2004 Power marketing program draft environmental impact statement

The Western Area Power Administration (Western), created in 1977 under the Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act, markets and transmits electric power throughout 15 western states. Western's Sierra Nevada Customer Service Region (Sierra Nevada Region) markets approximately 1,480 megawatts (MW) of power from the Central Valley Project (CVP) and other sources, and markets available nonfirm energy from the Washoe Project. The Sierra Nevada Region's marketing area is shown in Figure 1. 1. Western's mission is to sell and deliver electricity that is in excess of Project Use (power required for project operations), which for the Sierra Nevada Region is generated from CVP and Washoe Project powerplants. Western's power marketing responsibility includes managing the Federal transmission system. The hydroelectric generation facilities of the CVP are operated by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). Reclamation manages and releases water in accordance with the various acts authorizing specific projects and with other laws and enabling legislation. Western's capacity and energy sales must be in conformance with the laws that govern its sale of electrical power. Hydropower operations at each facility must comply with minimum and maximum flows and other constraints set by Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service), or other regulatory agencies, acting in accordance with law or policy. This EIS describes the environmental consequences of the range of reasonable marketing alternatives that meet the needs and purposes of the proposed marketing plan