Notice2024-02462
Loveland Area Projects, Western Area Colorado Missouri Balancing Authority, and Colorado River Storage Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-214
Primary source
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Published
February 7, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentWestern Area Power Administration
Abstract
The Rocky Mountain Region (RM) of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) proposes to extend existing formula rates (without any changes) for the Loveland Area Projects (LAP), the Western Area Colorado Missouri Balancing Authority (WACM), and the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) through September 30, 2026. The existing rates RM proposes to extend are: L-NT1 (network), L-FPT1 (firm point- to- point), L-NFPT1 (non-firm point-to-point), L-NFJDT (joint dispatch transmission), L-UU1 (unreserved use), L-AS1 (scheduling and dispatch), L-AS2 (reactive supply and voltage control (VAR) support), L-AS3 (regulation), L-AS4 (energy imbalance), L-AS5 (spinning reserves), L- AS6 (supplemental reserves), L-AS7 (balancing authority (BA) real power losses), and L-AS9 (generator imbalance). The existing rates expire on September 30, 2024.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8423-8424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02462]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Loveland Area Projects, Western Area Colorado Missouri Balancing
Authority, and Colorado River Storage Project--Rate Order No. WAPA-214
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed extension of transmission and ancillary
services formula rates.
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SUMMARY: The Rocky Mountain Region (RM) of the Western Area Power
Administration (WAPA) proposes to extend existing formula rates
(without any changes) for the Loveland Area Projects (LAP), the Western
Area Colorado Missouri Balancing Authority (WACM), and the Colorado
River Storage Project (CRSP) through September 30, 2026. The existing
rates RM proposes to extend are: L-NT1 (network), L-FPT1 (firm point-
to- point), L-NFPT1 (non-firm point-to-point), L-NFJDT (joint dispatch
transmission), L-UU1 (unreserved use), L-AS1 (scheduling and dispatch),
L-AS2 (reactive supply and voltage control (VAR) support), L-AS3
(regulation), L-AS4 (energy imbalance), L-AS5 (spinning reserves), L-
AS6 (supplemental reserves), L-AS7 (balancing authority (BA) real power
losses), and L-AS9 (generator imbalance). The existing rates expire on
September 30, 2024.
DATES: A consultation and comment period will begin February 7, 2024,
and end March 8, 2024. RM will accept written comments at any time
during the consultation and comment period.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to be informed of Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) actions concerning the proposed
extension submitted by WAPA to FERC for approval should be sent to:
Barton V. Barnhart, Regional Manager, Rocky Mountain Region, Western
Area Power Administration, 5555 East Crossroads Boulevard, Loveland, CO
80538-8986, or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4b070a1b3f392a25382a2f210b3c2a3b2a652c243d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="743835240006151a0715101e34031504155a131b02">[email protected]</span></a>. RM will post information
about the proposed formula rate extension and written comments received
to its website at: <a href="http://www.wapa.gov/2025-transmission-and-ancillary-services-rate-extension">www.wapa.gov/2025-transmission-and-ancillary-services-rate-extension</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila D. Cook, Rates Manager, Rocky
Mountain Region, Western Area Power Administration, 5555 East
Crossroads Boulevard, Loveland, CO 80538-8986, (970) 685-9562 or email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#efa3aebf9b9d8e819c8e8b85af988e9f8ec1888099"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="044845547076656a7765606e44736574652a636b72">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 9, 2017, FERC approved and
confirmed LAP transmission and LAP, WACM, and CRSP ancillary services
formula rates under Rate Schedules L-NT1, L-FPT1, L-NFPT1, L-UU1, L-
AS1, L-AS2, L-AS3, L-AS4, L-AS5, L-AS6, L-AS7, and L-AS9 under Rate
Order No. WAPA-174 for a 5-year period through September 30, 2021.\1\
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\1\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final
Basis, FERC Docket Nos. EF16-5-000 and EF16-5-001, 158 FERC ] 62,181
(2017).
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On December 29, 2020, WAPA's Administrator approved rates for
short-term sales for RM to use under the Western Energy Imbalance
Service (WEIS) Market, which superseded rate schedules L-AS4, L-AS9,
and L-AS7 (BA real power losses), for the 8-month period of February 1,
2021, through September 30, 2021.
On March 10, 2022, FERC confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-
196 extending Rate Schedules L-NT1, L-FPT1, L-NFPT1, L-UU1, L-AS1, L-
AS2, L-AS3, L-AS5, and L-AS6 through September 30, 2024, on a final
basis.\2\
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\2\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final
Basis, FERC Docket Nos. EF21-8-000 and EF21-10-000, 178 FERC ]
62,147 (2022).
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On March 29, 2022, FERC confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-
197, putting long-term rates in place for RM to use under the WEIS
Market under Rate Schedules L-AS4, L-AS9, L-AS7, and L-NFJDT through
September 30, 2024, on a final basis.\3\
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\3\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF21-9-000, 178 FERC ] 62,177 (2022).
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In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a),\4\ RM is proposing to extend
the existing formula rates under Rate Schedules L-NT1, L-FPT1, L-NFPT1,
L-NFJDT, L-UU1, L-AS1, L-AS2, L-AS3, L-AS4, L-AS5, L-AS6, L-AS7, and L-
AS9 for the period of October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2026. The
existing formula rates are viewable on WAPA's website at: <a href="http://www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-rates/rate-schedules">www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-rates/rate-schedules</a>. 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.
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\4\ 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347 (Feb. 21, 2019).
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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''.\5\ 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). RM and CRSP Management Center's (MC) membership in the SPP RTO
would have significant impacts on the above rate methodologies.
Extending the existing rates for two years would allow RM and CRSP MC
time to evaluate rate methodologies and then conduct major rate
adjustment processes to put new rates in place that would become
effective upon RM and CRSP MC joining
[[Page 8424]]
the SPP RTO (currently planned on April 1, 2026).
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\5\ 88 FR 26298 (Apr. 28, 2023).
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In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a), RM 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. RM 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).\6\ Those categorical exclusion determinations
are also applicable to this rate action. Copies of the categorical
exclusion determinations are available on WAPA's website at:
<a href="http://www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-environment/cx2016/and">www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-environment/cx2016/and</a>
<a href="http://www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-environment/2021-cx/">www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-environment/2021-cx/</a>. Look for
files titled, ``2016-077 Proposed Formula Rate Adjustment for
Transmission Ancillary Services and Sale of Surplus'' and ``2021-088
Rate Change Categorical Exclusion Determination-WAPA-197.08052021.''
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\6\ The determination was done in compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321-
4347, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and DOE NEPA
Implementing Procedures and Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021).
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Determination Under Executive Order 12866
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 January
26th, 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 February 2, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-02462 Filed 2-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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