilities in the Pacific Northwest.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

See Superfund.

compression die

A steel die for pressing compression fittings onto conductor, used with a hydraulic press and specially designed for each size fitting.

compression fittings

A series of fittings, usually consisting of a steel inner piece and aluminum outer sleeve, designed to be compressed on the conductor to permit making connections as required. Examples are variously known as dead-end fittings, splice connectors, and jumper terminals.

computed demand

1) Additional capacity or energy needed by the customer to meet load over that provided by the customer’s own resources. 2) As applied to BPA customers, the largest amount by which a customer’s entire firm load requirements for a month exceed the assured resources available to it from sources other than BPA.

computed requirements

A purchasing basis, composed of three types: actual computed, contracted computed, or planned computed.

actual computed requirements

BPA's obligation to supply the customer’s net requirements (difference between actual firm loads and assured capability). May be subject to an availability charge.

contracted computed requirements

The customer contracts for an amount of power less than the difference between its firm loads and its assured resources. The customer is responsible to make up the difference between its firm loads plus its own resources and the BPA contracted amount.

planned computed requirements

BPA is obligated to supply the difference between the customer’s estimated firm load for the next operating year and the assured capability for the customer’s resources. The customer accepts the risk for the actual firm load being different from the firm load estimated.

computed requirements customers

See generating public utilities and investor-owned utilities.

computer-aided design (CAD)

The use of a computer to design a device or a system, display it on a screen or as a printout, simulate its oper-ation, and provide statistics on its performance.

concentration

In environmental usage, the amount of a pollutant in a given volume or mass of air, water, or soil.

condenser

In a steam electric plant, a device that condenses steam into water after the steam has gone through the turbine and before it is fed back into the boiler for reuse.

conduction

The transfer of heat or cold through a material when there is a difference of temperature between parts of the material.

conductivity

See electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity.

conductor

1) Any metallic material, usually in the form of wire, cable, or bar, suitable for carrying an electric current. 2) The wire cable strung between transmission towers.

all-aluminum conductor (AAC)

A conductor consisting of all-aluminum strands, with code names after flowers. Also see conductor sizes and weights.

all-aluminum conductor/trapezoidal wire (AAC/TW)

A conductor consisting of all-aluminum strands with trapezoidal cross-sections, with code names after Northwest mountains. Also see conductor sizes and weights.

aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR)

A conductor with a steel core around which aluminum wires are stranded. Common conductor type used by BPA, with code names after birds. Also see conductor sizes and weights.

aluminum conductor steel reinforced/trapezoidal wire (ACSR/TW)

A conductor with a steel core around which aluminum wires, with trapezoidal cross-sections, are stranded, with code names after Northwest rivers. Also see conductor sizes and weights.

bundle conductor

Two or more conductors used per phase; BPA standard construction for 500 kV is a bundle of three conductors per phase. A bundle of four conductors per phase may also be used on 500-kV lines.

expanded conductor

Generally, a large conductor with hollow sections in the interior.

non-specular conductor

A conductor that has been modified to reduce the amount of reflected light from its surface. Used in areas of high viewer sensitivity to reduce visibility of the line.

single conductor

One conductor used per phase.

stranded conductor

A conductor made up of a number of smaller wires, most commonly a core wire and one or more layers of helically formed wires with the direction of each layer reversed.

conductor configurations

See phase.

conductor positions

Looking ahead on line (the direction in which the structures are numbered) the left hand conductor is No.1, the center No. 2, and the right hand No. 3.

conductor sag

The distance the conductor droops below a straight line between adjacent points of support.

conductor sheave

A specially designed pulley used in stringing conductor. The sheave is temporarily attached to the insulator string and the conductor threaded through it.

conductor sizes and weights

All-aluminum conductors (AAC), all-aluminum conductor/trapezoidal wire (AAC/TW), aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR), and aluminum conductor steel reinforced/trapezoidal wire (ACSR/TW). See following tables.

