[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 31, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16717-16718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06632]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Southeastern Power Administration


Proposed Rate Adjustment, Jim Woodruff Project

AGENCY: Southeastern Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rates, public forum, and opportunities for 
public review and comment.

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

SUMMARY: Southeastern Power Administration (Southeastern) proposes to 
revise existing schedules of rates and charges applicable to the sale 
of power from the Jim Woodruff Project, effective October 1, 2021, 
through September 30, 2026. Interested persons may review the rates and 
supporting studies and submit written comments. Southeastern will 
consider all comments received in this process.

DATES: Written comments are due on or before June 29, 2021. A public 
information and comment forum will be held by Southeastern Power 
Administration, virtually, on May 11, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. EDT. Persons 
desiring to speak at the forum should notify Southeastern at least 
seven (7) days before the scheduled forum date so that a list of forum 
participants can be prepared. Notifications should be submitted by 
Email to [email protected]. Others participating in the forum may 
speak if time permits. Following the forum, Southeastern will provide 
exhibits to attendees and upon request.

[[Page 16718]]


ADDRESSES: The Tuesday, May 11, 2021, Microsoft Teams Meeting URL 
information is as follows: http://bit.ly/2Os0TV7, Call in information: 
+1 (404) 796-9216, Phone Conference ID: 950 131 260#. Written comments 
should be submitted to: Administrator, Southeastern Power 
Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, 1166 Athens Tech Road, 
Elberton, GA 30635-6711; Email: [email protected]. Information 
regarding the rates, including studies and other supporting materials, 
is available for public review in the offices of Southeastern Power 
Administration, 1166 Athens Tech Road, Elberton, GA 30635.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Samuel W. Loggins, Assistant 
Administrator, Finance and Marketing, Southeastern Power 
Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, 1166 Athens Tech Road, 
Elberton, GA 30635-6711, (706) 213-3805; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background of Existing Rates: The existing 
schedules of rates and charges applicable to the sale of power from the 
Jim Woodruff Project are effective through September 30, 2021. On 
October 20, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 
confirmed and approved, on a final basis, Rate Schedules JW-1-K, and 
JW-2-F applicable to the Jim Woodruff System for a period ending 
September 30, 2021 (157 FERC ] 62,043).
    Repayment Study: Existing rate schedules are based upon a March 
2016 repayment study and other supporting data contained in FERC Docket 
No. EF16-7-000. A repayment study prepared in February 2021 showed that 
the existing rates are not adequate to meet repayment criteria. 
Southeastern is therefore proposing a rate increase. A revised study 
shows that a revenue increase of $684,000 per year from preference 
customers would make the rates adequate to meet repayment criteria. The 
rate adjustment would represent an increase of about 9.2 percent.
    The additional costs are due to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Operation & Maintenance expense increases and Southeastern marketing 
expense increases.
    Proposed Rates: In the proposed rate schedule JW-1-L, which is 
available to preference customers, the capacity charge would be 
increased from $7.74 per kilowatt per month to $8.46 per kilowatt per 
month. The energy charge would be increased from 20.44 mills per 
kilowatt-hour to 22.32 mills per kilowatt-hour. In addition to the 
capacity and energy charges, each preference customer would continue to 
be charged for power purchased by Southeastern on behalf of the 
preference customer. This pass-through would continue to be computed as 
described in the current rate schedules.
    Rate schedule JW-2-F, available to Duke Energy Florida (DEF), would 
continue the current rate of 100 percent of DEF's fuel cost.
    Legal Authority: By Delegation Order No. 00-037.00B, effective 
November 19, 2016, the Secretary of Energy delegated to Southeastern's 
Administrator the authority to develop power and transmission rates, to 
the Deputy Secretary of Energy the authority to confirm, approve, and 
place such rates into effect on an interim basis, and to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the authority to confirm, approve, 
and place into effect on a final basis, or to disapprove, rates 
developed by the Administrator under the delegation. By Delegation 
Order No. S1-DEL-S4-2021, effective February 25, 2021, the Acting 
Secretary of Energy also delegated the authority to confirm, approve, 
and place such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Under 
Secretary for Science (and Energy). By Redelegation Order No. 00-
002.10E, effective February 14, 2020, the Under Secretary of Energy (to 
whom such authority was delegated by the Secretary of Energy in 
Delegation Order No. 00-002.00S from January 15, 2020 until that 
delegation was rescinded on February 25, 2021) redelegated the 
authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an 
interim basis to the Assistant Secretary for Electricity. By 
Redelegation Order No. 00-002.10-03, effective July 8, 2020, the 
Assistant Secretary for Electricity further redelegated the authority 
to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim 
basis to the Administrator, Southeastern Power Administration. The 
delegations and redelegations not affirmatively rescinded remain valid. 
This rate is proposed by the Administrator, Southeastern Power 
Administration, pursuant to the authority delegated in Delegation Order 
No. 00-037.00B.
    Environmental Impact: Southeastern has reviewed the possible 
environmental impacts of the rate adjustment under consideration and 
has concluded that, because the adjusted rates would not significantly 
affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the proposed 
action is not a major Federal action for which preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement is required.
    Determination Under Executive Order 12866: Southeastern has an 
exemption from centralized regulatory review under Executive Order 
12866; accordingly, no clearance of this notice by the Office of 
Management and Budget is required.
    Signing Authority: This document of the Department of Energy was 
signed on March 18, 2021, by Virgil G. Hobbs III, Administrator for 
Southeastern Power Administration, 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 March 26, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-06632 Filed 3-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P