[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36132-36133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14327]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project--Notice of 
Proposed Extension of Firm and Nonfirm Transmission Service Rates--Rate 
Order No. WAPA-91

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed extension.

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SUMMARY: This action is a proposal to extend the existing Pacific 
Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project (AC Intertie) firm point-
to-point transmission service rate for the 500-kV transmission system 
and the nonfirm point-to-point transmission service rate for the 230/
345/500-kV transmission system, Rate Order No. WAPA-71, through 
December 31, 2003. Both rates will expire September 30, 2000. This 
notice of proposed extension of rates is issued pursuant to 10 CFR part 
903.23(a)(1). In accordance with 10 CFR part 903.23(a)(2), Western Area 
Power Administration (Western) will not have a consultation and comment 
period and will not hold public information and comment forums.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Maher Nasir, Rates Team Lead, 
Desert Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457, (602) 352-2768, 
or by e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By Amendment No. 3 to Delegation Order No. 
0204-108, published November 10, 1993 (58 FR 59716), the Secretary of 
Energy delegated (1) the authority to develop long-term power and 
transmission rates on a nonexclusive basis to Western's Administrator; 
and (2) the authority to confirm, approve, and place into effect on a 
final basis, to remand, or to disapprove such rates to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In Delegation Order No. 0204-172, 
effective November 24, 1999, the Secretary of Energy delegated the 
authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an 
interim basis to the Deputy Secretary.
    Pursuant with Delegation Order No. 0204-108 and existing Department 
of Energy procedures for public participation in power and transmission 
rate adjustments in 10 CFR part 903, Western's firm point-to-point 
transmission service rate for the AC Intertie 500-kV transmission 
system and nonfirm point-to-point transmission service rate for the AC 
Intertie 230/345/500-kV transmission system were submitted to FERC for 
confirmation and approval on January 31, 1996. On July 24, 1996, in 
Docket No. EF96-5191-000, at 76 FERC para. 62,061, FERC issued an order 
confirming, approving, and placing in effect on a final basis the firm 
point-to-point transmission service rate for the AC Intertie 500-kV 
transmission system and the nonfirm point-to-point transmission service 
rate for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV transmission system. The rates 
set forth in Rate Order No. WAPA-71 were approved for the 5-year period 
beginning February 1, 1996, and ending September 30, 2000.
    The firm point-to-point transmission service rate for the AC 
Intertie 500-kV transmission system and the nonfirm point-to-point 
transmission service rate for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV 
transmission system will expire on September 30, 2000. This makes it 
necessary to extend the current rates pursuant to 10 CFR part 903. Upon 
its approval, Rate Order No. WAPA-71 will be extended under Rate Order 
No. WAPA-91. Under Rate Order No. WAPA-71, the three types of 
transmission service rates approved were (1) a firm point-to-point 
transmission service rate for the AC Intertie 230/345-kV transmission 
system; (2) a firm point-to-point transmission service rate for the AC 
Intertie 500-kV transmission system; and (3) a nonfirm point-to-point 
transmission service rate for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV 
transmission system.
    Western's firm point-to-point transmission service rate for the AC 
Intertie 230/345-kV transmission system was superseded through Rate 
Order No. WAPA-76 and submitted to FERC for confirmation and approval 
on February 8, 1999. On June 22, 1999, in Docket No. EF99-5191-000, at 
87 FERC para. 61,346, FERC issued an order confirming, approving, and 
placing in effect on a final basis the firm point-to-point transmission 
service rate of $12.00/kilowattyear for the AC Intertie 230/345-kV 
transmission system. The rate set forth in Rate Order No. WAPA-76 was 
approved for a 5-year period beginning January 1, 1999, and ending 
December 31, 2003.
    Western is now proposing, through Rate Order No. WAPA-91, to extend 
the existing firm point-to-point transmission service rate of $17.23/
kilowattyear for the AC Intertie 500-kV transmission system and the 
nonfirm point-to-point transmission service rate of 2.00 mills/
kilowatthour for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV transmission system 
through December 31, 2003. This proposed extension will synchronize the 
expiration dates for all firm and nonfirm point-to-point transmission 
service rates for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV transmission system.
    During the firm point-to-point transmission service rate 
development for the AC Intertie 230/345-kV transmission system (Rate 
Order No. WAPA-76), Western determined that it will take approximately 
10 years for the AC Intertie 500-kV transmission system to be 
subscribed to a level sufficient to meet its own revenue repayment 
requirements. The ratesetting Power Repayment Study (PRS), established 
for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV transmission system (Rate Order No. 
WAPA-76), reflected the phasing-in of AC Intertie 500-kV transmission 
system revenues starting in FY 1999 through FY 2008. This ratesetting 
PRS remains valid. The projected revenue levels through sales of firm 
and nonfirm point-

[[Page 36133]]

to-point transmission service and miscellaneous items are sufficient to 
recover project expenses and capital requirements through FY 2049 for 
the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV transmission system.
    All documents made or kept by Western for developing the proposed 
extension of the firm point-to-point transmission service rate for the 
AC Intertie 500-kV transmission system and the nonfirm point-to-point 
transmission service rate for the AC Intertie 230/345/500-kV 
transmission system will be made available for inspection and copying 
at the Desert Southwest Customer Service Region, located at 615 South 
43rd Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona.
    Within ninety days after publication of this notice, Rate Order No. 
WAPA-91 will be submitted to the Deputy Secretary for approval through 
December 31, 2003.

    Dated: May 30, 2000.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-14327 Filed 6-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P