MEGAWATT (MW) -- A megawatt is one million watts, a measure of electrical power.

MEGAWATT-HOUR (MWH) -- A unit of electrical energy which equals one megawatt of power used for one hour.

MID-COLUMBIA -- The section of the Columbia River from its junction with the Snake River up to Grand Coulee Dam.

MILL -- One tenth of a cent. The cost of electricity is often expressed in mills per kilowatt-hour. (25 mills = 2.5 cents)

MUNICIPAL UTILITY -- A utility owned and operated by a city.

NAMEPLATE RATING -- The output capacity of a generating device as designated by the manufacturer. The nameplate is usually attached to the individual machine.

NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 1992 -- A law aimed at increasing efficiency in the electric utility industry by enhancing competition in generation. It opens up transmission access in an unprecedented fashion by giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to order utilities to provide transmission to other utilities, federal power marketing agencies or anyone else generating electric energy for sale.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) OF 1969 -- A law requiring agencies to consider the environmental impacts of major federal actions and to prepare environmental impact statements (EISs) which discuss these impacts and weigh alternatives. The law also requires public participation in the EIS process.

NITROGEN SUPERSATURATION -- A condition of water in which the concentration of dissolved nitrogen exceeds the saturation level of water. Excess nitrogen can harm the circulatory systems of fish.

NONFIRM ENERGY -- Energy available when water conditions are better than the worst historical pattern; generally such energy is sold on an interruptible (nonguaranteed) basis. Sometimes called secondary energy.

NON-POWER OPERATING REQUIREMENTS -- Operating requirements at hydroelectric projects that pertain to navigation, flood control, recreation, irrigation, and other non-power uses of the river.

NORTHWEST POWER PLANNING COUNCIL -- The Northwest Power Planning Council was created in 1981 in accordance with the Northwest Power Act of 1980. The Council is a regional planning agency composed of eight members, two each from the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Members are appointed by state governors and confirmed by state legislatures. The Council's primary responsibilities are 1) to develop a program to "protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife damaged by hydroelectric development in the Columbia River Basin; 2) to develop a 20-year regional conservation and electric power plan; and 3) to provide for broad public participation in its planning processes. The Council is not a part of BPA nor a federal agency funded by BPA rates.

NORTHWEST POWER POOL -- The Northwest Power Pool is an association of generating utilities serving the Northwestern United States, British Columbia and Alberta. Members include the Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation and all public and investor-owned utilities with generating resources. The association dates to 1942, when the United States government directed utilities to coordinate operations in support of wartime production. Activities of the Power Pool are determined by three committees. One deals with coordination of operations, the second with transmission issues and the third with administration of the Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement of 1964. The agreement is a plan for coordinating hydropower generation and determining load carrying capability in the Columbia River Basin.

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