Acronyms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

A&G	administrative and general expense; also G&A
ABWR	advanced boiling water nuclear reactor
AC	alternating current
ACC	air cooled condenser
ACCCE	American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity; formerly CEED/ABEC
ACE	area control error
ACE	American Coalition for Ethanol
ACEEE	American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
ACRE®	Action Committee for Rural Electrification (NRECA)
AEA	Atomic Energy Act
AEE	Association of Energy Engineers
AEIC	Association of Edison Illuminating Companies
AFC	automatic frequency control
AFUDC	allowance for funds used during construction
AM/FM/GIS	automated mapping/facilities management/geographic information system
AMI	advanced meter infrastructure
AMR	automatic meter reading
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
APA	Alaska Power Administration
APM	ACES Power Marketing
APPA	American Public Power Association
AQCS	Air Quality Control System
AREA	Arrowhead Regional Emission Abatement Plan
ARTO	Alliance RTO
ASD	adjustable speed drive
ASHRAE	American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air-Conditioning Engineers
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASTM	American Society for Testing & Materials
ATC	available transmission transfer capability
AVS	Antelope Valley Station

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B

BACT	Best Available Control Technology
BANANA	build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything
BART	Best Available Retrofit Technology
BC	Bank for Cooperatives
BEPC	Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck, ND
Bcf	one billion cubic feet
BHP	Black Hills Power
BIL	basic lightning impulse insulation level
BNSF	Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
BPA	Bonneville Power Administration
BSC	Bismarck State College
BSL	basic switching impluse insulation level
BTU	British Thermal Unit
BWR	boiling water nuclear reactor

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C

C&RE	Conservation & Renewable Energy Program (Western)
CAA	Clean Air Act
CAAA	Clean Air Act Amendement (1990)
CAIDI	Customer Average Interruption Duration Index
CA ISO	California ISO
CAIR	Clean Air Interstate Rule
CAMR	Clean Air Mercury Rule
CAMU	Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities
CBM	coalbed methane
CBO	Congressional Budget Office
CBPC	Corn Belt Power Cooperative, IA
CC	combined cycle power plant
CCC	Certified Cooperative Communicator
CCD	Credentialed Cooperative Director
CCPC	Canadian Clean Power Coalition
CCPI	Clean Coal Power Initiative
CCS	carbon capture and storage
CDD/HDD	cooling degree day/heating degree day
CEA	Canadian Electrical Association
CEED	Center for Energy & Economic Development; changed to American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) in 2008
CEM	continuous stack emission monitoring (EPA)
CEPS	Clean Energy Portfolio Standards
CFB	circulating fluidized bed
CFC	National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation
CFCs	Chlorofluorocarbons
CFL	compact fluorescent lightbulb
CIGRE	International Conference on Large High Voltage Electric Systems
CMEPC	Central Montana Electric Power Cooperative, MT
CMRTO	Crescent Moon Regional Transmission Organization (2000)
COE	Army Corps of Engineers
COOP	cooperative utility
COP	coefficient of performance; efficiency
COU	consumer-owned utility
CP	Cooperative Power, MN (merged to form GRE)
CPSS	Center for Power System Studies (SDSU)
CREA	Colorado Rural Electric Association
CREB	Clean Renewable Energy Bond
CREC	Council of Rural Electric Communicators
CRC	Cooperative Response Center
CREDA	Colorado River Energy Distributors Association
CRN	Cooperative Research Network
CRSP	Colorado River Storage Project Management Center
CSR	Customer Service Region (Western)
CSU	Colorado Springs Utilities
CT	current transformer; combustion turbine
CTC	competitive transition charge
CTG	combustion turbine generator
CURE	Consumers United for Rail Equity
CUS	Common Use System
CWIP	construction work in progress

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D

DC	direct current
DCC	Dakota Coal Company
DEC	diversified energy company
DEED	Demonstration of Energy Efficient Developments (APPA)
DFS	Dry Fork Station
DG	distributed or dispersed generation
DGC	Dakota Gasification Company
DISCO	electric distribution company
DM&E	Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad
DOE	Department of Energy (1977)
DSM	demand-side management
DSTAR	Desert Star RTO

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E

EA	Environmental Assessment (federal)
ECA	electrical cost adjustment
ECAR	East Central Reliability Coordination (RRC)
ECE	Electric Council for the Economy
ECPA	Electric Consumers Protection Act (1986)
EEI	Edison Electric Institute (IOUs)
EER	energy efficiency ratio
EERC	Energy and Environmental Research Center
EERE	U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
EGA	Electric Generation Association
EGS	electric generation supplier
EHV	extra high voltage
EIA	Energy Information Administration
EIC	Electric Information Council
EIS	Environmental Impact Statement
ELCON	Electric Consumers Resource Council
EMF	electric and magnetic fields
EMS	energy management system
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
EPAct	Energy Policy Act (2005)
EPAMP	Energy Planning and Management Program (Western)
EPRI	Electric Power Research Institute
ERCOT	Electric Reliability Council of Texas (RRC)
ERDA	Energy Research and Development Administration
EREPC	East River Electric Power Cooperative, SD
ESA	Energy Storage Association
ESCO	energy service company
ETS	electric thermal storage
EUI	electric utility industry
EV	electric vehicle
EVAA	Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas
EWG	exempt wholesale generator (EPAct)

