Wholesale Power Costs Shape the Rates That Wasco Electric Cooperative Charges Its Members
When you turn on a light, run a sprinkler, or use an appliance at home, you are using electricity from Wasco Electric Cooperative.
WEC buys its power from Bonneville Power Administration. BPA sells electricity made mostly from dams on the Columbia River and the Columbia Generating Station. Changing expenses for BPA can affect the cost of electricity for WEC members.
Every 3 years, BPA sets the rates it will charge utilities. The infographic above shows how BPA plans to spend each dollar it receives during its current rate period, which runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028.
The biggest part of each dollar— 29¢—goes to operating and maintaining dams and power plants. These facilities help provide reliable electricity to homes, farms, schools, and businesses across the Northwest.
Another 22¢ goes toward paying back money BPA has borrowed to build and maintain the power system.
BPA also spends money to protect fish and wildlife. 16¢ of every dollar supports programs that help protect fish and keep the Columbia River healthy. These efforts help balance the need for clean, renewable electricity with caring for the environment.
Other parts of each dollar help BPA provide safe and dependable power. 5¢ goes to energy-saving programs that help people use electricity more efficiently. Another 5¢ helps BPA buy extra power when it is needed.
Other funds help move electricity across the region and support the power system that serves utilities like WEC.
The infographic shows where BPA’s money comes from. About 63¢ of every dollar comes from selling power to electric cooperatives, public utility districts, cities, federal agencies and tribal utilities. The rest comes from other power-related services and contracts.
The Importance of BPA
The cost of wholesale power is 1 of the largest expenses in providing electricity. The money BPA spends on power plants, transmission lines, fish and wildlife programs, and other services helps determine the rates BPA charges utilities.
Many of BPA’s jobs happen behind the scenes, but the administration helps keep electricity flowing throughout the Pacific Northwest.
As WEC’s main power supplier, BPA helps provide the reliable electricity our members count on every day. These infographics give a simple look at how each power dollar helps support the electric system that serves communities across the Northwest, including Wasco Electric Cooperative’s members.