Hello, Everyone -

This Notice postpones our tentatively scheduled  RTO West Regional 
Representatives Group Meeting from April 20 to May 4.? As  most of you know, 
substantial work is on-going in the areas of congestion  management and 
contract conversion.? With respect to congestion management,  the RTO West 
filing utilities are working together with other stakeholders to  consider 
refinements to the Stage 1 congestion model.? There is an  additional effort 
among the filing utilities to develop a possible alternative  to the Stage 1 
model.? These efforts will be among the topics at the May 4  meeting.? When 
we get closer to the meeting date, I'll send a notice on  specific time and 
location.

At our March 23 RRG meeting, I briefed  everyone on my discussions with a 
FERC staff member on the status of the RTO  West October 23 filing.? I was 
told that the FERC Commissioners wanted to  hold a meeting in the West to get 
the views of western states' representatives  on RTOs (and critical pricing, 
grid enhancements, generation, and other  infrastructure issues) before they 
took up the RTO West filing.? In its  Order issued March 16, Docket No. 
PL01-3-000, entitled "Removing Obstacles to  Increased Electric Generation 
and Natural Gas Supply in the Western United  States,"? FERC stated that it 
saw a west wide RTO, or a seamless  integration of Western RTOs, as "the best 
vehicle for designing and implementing  a long-term regional solution."

This past Tuesday, April 10, FERC hosted  a meeting in Boise to get the views 
of western states' representatives on  western electric price volatility, a 
western regional transmission organization,  and generation and transmission 
infrastructure.? During the time allotted  to RTOs, the states' 
representatives unanimously opposed moving immediately to a  west wide RTO 
and supported moving forward with the regional RTO initiatives  (RTO West and 
DSTAR) that are currently before FERC. This position on RTOs was  essentially 
uniform among all of the states' representatives attending.? In  addition, 
the states' representatives strongly encouraged the FERC to move  forward 
quickly and get orders out on the current RTO filings.? State PUC  
Commissioners Roger Hamilton (Oregon), Marsha Smith (Idaho), and Marilyn  
Showalter (Washington) were particularly forceful and eloquent in opposing a  
west wide RTO and supporting moving forward with the regional  proposals.

My hope is that FERC heard the message from the states'  representatives and 
will act on the compliance filings very soon.? The next  opportunity for RTO 
West to be on? FERC's agenda is April 25.? We  should know by April 18 
whether RTO West is on the agenda.? If it is, then  an Order could issue from 
FERC on April 25 or 26, and this will give all of us  about a week to review 
and digest it before the RRG meets on May  4.

During this time of uncertainty and crisis in the western energy  markets, 
your continued support for RTO West is very much appreciated. 

Thanks very much.

- Bud
?
P.S. - I have sent this message to the RRG members and other interested  
parties by "blind copy" to save those of you?who print out your e-mails  from 
a huge list of recipients at the beginning of your  print-out.