AAC conductors commonly used by BPA bear the names of flowers:
Diameter		Name	Weight	Mass
(inches)	(mm)		(lbs/ft)	(kg/m)
0.593	15.1	Laurel	0.25	0.372
1.300	33.0	Narcissus	1.19	1.771
1.454	36.9	Coreopsis	1.49	2.217
AAC/TW conductors used by BPA bear the names of Northwest mountains:
Diameter		Name	Weight	Mass
(inches)	(mm)		(lbs/ft)	(kg/m)
0.915	23.2	Baker	0.75	1.116
1.000	25.4	Rainier	0.90	1.339
1.100	27.9	Helens	1.07	1.592
1.300	33.0	Hood	1.49	2.217
1.450	36.8	Bachelor	1.88	2.798
1.600	40.6	Jefferson	2.28	3.393
ACSR conductors commonly used by BPA for transmission lines bear the names of birds:
Diameter		Name	Weight	Mass
(inches)	(mm)		(lbs/ft)	(kg/m)
0.563	14.30	Penguin	0.29	0.43
0.642	16.31	Partridge	0.37	0.55
0.783	19.89	Ibis	0.55	0.82
0.806	20.47	Lark	0.62	0.92
0.927	23.55	Dove	0.77	1.15
1.108	28.14	Drake	1.10	1.64
1.140	28.96	Mallard	1.24	1.84
1.302	33.07	Bunting	1.34	1.99
1.345	34.16	Bittern	1.43	2.13
1.382	35.10	Pheasant	1.64	2.44
1.602	40.69	Chukar	2.07	3.08
1.802	45.77	Thrasher	2.53	3.76
ACSR/TW conductors commonly used by BPA for transmission lines bear the names of Northwest rivers:
Diameter		Name	Weight	Mass
(inches)	(mm)		(lbs/ft)	(kg/m)
0.951	24.2	Toutle	0.89	1.324
1.100	27.9	Rogue	1.13	1.682
1.300	33.0	Deschutes	1.61	2.396

congressional budget

The version of BPA’s budget that is presented to the Congress for annual budget hearings before the congressional appropriations subcommittees on energy and water development.

connected load

The sum of the continuous ratings of the load-consuming devices connected to a system.

consequential damages

In land acquisition usage, a damage to property arising as a consequence of a taking and/or construction on other lands. In many States, the property owner may be compensated for damage as a consequence of a change in grade of a street that adversely affects access to the property. In condemnation actions, the courts usually have held that an owner may not be compensated for frustration, loss of goodwill, and damages to business that result as a consequence of a taking or construction by the Government.

conservation

Synonymous, at BPA, with energy conservation, the reduction of electric energy consumption as a result of increases in the efficiency of production, distribution, and end use.

conservation acquisition program

BPA’s process of acquiring cost-effective energy savings to meet forecasted needs for resources.

conservation measure

See energy conservation measure.

conservation resources

Energy efficiency measures and purchases that contribute to BPA meeting its load obligations. Conservation resources save energy in the production, distribution, and more efficient use of energy.

conservation transfer

A mechanism by which BPA transfers energy to a utility in need of it from a utility that has surplus capacity due to energy conservation.

constant dollars

See real dollars.

consumer

An ultimate user of electricity for specific purposes such as heating, lighting, running equipment. May or may not be identical with party billed by a utility (for example, a commercial building owner may be billed for electricity use in a single building with many independent shops). Also referred to as end user. Also see customer.

consumer group

See sector.

contactor

A device, operated other than by hand, for repeatedly establishing and interrupting a low voltage (600 volts or less) circuit under normal conditions.

contaminant

Any substance or matter that has an adverse effect on air, water, or soil. Also see pollutant.

contingency

In a power system, the possibility of a fault or equipment failure. First contingency disturbances (outages) involve only one system element, such as a transmission line fault or a transformer failure. A second contingency disturbance would have one system element out of service and subject the system to a fault and loss of a second element.

contract demand

The amount of power and transmission service (in kilowatts) that a supplier of electric service agrees to make continuously available for delivery to a particular consumer and that the consumer agrees to purchase.

contracted computed requirements

See computed requirements.

contract system cost

For purposes of the residential exchange, a utility’s exchangeable production and transmission related costs, including purchases and conservation measures, except for costs excluded by section 5(c)(7) of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act.

