BPA Definitions - WXYZ

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W

See watt.

walleye

A freshwater fish that is a natural predator of juvenile salmon.

WAPA

See Western Area Power Administration.

Washington Public Power Supply System

A joint operating agency in the State of Washington made up of representatives of public utility districts and municipalities with the ability, based on electric power purchase contracts of its members or other utilities, to acquire, construct, and operate plants and facilities for generating transmitting electric power. Currently, WPPSS has one nuclear plant in operation, Washington Nuclear Plant 2 (WNP-2) and two nuclear plants in a state of preservation, Washington Nuclear Plants 1 and 3 (WNP-1 and WNP-3). Often referred to as the Supply System.

waste heat

Any heat produced in excess of useful heat required in a process that has to be exhausted or is allowed to dissipate.

waste minimization

The reduction in volume or quantity of hazardous waste by the entity responsible for generating the waste, to the extent economically practicable.

Water Budget

A part of the Northwest Power Planning Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program calling for water to be reserved and released during the spring, if needed, to assist in the downstream migration of juvenile salmon and steelhead. Also see spill.

water conditions

The overall supply of water to operate the Pacific Northwest hydroelectric generating system at any given time, taking into account reservoir levels, snowpack, needs to provide water to meet various operating constraints and weather conditions.

water rights

Priority claims to water. In western States, water rights are based, historically, on the principle “first in time, first in right,” meaning older claims take precedence over newer ones.

watershed

The land area that drains into a stream.

water year

One hydrologic cycle corresponding to BPA’s fiscal year, October 1 through September 30.

watt (W)

1) The electrical unit of power. 2) The rate of energy transfer when one ampere is passing across one volt. Analogous to horsepower or footpounds per minute of mechanical power (one horsepower is equivalent to approximately 746 watts; one kilowatt equals 1,000 watts; one megawatt equals 1,000,000 watts). A 100-watt light bulb requires 100 watts of electricity to operate.

watthour

The amount of electricity used in one hour by a device that uses one watt of power for continuous operation. A 100-watt light bulb will use 100 watthours of electricity every hour it is in use.

watt-hour meter

See meter.

weatherization

The use of such structural changes as ceiling, attic, and floor insulation; storm windows; weatherstripping; and caulking in order to decrease use of heating fuel.

weatherstripping

The foam, metal, or rubber strips used to form a seal around windows and doors to reduce air infiltration.

weekly/monthly load shaping

See load shaping.

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)

One of the Department of Energy's five power marketing agencies, like BPA. Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, its service area includes the Colorado River Basin in 15 central and western States.

Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC)

A group that seeks coordination of power supply and transmission systems in the western U.S. to promote reliability. The WSCC encompasses 80 percent of the electric power generation in the western U.S. Also see North American Electric Reliability Council.

wetlands

Areas that are inundated by surface water or groundwater often enough to support vegetation or aquatic life that requires saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions, such as swamps, bogs, fens, marshes, and estuaries.

wet scrubber

See scrubber.

wheeling

1) Using the transmission facilities of one power system to transmit power of and for another system. 2) At BPA, the transmission of large blocks of electric power over the BPA system from non-Federal power plants to utilities owning or purchasing the output of such plants.

wheeling customer

A utility that transmits its own power over BPA transmission lines to its own customers.

Whitebook

See Pacific Northwest Loads and Resources Study.

wholesale rates

Refers to the rates BPA charges its customers for power, which are defined in BPA wholesale power rate schedules. Also see rates.

wicket gates

Vertical valve-shaped gates that control the flow of water to a turbine runner.

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA)

A 1968 Federal law creating a process for designating sections of or entire rivers as wild river areas, scenic river areas, or recreational river areas and restricting development and activities within such areas, thereby protecting their free-flowing condition and water quality.

winding

The wire that is wrapped or coiled around the armature in electromagnetic devices such as transformers and relays. Also see amortisseur winding.

wind power

The energy extracted from wind to generate electricity; generally requires wind speed in excess of 16 kilometers per hour (10 miles per hour).

WNP

Washington Nuclear Plant. See Washington Public Power Supply System.

wood poles

Poles made of fir or cedar and treated with a preservative chemical against decay and fungi. Wood poles are graded according to diameter of top and butt.

WPPSS

See Washington Public Power Supply System.

WSCC

See Western Systems Coordinating Council.

WSRA

See Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

wye (Y) connection

A connection of the windings of a three-phase transformer (or three single-phase transformers making up a three-phase bank) such that one end of each winding is connected to a common point.

y connection

See wye connection.

yearlings

Young salmon and steelhead that migrate to the ocean, often spending a full year rearing in fresh water.

zonal heating system

A heating system for buildings, which may be installed in or on the floors, walls or ceiling. Individual and independently operated resistance heaters heat the surrounding area, or zone.

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