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F

FASB	Financial Accounting Standards Board
FCA	Flood Control Act (1944)
FCC	Federal Communications Commission
FCCG	Fuel Cell Commercialization Group
FERC	Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FFB	Federal Financing Bank
FGD	flue gas desulfurization
FOA	fan/oil/air cooled
FONSI	Finding of No Significant Impact statement
FPA	Federal Power Act (1935)
FPPA	Fort Peck Project Act (1938)
FRA	Federal Railroad Administration
FRCC	Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (RRC)
FREIC	Federated Rural Electric Insurance Corporation
FRPC	Front Range Power Company
FTE	full time equivalent personnel (federal)
FWPA	Federal Water Power Act (1920)

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G

G&T	generation and transmission utility
GAO	Government Accountability Office
GCC	Global Climate Coalition
GENCO	electric generation company
GFCI	ground-fault circuit interrupter
GFRTO	GridFlorida RTO (Florida Transco)
GIS	geographic information system
GLECA	Great Lakes Electric Consumers Association
GOTRAC	Growth Opportunities Through Rail Access Coalition
GPS	global positioning system
GPSP	Great Plains Synfuels Plant (Synfuels Plant)
GRE	Great River Energy, MN (merger of CP & UPA)
GSRTO	GridSouth RTO
GT	gas turbine
GW	gigawatt (1,000,000,000 watts)
GWh	gigawatt-hour

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H

HCPD	Heartland Consumers Power District, SD
hp	horsepower
HV	high voltage
HZ	Hertz (cycles per second)

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I

IADG	Iowa Area Development Group
IAEC	Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives
IAMU	Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities
ICE	Informed Citizens for the Environment
ICC	Interstate Commerce Commission
ICPA	Intermountain Consumer Power Association
IDR	Issuer Default Rating
IEEE	Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers
IEG	Iowa Environmental Group
IESNA	Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
IGCC	integrated gasification combined cycle
IGFC	integrated gasification fuel cell
IGSHPA	International Ground Source Heat Pump Association
IMG	Iowa Marketing Group
IMO	Independent Electric Market Organization of Ontario
IOS	integrated operations services
IOU	investor-owned utility
IPCC	International Panel on Climate Change
IPP	Inland Power Pool
IPP	independent power producer (PURPA)
IRP	integrated resources planning
IS	integrated system
ISC	Industrial Siting Commission
ISO	independent transmission system operator
ISO MOU	ISO Memorandum of Understanding (PJM, NYISO, ISO NE, & IL)
ISO NE	USI New England
ISUB	Iowa State Utilities Board
ITA	independent transmission agent; independent tariff administration; integrated transmission agreement
ITC	independent transmission company
ITC	investment tax credit
IUC	integrated utility company

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J

JAA	joint action agency
JOA	joint operating agreement

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K

kbps	kilobits per second
kV	kilovolt (1,000 volts)
kVa	kilovolt-amperes
kVar	kilovar
kW	kilowatt (1,000 watts)
kWh	kilowatt-hour (energy)

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L

LAER	lowest achievable air emissions rate
LCP	least cost planning
LDC	local distribution company
LEC	Lignite Energy Council
LED	light-emitting diode
LES	Lincoln Electric System, NE
LFC	load frequency control
LMP	locational marginal pricing
LNG	liquefied natural gas
LOLP	loss of load probability
LOPC	L&O Power Cooperative, IA
LOS	Leland Olds Station
LPPC	Large Public Power Council
LRS	Laramie River Station
LTC	load tap changer

