To achieve needed transmission improvements, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Chelan County PUD, Grant County PUD, Puget Sound Energy and Seattle Light have decided to continue to press for an integrated approach to the use and expansion of the United State's Northwest interconnected transmission system. These transmission owners held an initial public meeting in Portland, Oregon, U.S., on Jan. 27, and expected other transmission owners and control area operators to participate.

Work of this new group will be based on elements of BPA's October 2005 Integration Proposal, which combines the merits of Grid West and an effort known as the Transmission Improvements Group. The objective of the newly formed organization is to improve the operational efficiency, reliability and planned expansion of the transmission grid. Initially, the effort will focus on transmission planning and expansion, independent market monitoring, common OASIS, coordinated reliability and security initiatives, and further development of a flow-based available transmission capacity methodology.

The new entity is proposed to be governed by a board elected by regional stakeholders.