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News Release

BPA Honors South Dakota Native For Contributions To Northwest Energy Markets (Photo) - 11/15/22

PR 22 19                                                                                                       BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
                                                                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Nov. 15, 2022
                                                                                 CONTACT: Tom Conning, BPA, 503-230-2832
                                                                                                                                            or 503-230-5131

BPA honors South Dakota native for contributions to Northwest energy markets

Award cites extraordinary contributions and service to the Pacific Northwest

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Bonneville Power Administration presented South Dakota native Roger Bentz with the BPA Exceptional Service award as part of its 2022 Administrator’s Excellence Awards program. BPA is a federal power marketing administration under the U.S. Department of Energy that serves the Pacific Northwest. 

The Aug. 17 virtual ceremony celebrated 26 exceptional individuals – all nominated by their peers – who embody the 2022 AEA theme, Energizing, Electrifying, Empowering. They are people who consistently demonstrate their willingness to identify challenges, develop solutions and invigorate the workforce and BPA’s mission. They are also individuals often found working behind the scenes, looking for flexibilities, pushing limits and taking on challenges others believe are impossible.

BPA recognized Bentz, a recently retired program manager in the Business Transformation Office, for his leadership in executing projects necessary for BPA’s participation in the California Independent System Operator’s Western Energy Imbalance Market. Participation has enhanced the value of the Northwest’s federal power and transmission system, increased revenues and helped decarbonize the grid.

“I have truly enjoyed working with so many people across the agency to implement BPA’s ability to participate in the Western Energy Imbalance Market,” said Bentz. “It has been rewarding to contribute to BPA’s evolving ability to serve the region and the Northwest customers.” 

He took on the role of WEIM Implementation Program manager and oversaw the execution of five essential projects, while also ensuring six other grid modernization efforts included the components necessary for joining the market.

“The multi-year process to reach BPA’s Western Energy Imbalance Market go-live date in 2022 was nothing short of a marathon, but Roger stuck with it every step of the way,” said BPA Administrator John Hairston. “Today, taking part in the EIM is not only a hallmark achievement for BPA, but also a testament to Roger and his incredible 35-year career.”

Bentz and the other AEA recipients are some of the people behind the power that have enabled BPA to keep the lights on in the Northwest for more than 80 years, even in the most challenging times. This year, BPA honored those whose initiative, innovation, superior service or exemplary acts have made an exceptional contribution to BPA's mission, the electric utility industry or to the greater community.

The annual BPA awards program has historically been the organization’s most anticipated workforce recognition event of the year. In the past, the event took place at BPA’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon, where awardees’ co-workers, families and friends were in attendance, clapping, cheering and celebrating. In 2020, the event went virtual for the first time due to the state and agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA delivers power via more than 15,000 circuit miles of lines and 259 substations to 490 transmission customers. In all, BPA markets about a third of the electricity consumed in the Northwest and operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid. BPA also funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world, and, with its partners, pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain affordable, reliable and carbon-free electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov.  

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Attached Media Files: ,

BPA Honors South Dakota Native For Contributions To Northwest Energy Markets (Photo) - 11/15/22

PR 22 19                                                                                                       BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
                                                                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Nov. 15, 2022
                                                                                 CONTACT: Tom Conning, BPA, 503-230-2832
                                                                                                                                            or 503-230-5131

BPA honors South Dakota native for contributions to Northwest energy markets

Award cites extraordinary contributions and service to the Pacific Northwest

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Bonneville Power Administration presented South Dakota native Roger Bentz with the BPA Exceptional Service award as part of its 2022 Administrator’s Excellence Awards program. BPA is a federal power marketing administration under the U.S. Department of Energy that serves the Pacific Northwest. 

The Aug. 17 virtual ceremony celebrated 26 exceptional individuals – all nominated by their peers – who embody the 2022 AEA theme, Energizing, Electrifying, Empowering. They are people who consistently demonstrate their willingness to identify challenges, develop solutions and invigorate the workforce and BPA’s mission. They are also individuals often found working behind the scenes, looking for flexibilities, pushing limits and taking on challenges others believe are impossible.

BPA recognized Bentz, a recently retired program manager in the Business Transformation Office, for his leadership in executing projects necessary for BPA’s participation in the California Independent System Operator’s Western Energy Imbalance Market. Participation has enhanced the value of the Northwest’s federal power and transmission system, increased revenues and helped decarbonize the grid.

“I have truly enjoyed working with so many people across the agency to implement BPA’s ability to participate in the Western Energy Imbalance Market,” said Bentz. “It has been rewarding to contribute to BPA’s evolving ability to serve the region and the Northwest customers.” 

He took on the role of WEIM Implementation Program manager and oversaw the execution of five essential projects, while also ensuring six other grid modernization efforts included the components necessary for joining the market.

“The multi-year process to reach BPA’s Western Energy Imbalance Market go-live date in 2022 was nothing short of a marathon, but Roger stuck with it every step of the way,” said BPA Administrator John Hairston. “Today, taking part in the EIM is not only a hallmark achievement for BPA, but also a testament to Roger and his incredible 35-year career.”

Bentz and the other AEA recipients are some of the people behind the power that have enabled BPA to keep the lights on in the Northwest for more than 80 years, even in the most challenging times. This year, BPA honored those whose initiative, innovation, superior service or exemplary acts have made an exceptional contribution to BPA's mission, the electric utility industry or to the greater community.

The annual BPA awards program has historically been the organization’s most anticipated workforce recognition event of the year. In the past, the event took place at BPA’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon, where awardees’ co-workers, families and friends were in attendance, clapping, cheering and celebrating. In 2020, the event went virtual for the first time due to the state and agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA delivers power via more than 15,000 circuit miles of lines and 259 substations to 490 transmission customers. In all, BPA markets about a third of the electricity consumed in the Northwest and operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid. BPA also funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world, and, with its partners, pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain affordable, reliable and carbon-free electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov.  

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Attached Media Files: ,