[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 120 (Monday, June 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 37450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13363]



[[Page 37450]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project--Rate Order 
No. WAPA-192

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed extension of transmission service rates.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) proposes to extend 
its existing transmission service rates for the Pacific Northwest-
Pacific Southwest Intertie Project (Intertie) through September 30, 
2023. The proposed rates are unchanged from the existing transmission 
service rates under Rate Schedules INT-FT5 and INT-NFT4 that expire on 
September 30, 2020.

DATES: A consultation and comment period will begin June 22, 2020 and 
end July 22, 2020. WAPA will accept written comments anytime during the 
consultation and comment period.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to be informed of Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) actions concerning the proposed 
transmission service rate extension submitted by WAPA to FERC should be 
sent to: Ms. Tracey LeBeau, Regional Manager, Desert Southwest Customer 
Service Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 6457, 
Phoenix, Arizona 85005-6457, or email: [email protected]. WAPA will 
post information about the proposed transmission service rate extension 
and the written comments it receives to its website at: https://www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Rates/Pages/intertie-rates.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tina Ramsey, Rates Manager, Desert 
Southwest Customer Service Region, Western Area Power Administration, 
P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, Arizona 85005-6457, (602) 605-2565, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 22, 2013, FERC approved and 
confirmed Rate Schedules INT-FT5 and INT-NFT4 under Rate Order No. 
WAPA-157 for a 5-year period through April 30, 2018.\1\ WAPA's 
Administrator, under his authority, subsequently approved the use of 
the existing Intertie transmission service rates for short-term sales 
for the period between May 1, 2018, and September 21, 2018. The Deputy 
Secretary of Energy thereafter approved the transmission service rates 
on an interim basis from September 21, 2018, through December 3, 
2018.\2\ On December 3, 2018, FERC approved and confirmed the extension 
of Rate Schedules INT-FT5 and INT-NFT4 under Rate Order No. WAPA-181 
through September 30, 2020.\3\ In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a),\4\ 
WAPA is proposing to extend the existing Intertie transmission service 
rates under Rate Schedules INT-FT5 and INT-NFT4 through September 30, 
2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF13-4-000, 144 FERC ] 61,143 (2013).
    \2\ 83 FR 47921 (Sept. 21, 2018)
    \3\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF18-5-000, 165 FERC ] 62,137 (2018).
    \4\ 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347 (Feb. 21, 2019).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Extending these rate schedules through September 30, 2023, will 
provide WAPA and its customers time to evaluate the potential benefits 
of combining transmission service rates on Federal projects located 
within WAPA's Colorado River Storage Project Management Center (CRSP) 
and Desert Southwest Region (DSW). Ongoing efforts made towards 
combining transmission rates, which up to this time have been solely 
focused within DSW, have been expanded to include CRSP transmission 
system rates. Combining rates may lead to more efficient use of Federal 
transmission systems, diversify the customers who use those systems, 
and be financially advantageous. If, after a thorough evaluation, WAPA 
determines that combining transmission service rates will produce 
material benefits, it would initiate a public process before making a 
decision to combine the rates.
    Additionally, repayments for federally funded project investments 
are due to Treasury at the end of fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023. 
Project repayment is consistent with the cost recovery criteria set 
forth in DOE Order RA 6120.2. The existing rates provide sufficient 
revenue to pay these required payments and all annual costs including 
interest expense.

Legal Authority

    By Delegation Order No. 00-037.00B, effective November 19, 2016, 
the Secretary of Energy delegated: (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. By Delegation Order No. 00-002.00S, 
effective January 15, 2020, the Secretary of Energy also delegated the 
authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an 
interim basis to the Under Secretary of Energy. By Redelegation Order 
No. 00-002.10E, effective February 14, 2020, the Under Secretary of 
Energy further delegated the authority to confirm, approve, and place 
such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Assistant Secretary 
for Electricity.
    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a), WAPA has determined that it is 
not necessary to hold public information or public comment forums for 
this rate action but is initiating a 30-day consultation and comment 
period to give the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed 
extension. WAPA will review and consider all timely comments at the 
conclusion of the consultation and comment period and make adjustments 
to the proposal as appropriate.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on June 16, 
2020, by Mark A. Gabriel, Administrator, pursuant to delegated 
authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document, with the 
original signature and date, is maintained by DOE. For administrative 
purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the 
Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer 
has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic 
format for publication, as an official document of the Department of 
Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect 
of this document upon publication in the Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on June 17, 2020.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-13363 Filed 6-19-20; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P