FORT COLLINS, COLO -- The Western Electricity Coordinating Council recently presented its highest award to Terry Baker, chief power system operator at Platte River Power Authority. The Outstanding Contribution Award for 2007 is "in recognition of outstanding performance and steadfast support in furthering WECC’s mission" to: 1) Maintain a reliable electric power system in the Western Interconnection that supports efficient competitive power markets; and 2) Assure open and non-discriminatory transmission access among Members and provide a forum for resolving transmission access disputes between Members.
"Terry Baker dedicated his time and talents to a group whose mission is critical to Platte River providing reliable electricity to its owner communities," said Brian Moeck, Platte River Power Authority general manager. "Because of his work with WECC, utilities in the western United States have reliable operation of the Western interconnection."
Baker served as chairman of the reliability coordination subcommittee over the past three years. He now serves on the seven-member Board-level reliability coordination committee.
About Platte River Power Authority
Platte River generates and delivers reliable, low-cost and environmentally responsible electricity to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, where it is distributed by each municipal utility to residents and businesses. For more information, please visit, www.prpa.org.
About WECC
The Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) was formed on April 18, 2002, and supports efficient competitive power markets, assures open and non-discriminatory transmission access among members, provides a forum for resolving transmission access disputes and provides an environment for coordinating the operating and planning activities of its members as set forth in the WECC Bylaws.
The WECC region encompasses a vast area of nearly 1.8 million square miles. It is the largest and most diverse of the eight regional councils of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC). WECC's service territory extends from Canada to Mexico. It includes the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, the northern portion of Baja California, Mexico, and all or portions of the 14 western states in between. WECC and the nine other regional reliability councils were formed due to national concern regarding the reliability of the interconnected bulk power systems, the ability to operate these systems without widespread failures in electric service, and the need to foster the preservation of reliability through a formal organization.