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M

M/KWH	mills/kilowatt hour (1/10 cent/KWH)
MAAC	Mid-Atlantic Area Council (see PJM)
MAIN	Mid-America Interconnected Network
MAPP	Mid-Continent Area Power Pool
MBMECA	Missouri Basin Municipal Electric Cooperative Association, IA
MBPP	Missouri Basin Power Project (1971)
MBSG	Missouri Basin Systems Group (merged w/MECA in 1999)
Mcf	one thousand cubic feet
MDU	Montana-Dakota Utilities, ND
MEAN	Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, NE
MEC	Mid-American Energy Company
MECA	Montana Electric Cooperatives Association
MECA	Mid-West Electric Consumers Association
MEEE	Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy
MHD	magnetohydrodynamic
MHEB	Manitoba Hydroelectric Board
MHEB	Manitoba Hydro Electric Board
MIP	Member Investment Program
MISO	Midwest Independent System Operator
MMU	Marshall Municipal Utilities, MN
MMUA	Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association
MOM	Missouri River Master Water Control (operating) Manual (COE)
MPC	Minnkota Power Cooperative, MN
MPCA	Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
MPUC	Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
MR&I	municipal, rural and industrial water
MRBA	Missouri River Basin Association
MREA	Minnesota Rural Electric Association
MRES	Missouri River Energy Services, SD (formerly MBMPA)
MRO	Midwest Reliability Organization
MTBE	methyl tertiary butyl ether
MUNI	municipal utility
MVA	megavolt-amperes (power)
MW	megawatt (1,000,000 watts)
MWh	megawatt-hour (1,000 KHW)

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N

NAAQS	National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAEHPA	North American Electric Heat Pump Alliance
NAERO	North American Electric Reliability Organization (successor to NERC)
NARUC	National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
NCEA	North Central Electric Association
NCREC	North Central Research Extension Center
NCSC	National Cooperative Services Corporation
NDAMPS	North Dakota Association of Municipal Power Systems
NDAREC	North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
NDC	National Development Council
NDMPA	North Dakota Municipal Power Agency, ND
NDPSC	North Dakota Public Service Commission
NEC	National Electric Code (ANSI/NFPA)
NEF	National Energy Foundation
NEGTC	Nebraska Electric G&T Cooperative, NE
NEMA	National Electric Manufacturers Association
NERC	North American Electric Reliability Council (to be replaced by NAERO)
NERTO	New England RTO
NESARC	National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition
NESC	National Electric Safety Code (ANSI/IEEE)
NETL	National Energy Technology Laboratory
NFEC	National Food and Energy Council
NIEP	National Independent Energy Producers
NIMBY	not in my back yard
NIPCO	Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, IA
NMPP	Nebraska Municipal Power Pool
NOPR	Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FERC)
NOV	Notice of Violation
NPA	Nebraska Power Association
NPCC	Northeast Power Coordinating Council (RRC)
NPCC	National Preference Customer Committee
NPPD	Nebraska Public Power District, NE
NPRB	Nebraska Power Review Board
NPSC	Nebraska Public Service Commission
NRC	Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NRCO	National Renewables Cooperative Organization
NREA	Nebraska Rural Electric Association
NRECA	National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
NREL	National Renewable Energy Laboratory (1992)
NREVAC	Non-Road Elect Vehicles Applications Consortium
NRHN	National Rural Health Network
NRTC	National Rural Telephone Cooperative
NSPS	new source performance standards (EPA)
NSR	New Source Review
NTCA	National Telephone Cooperative Association
NUG	non-utility generator
NUTSEA	National Utility Training & Safety Education Association
NWPPA	Northwest Public Power Association
NWPS	Northwestern Public Service, SD
NYPP	New York Power Pool

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O

O&M	operations and maintenance
OA	oil/air cooled
OASIS	open access sure-time transmission information system; RIN
OCR	oil circuit recloser
OFA	over-fired air
OM&R	operations, maintenance and replacement
OMB	Office of Management and Budget
OPPD	Omaha Public Power District, NE
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OTP	Otter Tail Power Company

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P

PAC	powdered activated carbon
PC	subcritical pulverized coal
PCA	power cost adjustment
PCB	polychlorinated biphenyl
PCCA	Power & Communication Contractors Association
PCOR	Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership
PE	licensed professional engineer
PFBC	pressurized fluidized-bed combustion
PFN	Public Finance Network
PHEV	plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
PJM	Pennsylvania/Jersey/Maryland Interconnection
PMA	power marketing administration (eg. Western)
PMI	Power Marketing Initiative (Western)
POOLCO	alternative power pool
POWERPAC	APPA Political Action Committee
PPD/PUD	public power district/public utility district
PPDC	Public Power Development Corporation
PRB	Powder River Basin
PRECorp	Powder River Energy Corporation
PRPA	Platt River Power Authority
PRS	annual power repayment study (Western)
PRWCMT	Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust
PSC	public service commission
PSCO	Public Service Company of Colorado
PSD	Prevention of Significant Deterioration
PS&I	preliminary survey and investigation costs
PT	potential (voltage) transformer
PTC	production tax credit
PUC	public utility commission
PUCSC	Public Utilities Commission of the State of CO
PUHCA	Public Utilities Holding Company Act (1935)
PURPA	Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (1978)
PV	photovoltaic
PWR	pressurized water nuclear reactor

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Q

QA/QC	quality assurance/quality control
QF	qualifying facility (PURPA)

