BPA provides TOP-notch services to customers in win-win partnership

Since its inception, the Transmission Operator (TOP) Services Program has had two central goals: save money for BPA customers and increase grid reliability. After seven years of implementation, the program has successfully accomplished both.

Established in 2017, the TOP Program helps BPA customers meet complex reliability standards set by energy regulatory bodies such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the Western Electric Coordinating Council.

“The TOP Program delivers exceptional service to our 13 preference customers by offering effective and thorough coordinated operation and compliance solutions,” said Lorissa Cardoza, manger of the program. “BPA is able to provide optimal service by leveraging its vast experience and resources to ensure customer utilities meets the requirements established by regulators. We save them a lot of money and headache.”

Utilities that own and maintain any bulk electric system facility with a voltage rating of 115 kilovolts or higher are categorized as Transmission Owners (TO). As a TO, a utility must satisfy a complex assortment of compliance protocols ranging from implementing cybersecurity programs to outage management.

Compliance is expensive and requires Transmission Owners to have infrastructure and staffing to implement the reliability standards. Costs can reach millions of dollars per year. BPA can perform these services with minimal expense.

Further, Transmission Owners are required to be their own Transmission Operator (TOP) or assign the role to a third-party. This is where BPA steps in to perform the duties on behalf of some of our customer utilities.

“The best way for me to describe BPA’s transmission operator role for its customers is comparing it to the relationship between airplanes and an air traffic controller,” said Cardoza. “The TO is the aircraft owned and operated by the airline; the TOP is the traffic controller responsible for managing the airspace around the plane.”

To this end, Transmission Operators have control centers, NERC-certified operators and are staffed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to manage grid activity and respond to emergencies.

Transmission Operators are responsible for the overall management of the Transmission Operator Area, which can contain multiple Transmission Owners. Transmission Operators ensure transmission assets operate safely and reliably, and they coordinate with other transmission systems to ensure seamless energy delivery while adhering to NERC and WECC standards and regulations.

Other tasks include managing transmission line flows and voltages, implementing proper operating procedures and responding quickly to emergencies or disturbances.

“Operationally, BPA informs a TO how and when they can get on and off the transmission grid. For some customers, we have the capability to take control and operate the aircraft in the event of an emergency,” says Cardoza.

BPA can see the collective picture of the interconnected transmission systems, allowing coordination and management at a larger scale than a TO with limited resources. BPA is not only well equipped to perform the duties of the Transmission Operator for its customers, the agency can do it at cost. Customers are only charged for staff time, with no overhead added.

Utility customers are relieved of the high cost of performing Transmission Operator requirements, while BPA has greater visibility and operational control over the transmission grid. The TOP Program strengthens BPA’s ability to provide the region with a safe, reliable and resilient grid.

What does the future look like for the TOP Program? Jeff Cook, vice president of Transmission Planning and Asset Management, says the focus is on continuing excellence.

“Our goal is to continue providing high-quality and reliable service at the lowest price possible to our customers,” said Cook. “It’s programs such as these that exemplify BPA’s desire to implement the values and mission described in the 2024-2028 BPA Strategic Plan.”