Washougal resident honored by BPA

A Washougal man recently received one of the Bonneville Power Administration’s highest honors.

Eric V. King was recognized as part of the agency’s 2016 Administrator’s Excellence Awards Program.

The annual program highlights employees and members of the public whose innovation, initiative, superior service or courageous acts have made exceptional contributions to BPA’s mission, the electric utility industry or the local community.

BPA Administrator Elliot Mainzer presented the awards in March at BPA’s Portland, Oregon, headquarters.

“These individuals represent excellence in everything they do,” said Mainzer. “No matter their corner of the organization or their specific job, they all do their work in the context of a bigger picture and greater cause, and they’ve made a difference through their tremendous contributions to BPA’s public service mission.”

King, who is an electrical engineer, received the Administrator’s Exceptional Service Award. The award recognizes individuals or groups who have significantly contributed to BPA’s mission as it serves the Pacific Northwest.

Co-workers describe King as a great listener, clear communicator and problem solver who has played key roles in many challenging regional issues.

As an example, King led the successful Wind Integration Team that advanced BPA’s ability to connect wind resources to its transmission system.

“Eric has the strength and courage to navigate difficult and controversial issues,” said Mainzer. “His unique abilities have contributed many positive outcomes for the region.”

King is a 1980 graduate of Meridian High School in Meridian, Idaho. He graduated in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Idaho in Moscow.

AEA recipients were nominated by their peers and were evaluated on numerous criteria such as excellence in their chosen field, technical achievement, community outreach and service as an “unsung hero.”

The BPA is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.