BPA Exchange Program
The Residential Exchange Program (REP) was established by the 1980 Northwest Power Act.
The program was created to provide residential and small farm customers of Pacific Northwest utilities a form of access to low cost power from the Federal Columbia River Power System, in the form of credits on their power bills.
The REP was suspended in May 2007 due to a ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
In 2011, Idaho Power, BPA (Bonneville Power Administration), other regional investor-owned utilities and public utilities negotiated a settlement to reinstate the REP and begin providing credits to residential and small farm customers.
The public utilities commissions of Idaho and Oregon have both approved tariff Schedule 98 that describes the REP and implements the credit. View Idaho's tariff; view Oregon's tariff.
The credit amount is determined through the Average System Cost filing and review process, which is administered by BPA and conducted every two years.
For residential and small farm customers, the credit amount will be reflected on their monthly bills; for irrigation customers, the credit amount will be issued in December of each year.
For specific questions regarding Idaho Power’s REP implementation, please call the Idaho Power BPA Program Administrator at 208-388-2588, or visit BPA’s Residential Exchange Program website at www.bpa.gov/corporate/finance/ascm.
