Document
Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program-Eastern Division-Rate Order No. WAPA-217
The Upper Great Plains (UGP) region of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA or Western) proposes to extend existing formula rates (without any changes) for the Pick-Sloan...
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On September 28, 2020, FERC approved and confirmed Western Area Power Administration—Upper Great Plains Region's transmission and ancillary services formula rates under Rate Schedules WAUGP-ATRR, WAUGP-AS1, WAUW-AS3, WAUW-AS4, WAUW-AS5, WAUW-AS6, and WAUW-AS7 under Rate Order No. WAPA-188 for a five-year period through September 30, 2025.[]
In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a),[]
UGP is proposing to extend the existing formula rates under Rate Schedules WAUGP-ATRR, WAUGP-AS1, WAUW-AS3, WAUW-AS4, WAUW-AS5, WAUW-AS6, and WAUW-AS7 for the period of October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. The existing formula rates are viewable online at the following locations: (1) UGP's OASIS at:
https://www.oasis.oati.com/wapa/index.html;
(2) on UGP's Rates website at:
www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/ugp/ugp-rates;
and (3) the “Western Area Power Administration UGP Information” link on SPP's Member Related Postings website at:
opsportal.spp.org/OASIS/Directory/Member%20Related%20Postings.
The existing formula rates provide sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs, including interest expense, and repay investment within the allowable period consistent with the cost recovery criteria set forth in Department of Energy (DOE) Order RA 6120.2.
On April 28, 2023, WAPA published a
Federal Register
notice titled “Recommendation for Western Area Power Administration's Rocky Mountain Region and Colorado River Storage Project Management Center to Pursue Final Negotiations Regarding Membership in the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization and for the Upper Great Plains Region to Expand Its Participation”.[]
On September 8, 2023, WAPA's Administrator authorized staff to move forward with the recommendation to pursue final negotiations for membership and expanded participation in the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization (SPP RTO). UGP's expanded participation in the SPP RTO will have impacts on the above rate methodologies. Extending the existing formula rates for five years allows UGP time to evaluate rate methodologies to conduct a major rate adjustment process to put new formula rates in place that would become effective upon UGP's expanded participation in the SPP RTO (currently planned on April 1, 2026).
In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a), UGP has determined that it is not necessary to hold public information or public comment forums for this rate action but is initiating a 30-day consultation and comment period to give the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed extension. UGP will review and consider all timely public comments at the conclusion of the consultation and comment period and adjust the proposal as appropriate.
Legal Authority
By Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-RATES-2016, effective November 19, 2016, the Secretary of Energy delegated: (1) the authority to develop power and transmission rates to WAPA's Administrator; (2) the authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Deputy Secretary of Energy; and (3) the authority to confirm, approve, and place into effect on a final basis, or to remand or disapprove such rates to FERC. By Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-S3-2023, effective April 10, 2023, the Secretary of Energy also delegated the authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Under Secretary for Infrastructure. By Redelegation Order No. S3-DEL-WAPA1-2023, effective April 10, 2023, the Under Secretary for Infrastructure further redelegated the authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim basis to WAPA's Administrator.
Ratemaking Procedure Requirements
Environmental Compliance
Categorical exclusion determinations were previously issued for these rates under the following categorical exclusion listed in appendix B to subpart D of 10 CFR part 1021: B4.3 (Electric power marketing rate changes).[]
Those categorical exclusion determinations are also applicable to this rate action. Copies of the categorical exclusion determinations are available on WAPA's website at:
www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/ugp/environment/.
WAPA has an exemption from centralized regulatory review under Executive Order 12866; accordingly, no clearance of this notice by the Office of Management and Budget is required.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on August 19, 2024, by Tracey A. LeBeau, Administrator, Western Area Power Administration, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document, with the original signature and date, is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register
.
Signed in Washington, DC, on August 21, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.