Tri-Cities Load Interconnection Capability
To support the broader economic development goals of the region, BPA is seeking to better understand local economic development priorities and inform customer and stakeholder decisions by pro-actively providing information about BPA’s local load-service capabilities.
The Tri-Cities Load Area serves the communities in cities of Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco. It includes Franklin, Walla Walla, Grant, and Benton Counties. Load in this area peaks in the summer season. The load in this area is residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial. The generation interconnection queue in the Tri-Cities includes a 3 MW solar project with a 1 MW battery and 1,110 MW of Wind.
Utilities in the Tri-Cities Load Area include
- Benton County PUD
- Benton REA
- Big Bend Electric Cooperative
- City of Richland
- Columbia REA
- Franklin County PUD
- South Columbia Basin Irrigation District
- US Bureau of Reclamation
Existing generation in the area includes
- USACE Ice Harbor Powerhouse
- Chandler Dam
- SCBID Projects
- Nine Canyon Wind
- Nine Mile (Stateline) Wind
Recent and Potential BPA Projects in the Tri-Cities Load Area
- McNary-Paterson Tap 115 kV Line
- Richland-Stevens Drive 115 kV Line
- Red Mountain- Horn Rapids 115 kV Line Reconductor
- South Tri-Cities Reinforcement
- Badger Canyon 115 kV Bus Tie Addition
- Grandview 115 kV Bus Tie Breaker Addition
- Midway-Grandview 115 kV Line Upgrade
- McNary 230 kV Transformer Addition No. 2
- Jones Canyon 230 kV Shunt Reactor Addition
- Richland 115 kV Reconfiguration
- White Bluffs 230/115 kV Low Side Disconnect Switches
Existing Transmission System Limit for the Tri-Cities Load Area
1500 MW
The following graph depicts key data points that may help inform initial feasibility questions related to the new large load addition. You will find:
- The most limiting season
- Historic peak load information
- Forecasted load 10 years out
- Load area with system average load growth
- Aggressive Load growth scenario (if applicable) depicts all queued load coming online in the 10 year planning horizon
- Local Load Area Capability

For questions, please contact interconnection@bpa.gov