contract system load

For purposes of the residential exchange, the firm energy load used to establish a utility’s retail rates, adjusted using the average system cost methodology.

contractual liability

A legal obligation assumed in a contract that would not exist in the absence of the contract.

control and instrument cable

See cable.

control area

A part of a power system or a combination of systems to which a common generation control scheme is applied to match generation and load.

control center

The facility from which a power system is monitored and regulated. Dispatchers use computerized displays to match generation with load and to respond to faults in the system. BPA has two control centers—at Vancouver and at Moses Lake both in Washington.

conventional hydroelectric plant

A hydroelectric plant that utilizes streamflow only once as it passes downstream, as opposed to a pumped-storage hydroelectric plant.

converter

A device that changes alternating current to direct current or vice versa, or changes one frequency to another.

converter station

The assemblage of equipment used to convert alternating current to direct current or vice versa in a power system.

cooling degree day (CDD)

See degree day.

cooling pond

A constructed pond used to receive and dissipate waste heat, usually from a steam-electric plant. Approximately an acre of pond surface is needed per megawatt of electric output for a modern steam-electric plant.

cooling tower

A structure that helps remove heat from water that is used as a coolant, such as in electric power generating plants. In a wet cooling tower, air is moved across a large, continually wetted surface or through a spray of water to achieve the cooling effect.

cooling tower drift

The atmospheric release of water from cooling towers, sometimes leading to fog and icing, usually in the immediate vicinity of the cooling tower.

cooperative

A private, nonprofit utility, owned by its members or consumers and operated within State law but essentially self-regulated by a board of directors elected from its membership. Cooperatives are preference customers of BPA.

coordinated operation

As applied to hydro plants, the operation of a group of hydro plants and storage reservoirs so as to obtain optimum power benefits with due consideration to other uses, such as navigation, irrigation, recreation, flood control, and fish conservation. Commonly called coordination.

coordination

See coordinated operation.

Coordination Agreement

See Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement.

corona

A luminous electrical discharge due to the ionization of the air surrounding a conductor caused by a voltage gradient exceeding a certain critical value. Can be seen as bluish tufts or streamers surrounding the conductor or conductor hardware, and generally a hissing sound can be heard. Transmission line corona varies with atmospheric conditions and is more intense during wet weather.

corona ring

A metal ring attached near the conductor end of a string of insulators at 345 kV and higher voltages to reduce electrical discharges called corona. Shields the hardware and insulators, preventing discharge by lowering potential gradients, thereby reducing loss and radio and TV interference. Also known as grading ring.

Corps of Engineers, or Corps

See U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

corridor

A strip of land, 0.8 kilometers (one-half mile) or more wide, forming a passageway for transportation or utility facilities. Also see right-of-way.

joint-use corridor

A corridor occupied by more than one type of utility or transportation system such as pipelines, transmission lines, communication lines, highways, or railroads.

COSA

See cost of service analysis.

cost-benefit analysis

An analytical approach to solving problems of choice in which alternatives are quantitatively analyzed to determine the alternative that yields the greatest benefits for any given cost, or yields a specified chosen amount of benefits for the least cost.

cost effective

1) Generally, a specific objective reached at the lowest total cost. 2) According to the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act, a measure or resource whose estimated incremental system cost is no greater than that of the least-cost similarly reliable and available alternative or combination of alternatives.

cost of losses

Cost of energy that is lost. See losses.

cost of service

A pricing concept, traditionally used as the primary basis for designing electric rate schedules, that quantifies utility costs and projects revenues to the service provided to each customer class.

cost of service analysis (COSA)

A utility or BPA study designed to determine the cost of providing service to various classes of customers. Performed by most utilities under generally accepted ratemaking principles and used by BPA as a starting point for rate design.

cost recovery

1) The obligation to set rates to recover all of BPA’s costs, including repayment of the Federal investment in the Federal Columbia River Power System over a reasonable number of years. 2) A legal process by which potentially responsible parties who contributed to contamination at a Superfund site can be required to reimburse the fund for money spent during any cleanup actions by the Federal government.

cost recovery adjustment clause (CRAC)

A rate adjustment mechanism to better assure the recovery of BPA’s total costs. Not currently included in BPA rates.

