[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 49664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24313]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Montana/Dakotas Regional Transmission Study Scope

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal 
power marketing agency of the Department of Energy, will hold a public 
workshop to solicit input on a planning study of transmission expansion 
options and projected costs in Western's Upper Great Plains Region. 
Western is soliciting suggestions from interested parties for the sites 
in Montana and North Dakota that should be studied as potential 
locations for new generation and possible transmission alternatives 
needed to deliver these resources to the eastern and western electric 
grids. This study is being conducted in accordance with the 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2001, (Pub. L. 107-20, Chapter 4). 
Western will accept oral and written comments on the study scope at the 
workshop and will accept written comments until November 2, 2001. A 
final scope of study will be published November 21, 2001, and posted on 
Western's Website at www.wapa.gov.

DATES: The workshop will be held October 19, 2001, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 
p.m. (noon) and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. MDT. Lunch will not be provided. 
All comments must be received by November 2, 2001, to assure 
consideration.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, 27 North 
27th Street, Billings, Montana. All comments should be sent to: Ms. 
Robin Johnson, Project Manager, Western Area Power Administration, 2900 
4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266. Comments may also be faxed 
to (406) 247-7408 or e-mailed to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Robin Johnson, Project Manager, 
Upper Great Plains Customer Region, Western Area Power Administration, 
2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266, telephone: (406) 247-
7426, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Upper Great Plains Region owns, 
operates, and maintains 7,700 miles of transmission and 99 substations 
in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. 
This transmission grid was designed and constructed to deliver Federal 
hydropower to more than 300 preference customers in the Region, but is 
constrained from accepting new generation resources presently being 
planned in Montana and North Dakota. This study will identify potential 
new generation sites and evaluate enhancements to the existing 
transmission system along with new transmission projects needed to 
deliver new energy resources to customers in both the east and west 
grids.
    The workshop will consist of a brief presentation on transmission 
constraints in the Western transmission system, possible remedies, and 
presently planned system improvements. Open discussion of new projects 
will follow. Maps of the existing transmission system will be available 
to assist workshop participants in locating proposed projects. 
Western's staff will review the proposed projects and develop a final 
scope of study by November 21, 2001. The final study scope will be 
posted on Western's Website at www.wapa.gov. Various types of 
generation and both alternating current and direct current technology 
will be considered. The study will require assumptions as to future 
generation locations for creation of a benchmark model. Power flow and 
stability analyses will be conducted on the selected scenarios as 
limited by study schedule and budget. A final report of study results 
will be published in June 2002 and posted on Western's Website at 
www.wapa.gov. Electronic copies will be available by request.

    Dated: September 14, 2001.
Michael S. Hacskaylo,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-24313 Filed 9-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P