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People in Power – A NewsData Podcast

People in Power – A NewsData Podcast

Travis Kavulla of the Bonneville Power Administration on Market Choice, Transmission Expansion and the Future of BPA

Sep 29, 2026 · 1 hr · 10 segments

Travis Kavulla, the new CEO and administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, talks with Steve Ernst and Abigail Sawyer about regional market-choice considerations as he recently laid out in a…

Travis Kavulla, the new CEO and administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, talks with Steve Ernst and Abigail Sawyer about regional market-choice considerations as he recently laid out in a letter to the Regional Organization for Western Energy; his plans for accelerating the expansion of BPA transmission; load and resource pairing; his preparation and philosophy for leading the federal power-marketing agency; and, of course, salmon and tribal relations.

Travis Kavulla, the new CEO and administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, talks with Steve Ernst and Abigail Sawyer about regional market-choice considerations as he recently laid out in a…

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Show signals: Audience≈592 followers

Speakers: Travis KavullaGuestAbigail SawyerHostSteve ErnstHostAyla BurnettHost

Top entities: Bonneville Power Administration×48 California×19 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission×11 Western United States×12 John Hairston×2

Welcome and Podcast History3:01 – 4:01

Travis KavullaGuest

3:01

Nice to be here, Abigail.

Travis KavullaGuest

3:02

And it's a repeat occurrence for me, the predecessor to this podcast.

Travis KavullaGuest

3:06

I was on in 2018 on its second episode.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:10

Oh, my goodness.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:12

That's terrific.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:13

And I know you and I once appeared together on Public Power Underground, I believe, with Paul Dockery.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:19

So that was a nice time.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:20

So I know we'll have a good time today because we enjoyed chatting then.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:25

Yeah.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:26

Anyway, you have been a very busy man lately, and I know you have a lot to say, whether it's in writing, on stage, or to the occasional energy reporter.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:36

So I'm very glad you're willing to come on our podcast and let us know what's on your mind for BPA that you haven't already shared.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:43

Steve, of course, has deep roots in the Northwest and a far better understanding of BPA's history, so today I intend to let him ask most of the questions.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:53

But I'll definitely be piping in with a word from below here and there, geographically, I mean.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:59

But Steve, why don't you go ahead and get started?

Bonneville Power AdministrationGovernment OrganizationFederal agency
98%48 mentions
CaliforniaAdministrative AreaUS state
94%19 mentions
Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionGovernment OrganizationGovernment agency
90%11 mentions
Western United StatesPlaceRegion in the United States of America
86%12 mentions
John HairstonPerson
82%2 mentions
Federal Power ActBook
78%3 mentions
Columbia Generating StationPlaceNuclear power plant in Benton County, Washington
74%1 mention
Columbia River drainage basinPlaceRegion
70%4 mentions
California Independent System OperatorCompanyCorporation
66%2 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
62%3 mentions
Western Resource Adequacy ProgramEntity
58%1 mention
Western InterconnectionEntity
54%1 mention
MontanaAdministrative AreaUS state
50%2 mentions
Southwestern United StatesPlaceRegion in the United States of America
46%1 mention
United States Department of the TreasuryGovernment OrganizationGovernment department
42%1 mention
Tennessee Valley AuthorityGovernment OrganizationGovernment agency
38%1 mention
United States CongressCompanyGoverning body
34%1 mention
WashingtonCityCapital of the United States of America
30%1 mention
California Public Utilities CommissionGovernment OrganizationGovernment agency
26%1 mention
Base PowerCompanyEnergy storage company
22%1 mention
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitOrganizationCourt
18%1 mention
Performance indicatorEntity
14%1 mention
Southwest Power PoolCompanyCorporation
10%1 mention
Illinois Commerce CommissionCompanyCompany
6%1 mention
The University of ChicagoCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Chicago, Illinois
2%1 mention

Resource AdequacyEnergy > Energy Policy > Market Design
Bonneville Power AdministrationEnergy > Energy Policy > Market Design > Resource Adequacy
Interconnection QueuesEnergy > Transmission Infrastructure
Generator InterconnectionEnergy > Transmission Infrastructure > Interconnection Queues
Regulatory PoliciesEnergy > Transmission Infrastructure > Interconnection Queues > Generator Interconnection
Salmon PolicyEnergy > Environmental Policy
Tribal RelationsEnergy > Environmental Policy > Salmon Policy
Columbia BasinEnergy > Environmental Policy > Salmon Policy > Tribal Relations
Hiring PracticesBusiness > Utility Management > Workforce Development
Public PowerBusiness > Utility Management > Workforce Development > Hiring Practices
Tariff FilingsGovernment > Regulatory Agencies > Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Market GovernanceGovernment > Regulatory Agencies > Federal Energy Regulatory Commission > Tariff Filings
Energy PolicyEnergy
Utility ManagementBusiness
Environmental PolicyEnergy
Transmission InfrastructureEnergy
Market DesignEnergy > Energy Policy
Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionGovernment > Regulatory Agencies
Regulatory AgenciesGovernment
Government
Energy
Business
Workforce DevelopmentBusiness > Utility Management

Welcome and Podcast History3:01 – 4:01

Travis KavullaGuest

3:01

Nice to be here, Abigail.

Travis KavullaGuest

3:02

And it's a repeat occurrence for me, the predecessor to this podcast.

Travis KavullaGuest

3:06

I was on in 2018 on its second episode.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:10

Oh, my goodness.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:12

That's terrific.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:13

And I know you and I once appeared together on Public Power Underground, I believe, with Paul Dockery.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:19

So that was a nice time.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:20

So I know we'll have a good time today because we enjoyed chatting then.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:25

Yeah.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:26

Anyway, you have been a very busy man lately, and I know you have a lot to say, whether it's in writing, on stage, or to the occasional energy reporter.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:36

So I'm very glad you're willing to come on our podcast and let us know what's on your mind for BPA that you haven't already shared.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:43

Steve, of course, has deep roots in the Northwest and a far better understanding of BPA's history, so today I intend to let him ask most of the questions.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:53

But I'll definitely be piping in with a word from below here and there, geographically, I mean.

Abigail SawyerHost

3:59

But Steve, why don't you go ahead and get started?

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