costs

Also see expenses, levelized costs, present value costs.

average system cost (ASC)

The cost of a utility's generation and transmission system. Under the Residential Exchange provisions of the Northwest Power Act, a utility may sell power to BPA at the utility's average system cost and purchases the same amount of power back from BPA at the priority firm rate.

avoided costs

1) The costs an electric utility would otherwise incur to generate power if it did not purchase electricity from another source. 2) An investment guideline, describing the value of conservation and generation resource investments in terms of the cost of more expensive resources that would otherwise have to be acquired. Also see avoided cost methodology.

capital costs

In the utility industry, the money needed to construct a plant, including the costs of materials, permits, and interest on borrowing; same as capital investment in new resources.

decremental cost

The cost that a utility could avoid by not operating a power plant. A utility’s decremental cost is considered by some regulators to be a fair rate for the utility to pay for purchased power.

direct costs

Costs readily identifiable or obviously traceable to a specified program, project, or other cost objective.

discretionary costs

Estimated expenditures that can be avoided or eliminated without violating: reliability standards, legal contracts, Civil Service regulations, or Federal or State laws.

embedded costs

Capital investment already made (spent).

fixed costs

1) In accounting, operating expenses that do not vary with volume of activity or output, at least in the short run. 2) At BPA, operating expenses that stay basically constant, regardless of power output and even when no electric service is provided to customers. Includes interest expense on the Federal investment in the Pacific Northwest power system, contractual obligations, net costs of the residential exchange, and depreciation expense for long-lived assets.

fully allocated costs

The computed cost of producing power that accounts for all input costs, including all capital costs, fixed costs, variable costs, direct and indirect costs, and opportunity costs.

incremental costs

In the utility industry, the additional costs that a utility would incur by operating a power plant, the cost of the next kilowatthour generated or purchased, or the cost of producing and/or transporting the next available unit of electrical energy above the current base cost previously determined.

indirect costs

Any costs incurred for common objectives that cannot be directly charged to any single point of cost application.

marginal cost

The cost of producing the next unit of power to be generated.

non-discretionary costs

Those estimated expenditures necessary to meet given reliability standards; carry out legal contracts; comply with Civil Service regulations; or comply with other Federal or State laws; although non-discretionary costs cannot ultimately be avoided, some could be postponed or deferred which puts them, in a short-term sense, in a discretionary category.

opportunity cost

The net cost of a forgone opportunity, taking into account the benefits and costs of both the opportunity seized and the opportunity forgone for the period of analysis.

program costs

Obligations incurred for goods and services consumed or used in order to accomplish BPA program objectives.

system costs

1) Generally, all costs associated with a resource including its costs and the costs of other resources affected when the resource is included in the utility system. 2) According to the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act, all direct costs of a conservation or generation resource over its effective life, including, if applicable, distribution and transmission, waste disposal, end-of-cycle, and fuel costs (including projected increases) and quantifiable environmental measures.

variable costs

1) In accounting, costs that fluctuate in relation to changes in output or activity level. 2) In regard to a generating resource, the total costs incurred to produce energy, excluding fixed costs, which are incurred regardless of whether the resource is operating.

COTP

See California/Oregon Transmission Project.

coulomb

Unit of electric charge. The quantity of electric charge that passes a point on the conductor in one second when the current is one ampere.

Council

See Northwest Power Planning Council.

Council’s Energy Plan

See Northwest Conservation and Electric Power Plan.

counterpoise

A buried wire system connected to the footings of towers or poles supporting a trans-mission line. Used to establish a low resistance path to earth, usually for lightning protection.

counter-scheduling

The meeting of contractual power obligations by offsetting one schedule against another; 100 MW scheduled north to south, and 50 MW scheduled south to north, are combined for a real schedule of 50 MW north to south.

coupling

1) In general, the association of two or more transmission lines or equipment components in such a manner that power is transferred from one to the other. 2) On a signal transmission system, the effect of an interfering source.

