---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 824r"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "824r"
heading: "Protection of transmission contracts in the Pacific Northwest"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/824r"
units:
  - "Chapter 12 — Federal Regulation and Development of Power"
  - "Subchapter II — Regulation of Electric Utility Companies Engaged in Interstate Commerce"
---

# §824r. Protection of transmission contracts in the Pacific Northwest

- (a) **Definition of electric utility or person—** In this section, the term “[electric utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=22-A) or [person](/usc/16/796.md?p=4)” means an [electric utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=22-A) or [person](/usc/16/796.md?p=4) that—
  - (1) as of August 8, 2005, holds firm transmission rights pursuant to contract or by reason of ownership of transmission facilities; and
  - (2) is located—
    - (A) in the Pacific Northwest, as that region is defined in [section 839a of this title](/usc/16/839a.md); or
    - (B) in that portion of a [State](/usc/16/796.md?p=6) included in the geographic [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) proposed for a [regional transmission organization](/usc/16/796.md?p=27) in [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) Docket Number RT01–35 on the date on which that docket was opened.
- (b) **Protection of transmission contracts—** Nothing in this chapter confers on the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) the authority to require an [electric utility](/usc/16/796.md?p=22-A) or [person](/usc/16/796.md?p=4) to convert to tradable or financial rights—
  - (1) firm transmission rights described in [subsection (a)](#a); or
  - (2) firm transmission rights obtained by exercising contract or tariff rights associated with the firm transmission rights described in [subsection (a)](#a).

## Source credit

(June 10, 1920, ch. 285, pt. II, § 218, as added Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1235, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 960.)