[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24104-24105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11447]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Southeastern Power Administration


Proposed Rate Adjustment

AGENCY: Southeastern Power Administration (Southeastern), DOE.

ACTION: Notice of rate order.

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SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy confirmed and 
approved, on an interim basis, Rate

[[Page 24105]]

Schedule SJ-1. The rate was approved on an interim basis through June 
30, 1999, and is subject to confirmation and approval by the Federal 
Regulatory Commission on a final basis.

DATES: Approval of rate on an interim basis is effective through June 
30, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leon Jourolmon, Assistant 
Administrator, Finance & Marketing, Southeastern Power Administration, 
Department of Energy, Samuel Elbert Building, 2 South Public Square, 
Elberton, Georgia 30635-2496, (706) 213-3800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by 
Order issued December 14, 1994, in Docket No. EF94-3021-000, confirmed 
and approved Wholesale Power Rate Schedules CC-1-D, CM-1-C, CEK-1-C, 
CSI-1-C, CTV-1-C, CK-1-C, and CBR-1-C through June 30, 1999. This order 
includes the Wholesale Power Rate Schedule SJ-1 for the sale of power 
from the Stonewall Jackson Project.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., April 24, 1997.
Charles B. Curtis,
Deputy Secretary.

Department of Energy

Deputy Secretary

[Rate Order No. SEPA-36]

Southeastern Power Administration--Cumberland System Power Rates, Order 
Confirming and Approving Power Rates on an Interim Basis

    Pursuant to Sections 302(a) and 301(b) of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act, Pub. L. 95-91, the functions of the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Federal Power Commission under 
Section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 1944, 16 USC 825s, relating to 
the Southeastern Power Administration (Southeastern) were 
transferred to and vested in the Secretary of Energy. By Delegation 
Order No. 0204-108, effective May 30, 1986, 51 FR 19744 (May 30, 
1986), the Secretary of Energy delegated to the Administrator the 
authority to develop power and transmission rates, and delegated to 
the Under Secretary the authority to confirm, approve, and place in 
effect such rates on an interim basis, and delegated to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the authority to confirm and 
approve on a final basis or to disapprove rates developed by the 
Administrator under the delegation. On November 4, 1993, the 
Secretary of Energy issued Amendment No. 3 to Delegation Order No. 
0204-108, granting the Deputy Secretary authority to confirm, 
approve, and place into effect Southeastern's rates on an interim 
basis. This rate is issued by the Deputy Secretary pursuant to said 
notice.

Background

    Power from the Cumberland System is presently sold under 
Wholesale Power Rate Schedules CC-1-D, CM-1-C, CEK-1-C, CSI-1-C, 
CTV-1-C, CK-1-C, and CBR-1-C. These rate schedules were approved by 
the FERC on December 14, 1994, for a period ending June 30, 1999.

Public Notice and Comment

    Southeastern prepared a Power Repayment Study dated October 1996 
for the Cumberland System which showed that revenues at current 
rates and including the proposed Stonewall Jackson Projects rate 
were adequate to meet repayment criteria. On August 26, 1996, by 
Federal Register Notice 61 FR 43760, Southeastern proposed to 
include the Stonewall Jackson Project in the Cumberland System. The 
Notice also gave the opportunity for review and comment, with a 
deadline for the written comments on September 27, 1996. 
Southeastern received no written comments.

Discussion

System Repayment

    An examination of Southeastern's revised system power repayment 
study, prepared in October 1996, for the Cumberland System shows 
that with the proposed rates, all system power costs are paid within 
the 50-year repayment period required by existing law and DOE 
Procedure RA 6120.2. The Administrator of Southeastern has certified 
that the rates are consistent with applicable law and that they are 
the lowest possible rates to customers consistent with sound 
business principles.

Environmental Impact

    Southeastern has reviewed the possible environmental impacts of 
the rate adjustment under consideration and has concluded that, 
because the adjusted rate would not significantly affect the quality 
of the human environment within the meaning of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the proposed action is not a major 
Federal action for which preparation of an Environmental Impact 
Statement is required.

Availability of Information

    Information regarding these rates, including studies, and other 
supporting materials is available for public review in the offices 
of Southeastern Power Administration, Samuel Elbert Building, 2 
South Public Square, Elberton, Georgia 30635, and in the Power 
Marketing Liaison Office, James Forrestal Building, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

Submission to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

    The rate hereinafter confirmed and approved on an interim basis, 
together with supporting documents, will be submitted promptly to 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for confirmation and 
approval on a final basis ending no later than June 30, 1999.

Order

    In view of the foregoing and pursuant to the authority delegated 
to me by the Secretary of Energy, I hereby confirm and approve on an 
interim basis, attached Wholesale Power Rate Schedule SJ-1. The Rate 
Schedule shall remain in effect on an interim basis through June 30, 
1999, or until the FERC confirms and approves it or a substitute 
rate schedules on a final basis. By my action, I also approve, on an 
interim basis, the inclusion of the Stonewall Jackson Project into 
the Cumberland System of Projects for rate and repayment purposes.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., April 24, 1997.
Charles B. Curtis,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-11447 Filed 5-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P