CRAC

See cost recovery adjustment clause.

criteria pollutants

Air pollutants having National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

critical mass

The smallest mass of fissionable material that will support a self-sustaining chain reaction under stated conditions.

critical period

The portion of the historical streamflow record for the Columbia River System during which the least amount of electrical energy can be generated by drafting the reservoirs according to seasonal demands. A fundamental planning concept used to determine annual firm energy load carrying capacity for the hydro system.

critical period average energy generation

In resource planning, the average amount of energy projected to be generated during a period (which can vary in length depending on the purpose of the planning) of extremely low streamflow.

critical rule curves

The water levels in reservoirs that must be maintained to ensure firm energy requirements can be met under the most adverse historical streamflow conditions. Critical rule curves are used to guide reservoir operation for power generation.

critical stock

Any fish stocks that are substantially diminishing, and for which harvest and production management actions reflect the stock’s critical condition.

critical streamflow

See critical water.

critical water

A sequence of streamflows under which the regional hydro system could produce an amount of power equal to that which could have been produced during the historical critical period, given today’s generating facilities and constraints.

critical water planning

Planning that prepares to meet firm loads under the worst streamflow conditions on record.

crossarm

The crossing members of a wood pole or steel tower that support the insulators for the conductor.

cross ventilation

The placement of two vent openings so that air flows in one vent, over the insulated space, and out the other vent due to wind or thermal convection.

cryogenics

The study and design of devices using properties of certain materials at near-absolute zero temperature (-273°C, or -460°F), such as superconductivity, or ability to carry an electric current with near zero resistance.

CSPE

See Columbia Storage Power Exchange.

CT

Combustion turbine. See turbine.

CT

Current transformer. See transformer.

cubic feet per minute (cfm)

A unit of measurement for the flow rate of air or water. Specifically used as an air exchange rate with regard to indoor air and refers to the amount of air, in cubic feet, that is exchanged. One cfm converts to 0.00047 cubic meters per second.

cubic feet per second (cfs)

A measurement of water flow past a given point. One cfs is equal to approximately 449 gallons per minute. One cfs converts to 0.0283 cubic meters per second.

cultural resource

Any nonrenewable evidence of human occupation or activity as seen in any district, site, building, structure, artifact, ruin, object, work of art, architecture, or natural feature that was important in human history.

curie

The basic unit to describe the intensity of radioactivity, equal to 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second, which is approximately the rate of decay of 1 gram of radium. Named for Marie and Pierre Curie, who discovered radium in 1898; one curie = 3.7 x 1010 becquerel.

current

1) In common usage, the flow of electric energy when an appliance or machine is turned on. 2) In technical sense, a term usually modified by an adjective, such as direct current, referring to the rate of electrical charge flowing through a conductor or circuit as compared to voltage (volts), which is the force or pressure that causes the current to flow; current and ampere are often used interchangeably.

current diversion (or energy diversion)

The theft of electric power by diverting current to bypass the meter. More generally, any type of tampering to obtain unmetered service.

current transformer

See transformer.

curtailment

A temporary reduction in electric power delivery under emergency conditions, taken after all possible conservation and load management measures have been tried, and prompted by problems in meeting minimum requirements, rather than peaking deficiencies.

customer (BPA)

A utility, large industry, or Federal agency that buys power or transmission services directly from BPA. See consumer.

customer class

A group of BPA customers with similar characteristics that are identified for the purpose of setting a rate for electric service. BPA customer classes are preference customers (public utility districts, cooperatives, municipalities), direct-service industrial customers, Federal agency customers, and investor-owned utilities.

customer deposits

See trust fund.

Customer Service Policy

The statement of policy, guidelines, and criteria for all transmission facilities BPA will provide to deliver energy over BPA’s grid to a customer, including transmission lines, transmission taps, and transformer additions, as well as distribution substations. Also covers wheeling and participation in emergency operations should a customer suffer a transformer failure.

CWA

See Clean Water Act.

CX

See categorical exclusion.

cycle

A complete sequence of a wave pattern that recurs at regular intervals, as in one complete set of positive and negative values of an alternating current or voltage. The number of cycles occurring in one second is the frequency of the wave (for example. A frequency of 60 Hz has 60 complete cycles occurring in one second).

cyclic storage reservoir

See reservoir.

CZMP

See Coastal Zone Management Plan.

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