[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 11, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37758-37759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13418]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Colorado River Storage Project--Rate Order No. WAPA-132

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of order temporarily extending transmission and 
ancillary services rates.

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SUMMARY: This action is to temporarily extend the existing Colorado 
River Storage Project (CRSP) transmission and ancillary services rates 
through September 30, 2010. The existing transmission and ancillary 
services rates will expire September 30, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mr. Bradley S. Warren, CRSP Manager, 
CRSP Management Center, Western Area Power Administration, 150 East 
Social Hall Avenue, Suite 300, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1580, (801) 
524-6372, e-mail [email protected], or Ms. Carol Loftin, Rates Manager, 
CRSP Management Center, Western Area Power Administration, 150 East 
Social Hall Avenue, Suite 300, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1580, (801) 
524-6380, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  By Delegation Order No. 00-037.00, 
effective December 6, 2001, the Secretary of Energy delegated: (1) The 
authority to develop power and transmission rates 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 
(Commission).
    The existing rates, contained in Rate Order No. WAPA-99,\1\ were 
approved for 5 years through September 30, 2007. Western is temporarily 
extending the existing CRSP transmission and ancillary services rates 
in accordance with 10 CFR part 903.23(b). The existing CRSP rate 
formula methodology collects annual revenue sufficient to recovery 
annual expenses (including interest) and capital requirements, thus 
ensuring repayment of the project within the cost recovery criteria set 
forth in DOE order RA 6120.2. The temporary extension will permit a 
concurrent public process and rate approval period for firm electric 
service, transmission service, and ancillary services.
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    \1\ WAPA-99 was approved by the Commission on a final basis on 
November 14, 2003, in Docket No. EF02-5171-000 (105 FERC ] 62,093).
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    Western did not have a consultation and comment period and did not 
hold public information and comment forums, which in accordance with 10 
CFR part 903.23(b) are not required. Following review of Western's 
proposal within DOE, I hereby approve Rate

[[Page 37759]]

Order No. WAPA-132 which extends the existing CRSP transmission and 
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ancillary services rates through September 30, 2010.

    Dated: June 29, 2007.
Clay Sell,
Deputy Secretary.

Department of Energy; Deputy Secretary

Rate Order No. WAPA-132

In the Matter of: Western Area Power Administration Rate Extension for 
Colorado River Storage Project Transmission and Ancillary Services 
Rates; Order Confirming and Approving a Temporary Extension of the 
Colorado River Storage Project Transmission and Ancillary Services 
Rates

    The transmission and ancillary services rates 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 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 laws, 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, effective December 6, 2001, the 
Secretary of Energy delegated: (1) The authority to develop power and 
transmission rates 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 rates, contained in Rate Order No. WAPA-99, were 
approved for 5 years and are effective through September 30, 2007.

Discussion

    CRSP firm power, transmission, and ancillary services rates were 
placed into effect in 2002,\2\ with expiration in 2007. In 2005, CRSP 
firm power rates were found to be insufficient, so a new increased firm 
electric service rate was placed into effect on October 1, 2005, 
through September 30, 2010.\3\ The CRSP transmission and ancillary 
services rates remained the same, with expiration in 2007. Western is 
temporarily extending the CRSP transmission and ancillary services 
rates until 2010 pursuant to 10 CFR part 903.23(b). This will result in 
the CRSP firm electric, transmission, and ancillary services rates 
having the same expiration date, and will permit a concurrent public 
process and rate approval period for those services. The existing 
transmission and ancillary services rate formula methodologies collect 
annual revenues sufficient to recover annual expenses (including 
interest) and capital requirements, thus ensuring repayment of the 
project costs under the cost recovery criteria set forth in DOE order 
RA 6120.2. As permitted by 10 CFR part 903.23(b), Western did not have 
an advanced notice and comment period, and did not hold public 
information and comment forums on the temporary extension of CRSP 
transmission and ancillary services rates.
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    \2\ Rate Order No. WAPA-99, 67 FR 60656 (Sept. 26, 2002). 
Approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on 
November 14, 2003 (105 FERC ] 62, 093).
    \3\ Rate Order No. WAPA-117, 70 FR 47823 (August 15, 2005). 
Approved by FERC on June 13 2006 (115 FERC ] 62,271).
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Order

    In view of the above and under the authority delegated to me, I 
hereby temporarily extend for a period effective from October 1, 2007, 
through September 30, 2010, the existing rate schedules SP-PTP6, SP-
NW2, SP-NFT5, SP-SD2, SP-RS2, SP-EI2, SP-FR2, and SP-SSR2 for 
transmission and ancillary services.

    Dated: June 29, 2007.
Clay Sell,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-13418 Filed 7-10-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P