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R

RA	Reclamation Act (1902)
RATA	Relative Accuracy Testing Audit
RBCS	Rural Business-Cooperative Service
RDF	refuse-derived fuel
REA	Rural Electrification Administration (1935 - 1994)
REA	Rural Electrification Act (1936)
REC	rural electric cooperative
REMC	rural electric membership corporation
REMDC	Rural Electric Management Development Council
REPC	Rushmore Electric Power Cooperative, SD
RER	Rural Electric Research (NRECA)
RERC	Rural Electricity Resource Council
RESMA	Rural Electric Statewide Manager Association
RIN	real-time information network; OASIS
RMCMI	Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute
RMEL	Rocky Mountain Electrical League
RMGC	Rocky Mountain Generation Cooperation
RMPP	Rocky Mountain Power Pool
RMRG	Rocky Mountain Reserve Group
RMW	Rushmore west
ROI	return on investment
RPA	Reclamation Project Act (1939)
RPS	Renewable Portfolio Standards
RRC	regional reliability council (eg. MAPP)
RTE	regional transmission entity
RTG	regional transmission group
RTO	regional transmission organization
RTOW	RTO West
RTU	remote terminal unit
RUS	Rural Utilities Service (1994)

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S

SAIDI	System Average Interruption Duration Index
SAIFI	System Average Interruption Frequency Index
SCADA	supervisory control and data acquisition
SCPC	supercritical pulverized coal
SDMEA	South Dakota Municipal Electric Association
SDMPA	South Dakota Municipal Power Agency, SD
SDPUC	South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
SDREA	South Dakota Rural Electric Association
SEA	sorbent enhancement additives
SEER	seasonal energy efficiency rating
SEIA	Solar Energy Industries Association
SEPA	Southeastern Power Administration
SERC	Southeastern Electric Reliability Council (RRC)
SIP	State Implementation Plan
SMMPA	Southern Minnestoa Municipal Power Agency, MN
SMS	Spirit Mound Station
SNG	synthetic natural gas
SOC	soil organic carbon
SPC	Saskatchewan Power Corporation
SPEC	Sunflower Electric Power Cooperative, KS
SPLAN	strategic planning
SPP	Southwest Power Pool (RRC)
STB	Surface Transportation Board
SVC	static var control
SWPA	Southwestern Power Administration
SWPRA	Southwestern Power Resources Association

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T

TAPS	Transmission Access Policy Study Group
T&D	transmission and distribution
TDU	transmission dependent utility
TEC	The Electrification Council
TIA	Territorial Integrity Act
TMDL	Total Maximum Daily Load
TPM	third party marketer
TRANSCO	transmission company
TSGTA	Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
TSM	Transmission Systems Maintenance
TSNW	Tri-State Nebraska west
TTC	total transmission transfer capability
TTWWAD	that's the way we've always done it
TVA	Tennessee Valley Authority

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U

UARG	Utility Air Regulatory Group
UBECA	United BioEnergy Commercialization Association
UBG	Utility Battery Group
UCETF	Urban Consortium Energy Task Force
UDC	utility distribution company
UHV	ultra-high voltage
UMGTEC	Upper Missouri G&T Electric Cooperative, MT
UP	Utility Plus, MN
UPA	United Power Association, MN (merged to form GRE)
UPC	utility parent company
UPS	uninterrupted power supply
UPVG	Utility Photovoltaic Group
URD	underground residential distribution
URRA	Utility Renewable Resources Association
USABC	US Advanced Battery Consortium
USBR	US Bureau of Reclamation (1902); also BOR
USCEA	US Council for Energy Awareness
USCPC	ultra-supercritical pulverized coal
USDA	US Department of Agriculture
USEA	US Energy Association
USEIA	U.S. Energy Information Administration
UST	underground storage tank
USWAG	Utility Solid Waste Activities Group
UTC	Utility Telecommunications Council
UWAG	Utility Water Act Group
UWIG	Utility Wind Interest Group

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V

V	volt
VA	volt-ampere

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W

WACM	Western Area Colorado Missouri Control Area
WAFB	Warren Air Force Base
WALC	Western Area Lower Colorado
WAPA	Western Area Power Administration, CO
WAPA	Western Area Power Administration (1977) Note: WAPA prefers to be called "Western"
WFA	Western Fuels Association
Wh	Watt-hour
WIA	Wyoming Infrastructure Authority
WMMPA	Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, MN
WMPA	Wyoming Municipal Power Agency WY
WPEC	West Plains Electric Cooperative
WPP	Western Power Producers
WPSC	Wyoming Public Service Commission
WQCC	Water Quality Control Commission
WREA	Wyoming Rural Electric Association
WSCC	Western Systems Coordinating Council
WSPC	Western States Power Corporation
WSWPCC	Western States Water & Power Consumers Conference

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X

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Y

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Z

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