in the mid-1990s, with energy efficiency programs at risk of being stranded by deregulation, the northwest power and conservation council called for the creation of a regional organization to encourage energy efficiency practices. neea was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the fall of 1996 with funding from all investor-owned utilities in the region and the bonneville power administration, which represented publicly owned utilities. in order to ensure the necessary collaboration would take place, the first board represented all of the primary stakeholders including regulators from the four states, public and privately owned utilities, energy efficiency businesses, and representatives for the four state governments.