FOLSOM, Calif.,–Two public meetings are set in Folsom to discuss operations alternatives for Western Area Power Administration’s Sierra Nevada Region.
        SNR will hold a Public Information Forum to describe the alternatives under consideration on July 9 and has scheduled a Public Comment Forum on July 30 to take comments and opinions on the alternatives presented at the July 9, meeting. Both meetings will begin at 10 a.m. at the Lake Natoma Inn, 702 Gold Lake Drive.
        Western seeks public comments as it evaluates these options. Written comments should be sent to Tom Carter, Power Operations Manager, Western Area Power Administration, Sierra Nevada Customer Service Region, 114 Parkshore Drive, Folsom, CA  95630-4710, or by electronic mail to TCarter@wapa.gov.
        Written comments must be received by 4 p.m., PDT, Aug. 8. Western will accept written comments received via regular mail through the U.S. Postal Service if they are postmarked by Aug.5 and received by Aug. 13.
        On Dec. 31, 2004, three existing long-term contracts with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company expire. The three contracts govern the integrated and interdependent operation of Western’s and PG&E’s systems.
        PG&E provides transmission services to Sierra Nevada customers and Project Use loads on the PG&E system, interconnects the section of the Pacific Northwest-Southwest Alternating Current Intertie line owned by Western with PG&E-owned facilities, and provides Western with 400 megawatts of transmission capacity rights to and from the Pacific Northwest. The Southern California Edison Company and the San Diego Gas and Electric Company are also parties to one of the intertie contracts.
        PG&E indicates that after these contracts expire, it will no longer provide the services identified in these contracts under the same terms and conditions.
        To maintain operational flexibility for the Central Valley Project and the Washoe Project, as well as to implement its Marketing Plan in a cost-effective manner beginning in 2005, Western is considering several alternative operating scenarios.
        One of the alternatives is to form a new control area. Other alternatives include becoming a Participating Transmission Owner or operating within the California Independent System Operator control area as a sub-control area in a manner similar to a Metered Sub-System.
        More information is provided in the Federal Register notice announcing these meetings. The notice and other related information is available on Western’s Web site at
 http://www.wapa.gov/sn/initiatives/post2004/opScenarios/