[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55429-55430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20670]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Parker-Davis Project--Rate Order No. WAPA-113

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of order extending the firm electric service and 
transmission services rate methodologies.

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SUMMARY: This action is to extend the existing Parker-Davis Project (P-
DP) firm electric service rate schedule PD-F6, and the transmission 
service rate schedules PD-FT6, PD-FCT6, and PD-NFT6 through September 
30, 2006. Without this action, the existing rate methodologies will 
expire on September 30, 2004, and no rate methodologies will be in 
effect for these services.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jack Murray, Rates Team Lead, 
Desert Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area Power 
Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457, (602) 352-2442, 
or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By Delegation Order No. 00-037.00 approved 
December 6, 2001, the Secretary of Energy delegated: (1) The authority 
to develop power and transmission rates to Western'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, 
to remand, or to disapprove such rates to the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission.
    The existing rate methodologies contained within Rate Order No.

[[Page 55430]]

WAPA-75 were approved for 5 years and extended through September 30, 
2004.
    Western is currently evaluating methodologies and conducting a 
public process proposing a Multi-System Transmission Rate for cost 
recovery purposes for the P-DP, the Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest 
Intertie Project, and the Central Arizona Project. The public process 
may determine transmission rate methodologies that will supersede rate 
schedules PD-FT6, PD-FCT6, and PD-NFT6. Rate schedule PD-F6 for firm 
electric service may need modification to adapt to changes in the 
transmission rate methodology. Therefore, Western believes it is 
premature to proceed with a formal rate process for these rate 
schedules at this time, making it necessary to extend the current rate 
methodologies under 10 CFR 903. Upon its approval, Rate Order No. WAPA-
75, previously extended under Rate Order No. WAPA-98, will be extended 
under Rate Order No. WAPA-113.
    Following review of Western's proposal within the DOE, I hereby 
approve Rate Order No. WAPA-113, which extends the existing P-DP firm 
electric service and transmission services rate methodologies through 
September 30, 2006.

    Dated: September 2, 2004.
Kyle E. McSlarrow,
Deputy Secretary.

Department of Energy, Deputy Secretary

[Rate Order No. WAPA-113]

In the matter of: Western Area Power Administration Rate Extension for 
Firm Electric Service And Transmission Services Rate Methodologies; 
Order Confirming and Approving an Extension of the Parker-Davis Project 
Firm Electric Service and Transmission Services Rate Methodologies

    These service rate methodologies were established following section 
302 of the Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 
7152). This Act transferred to and vested in the Secretary of Energy 
(Secretary) the power marketing functions of the Secretary of the 
Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation under the 
Reclamation Act of 1902 (ch. 1093, 32 Stat. 388), as amended and 
supplemented by subsequent enactments, particularly section 9(c) of the 
Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(c)), and other Acts 
that specifically apply to the project system involved.
    By Delegation Order No. 00-037.00 approved December 6, 2001, the 
Secretary delegated: (1) The authority to develop power and 
transmission rates on a non-exclusive basis to the Administrator of the 
Western Area Power Administration (Western); (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, to remand, or to 
disapprove such rates to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Background

    The existing rate methodologies contained within Rate Order No. 
WAPA-75 were approved for 5 years beginning on November 1, 1997. By 
Rate Order No. WAPA-98, the rate was extended for 2 years through 
September 30, 2004.

Discussion

    Western is currently evaluating methodologies and conducting a 
public process proposing a Multi-System Transmission Rate (MSTR) for 
cost recovery purposes for the Parker-Davis Project, the Pacific 
Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project, and the Central Arizona 
Project, which will replace the current P-DP transmission rate 
methodologies. The firm electric service rate methodology may need 
modification to adapt to changes in the transmission rate methodology. 
Western believes it is premature to proceed with a formal rate process 
for P-DP at this time making it necessary to extend the current rate 
methodologies under 10 CFR 903. Upon its approval, Rate Order No. WAPA-
75, previously extended under Rate Order 98, will be extended under 
Rate Order No. WAPA-113 for a 2-year period through September 30, 2006.

Order

    In view of the above and under the authority delegated to me by the 
Secretary, I hereby extend the existing firm electric service rate 
schedule PD-F6 and transmission service rate schedules PD-FT6, PD-FCT6, 
and PD-NFT6. These existing rate schedules shall remain in effect 
through September 30, 2006.


    Dated: September 2, 2004.

Kyle E. McSlarrow,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-20670 Filed 9-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P