Notice2024-21530
Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project Rate Schedule
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 20, 2024
Effective
October 1, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentSouthwestern Power Administration
Abstract
The Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration (Southwestern), has approved and placed into effect Rate Order No. SWPA-86, which provides a temporary extension of Southwestern's current Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project rate schedule (RDW-15) through September 30, 2025, unless superseded.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 183 (Friday, September 20, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77144-77145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21530]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Southwestern Power Administration
Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project Rate Schedule
AGENCY: Southwestern Power Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of rate order.
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SUMMARY: The Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration
(Southwestern), has approved and placed into effect Rate Order No.
SWPA-86, which provides a temporary extension of Southwestern's current
Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project rate schedule (RDW-15) through
September 30, 2025, unless superseded.
DATES: Extension of the rate schedule is effective October 1, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Fritha Ohlson, Senior Vice
President, Chief Operating Officer, Office of Corporate Operations,
(918) 595-6684, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#600612091408014e0f080c130f0e20131710014e070f16"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fa9c88938e929bd4959296899594ba898d8a9bd49d958c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rate Order No. SWPA-86, as provided herein,
has been approved and implemented by the Administrator of Southwestern.
It extends the Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project Rate Schedule RDW-
15, Wholesale Rates for Hydro Power and Energy, until September 30,
2025, unless otherwise replaced.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
ADMINISTRATOR, SOUTHWESTERN POWER ADMINISTRATION
In the matter of: Southwestern Power Administration, Robert D.
Willis Hydropower Project Rate Schedule
Rate Order No. SWPA-86
Order Approving Extension of Rate Schedule on a Temporary Basis (9/13/
2024)
Pursuant to Sections 301(b) and 302(a) of the Department of Energy
Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 7151(b) and 7152(a), the functions of the
Secretary of
[[Page 77145]]
the Interior and the Federal Power Commission under Section 5 of the
Flood Control Act of 1944, 16 U.S.C. 825s, relating to the Southwestern
Power Administration (Southwestern), were transferred to and vested in
the Secretary of Energy. 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 Southwestern'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 the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). By Delegation Order No.
S1-DEL-S3-2024, effective August 30, 2024, 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-SWPA1-2023, effective April 10, 2023,
the Under Secretary for Infrastructure redelegated the authority to
confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim basis
to the Southwestern Administrator.
Background
On December 17, 2015, in Rate Order No. SWPA-70, the Deputy
Secretary of Energy placed into effect the current Robert D. Willis
Hydropower Project (Robert D. Willis) rate schedule (RDW-15) on an
interim basis for the period January 1, 2016 to September 30, 2019.
FERC confirmed and approved RDW-15 on a final basis on June 15, 2016
for a period ending September 30, 2019. On September 22, 2019, in Rate
Order No. SWPA-76, the Assistant Secretary for Electricity extended
RDW-15 for two years, for the period of October 1, 2019 through
September 30, 2021. On August 30, 2021, in Rate Order No. SWPA-79, the
Administrator, Southwestern, extended RDW-15 for two years, for the
period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023. On September 25,
2023, in Rate Order No. SWPA-83, the Administrator, Southwestern,
temporarily extended RDW-15 for one year, for the period of October 1,
2023 through September 30, 2024.
Discussion
Southwestern's current rate schedule for the Robert D. Willis
isolated rate system, RDW-15, is based on the 2015 Power Repayment
Study (PRS). Each subsequent annual PRS through 2022 indicated the need
for a revenue adjustment within a plus or minus five percent range of
the current revenue estimate. It is Southwestern's practice for the
Administrator to defer, on a case-by-case basis, revenue adjustments
for isolated rate systems that are within plus or minus five percent of
the revenue estimated from the current rate schedule. Therefore, the
Administrator deferred revenue adjustments annually for Robert D.
Willis through 2022. The 2023 PRS indicated a need for a revenue
adjustment above five percent and therefore a new rate is needed.
However, implementation of a rate adjustment plan including a new rate
schedule (RDW-23), and the associated procedures for public
participation in accordance with 10 CFR part 903 will not be completed
in time for the new rate schedule to be placed into effect prior to the
September 30, 2024, expiration of the current rate schedule and thus
temporary extension of the current rate schedule is necessary. Pursuant
to 10 CFR 903.23(b) and Redelegation Order No. S3-DEL-SWPA1-2023,
Southwestern's Administrator may extend existing rates on a temporary
basis without advance notice or comment pending further action. In such
a circumstance, the Administrator shall publish notice of said
extension in the Federal Register and promptly advise FERC of the
extension. The revenue collection associated with the extension of the
current rate will be considered in the development of the new rate
based on the 2023 PRS such that repayment obligations are met
consistent with the provisions of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order
No. RA 6120.2.
Availability of Information
Information regarding the extension of the rate schedule is
available for public review in the offices of Southwestern Power
Administration, One West Third Street Suite 1500, Tulsa, Oklahoma
74103. The rate schedule is available on the Southwestern website at
<a href="http://www.energy.gov/swpa/rates-and-repayment">www.energy.gov/swpa/rates-and-repayment</a>.
Order
In view of the foregoing and pursuant to the authority delegated to
me by the Secretary of Energy, I hereby extend, effective October 1,
2024, Robert D. Willis Rate Schedule RDW-15, Wholesale Rates for Hydro
Power and Energy. The rate schedule shall remain in effect on a
temporary basis through September 30, 2025, unless superseded.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on September
13, 2024, by Michael S. Wech, Administrator for Southwestern 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 DOE. This administrative process in no way
alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-21530 Filed 9-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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