[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63857-63858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26886]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Central Valley Project, California-Oregon Transmission Project, 
Pacific Alternating Current Intertie, Third-Party Transmission-Rate 
Order No. WAPA-185

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed extension of power, transmission and 
ancillary services formula rates.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration proposes to extend existing 
formula rates through September 30, 2024, for: Central Valley Project 
(CVP) power, transmission and ancillary service; California-Oregon 
Transmission Project transmission; Pacific Alternating Current Intertie 
transmission; and third-party transmission. The current rates expire on 
September 30, 2019.

DATES: The consultation and comment period will begin with the 
publication of this notice and will end on January 11, 2019. WAPA will 
accept written comments any time during the consultation and comment 
period.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Mr. Arun Sethi, Power Marketing 
Manager, Sierra Nevada Region, Western Area Power Administration, 114 
Parkshore Drive, Folsom, CA 95630-4710, or email [email protected]. WAPA 
will post information on the proposed rate extension to its website at 
https://www.wapa.gov/regions/SN/rates.

[[Page 63858]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Autumn Wolfe, Rates Manager, 
Sierra Nevada Region, Western Area Power Administration, 114 Parkshore 
Drive, Folsom, CA 95630-4710, (916) 353-4686, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 14, 2016, the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Rate Order No. WAPA-173,\1\ which 
extended the rates listed below for three years from October 1, 2016, 
through September 30, 2019.
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    \1\ See U.S. Department of Energy, Western Area Power 
Administration, Docket No. EF16-3-000, 156 FERC ] 62,039 (2016). 
FERC originally approved the rate on December 2, 2011. See U.S. 
Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration, Docket No. 
EF11-9-000, 137 FERC ] 62,201 (2011).
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     CV-F13 (Base Resource and First Preference Power),
     CPP-2 (Custom Product Power),
     CV-T3 (Firm and Non-Firm Point-to-Point Transmission 
Service),
     CV-NWT5 (Network Integration Transmission Service),
     COTP-T3 (Firm and Non-Firm Point-to-Point Transmission 
Service),
     PACI-T3 (Firm and Non-Firm Point-to-Point Transmission 
Service),
     CV-TPT7 (Third-Party Transmission Service),
     CV-UUP1 (Unreserved Use Penalties),
     CV-RFS4 (Regulation and Frequency Response),
     CV-SPR4 (Spinning Reserves),
     CV-SUR4 (Supplemental Reserves),
     CV-EID4 (Energy Imbalance Service), and
     CV-GID1 (Generator Imbalance).
    WAPA proposes to extend the existing formula rates, without any 
adjustments, for five years from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 
2024. WAPA is taking action under 10 CFR 903.23(a).
    These formula rates allow for recalculation of unit charges and 
revenue requirements at least annually. WAPA notifies customers of 
annual changes in writing, at customer meetings, and by posting on 
WAPA's website. The existing formula rates provide sufficient revenue 
to pay all annual costs, including interest expense, and repay required 
investments within the allowable period consistent with the cost 
recovery criteria set forth in DOE Order RA 6120.2.
    Extending the rates through September 30, 2024, will: (1) Ensure 
continued cost recovery; (2) allow time to develop rates under the new 
power marketing plan effective January 1, 2025; and (3) provide WAPA 
and its customers time to evaluate the Bureau of Reclamation 
initiatives, including the final CVP Cost Allocation Study results and 
credits and offsets from the Central Valley Project Improvement Act.
    Effective November 19, 2016, the Secretary of Energy delegated, 
through Delegation Order No. 00-037.00B: (1) The authority to develop 
power and transmission rates to WAPA'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 FERC. Effective November 1, 2018, the 
Secretary of Energy delegated, through Delegation Order No. 00-002.00Q, 
the authority (on a non-exclusive basis) to confirm, approve, and place 
such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Under Secretary of 
Energy.
    WAPA will not hold public information or public comment forums but 
is initiating a 30-day consultation and comment period in accordance 
with 10 CFR 903.23(a)(2). Written comments on the proposed rate 
extension must be received prior to the end of the consultation and 
comment period to be considered by WAPA in its decision process. WAPA 
will post comments received to its website, https://www.wapa.gov/regions/SN/rates, after the close of the consultation and comment 
period. After considering comments, WAPA will take further action on 
the proposed formula rate extension consistent with 10 CFR part 
903.23(a).

    Dated: November 28, 2018.
Mark A. Gabriel,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-26886 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P