[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51665-51666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18080]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Request for Statements of Interest Regarding the WAPA 
Transmission System in the Area of Boulder City, Nevada

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Request for statements.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), a Federal power 
marketing administration of the Department of Energy (DOE), is 
evaluating options that could reduce congestion on its transmission 
system and facilitate the interconnection and/or transmittal of energy, 
including renewable generation, in southern Nevada. WAPA is requesting 
statements of interest (SOI) from entities that are interested in 
participating with WAPA to upgrade or construct new transmission 
facilities for WAPA's transmission system, or taking transmission 
service on or interconnecting with upgraded or newly constructed 
facilities, in the area of Boulder City, Nevada. WAPA's transmission 
system in the area of Boulder City, Nevada includes Mead Substation, a 
significant regional trading hub for energy.

DATES: To be assured consideration, all SOI should be received by WAPA 
on or before November 21, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send responses to: Jack Murray, Regional Manager, Desert 
Southwest Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 6457, 
Phoenix, Arizona 85005-6457, or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Murray, Regional Manager, Desert 
Southwest Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 6457, 
Phoenix, Arizona 85005-6457, (602) 605-2453 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WAPA markets and transmits Federal power 
resources from various multi-purpose hydroelectric projects to 
customers in accordance with Federal law. WAPA owns and operates an 
integrated 17,000 circuit-mile, high-voltage transmission system across 
15 western states covering a 1.3 million square mile service area. 
WAPA's transmission system is used to deliver Federal hydropower to 
WAPA's customers. In addition, the system is used to deliver power from

[[Page 51666]]

interconnected power producers, including clean, renewable energy 
resources.
    WAPA's Desert Southwest Region, based in Phoenix, Arizona, operates 
and maintains more than 3,100 miles of transmission lines and 
facilities in Arizona, California, and Nevada. WAPA's transmission 
system in Nevada includes Mead Substation, a facility of the southern 
portion of the Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project 
(Intertie) and an important trading hub for wholesale power which 
offers access to multiple markets throughout the western United States. 
The Intertie was authorized by Section 8 of the Pacific Northwest Power 
Marketing Act of August 31, 1964.\1\ The basic purpose of the Intertie 
was to provide, through transmission system interconnections among 
certain Federal and non-Federal power systems, maximum use of power 
resources to meet growing demands. WAPA also operates and maintains 
transmission system assets in the area of Boulder City, Nevada pursuant 
to its Parker-Davis Project legislative authorities.\2\ Finally, WAPA 
has statutory authority under its Transmission Infrastructure Program 
(TIP) to borrow up to $3.25 billion from the Department of the Treasury 
for the purpose of (1) constructing, financing, facilitating, planning, 
operating, maintaining, or studying construction of new or upgraded 
electric power transmission lines and related facilities with at least 
one terminus within WAPA's service territory, and (2) delivering or 
facilitating the delivery of power generated by renewable energy 
resources constructed or reasonably expected to be constructed.\3\
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    \1\ Public Law 88-552, now codified at 16 U.S.C. 837g.
    \2\ The Parker-Davis Project was formed by consolidating two 
projects, Parker Dam and Davis Dam, under terms of the Consolidate 
Parker Dam Power Project and Davis Dam Project Act on May 28, 1954. 
Public Law 83-373.
    \3\ WAPA's Transmission Infrastructure Program (TIP) implements 
Section 301 of the Hoover Power Plant Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 
16421a). For each TIP project in which WAPA participates, the WAPA 
Administrator must certify, prior to committing any funds for the 
project, that the project is in the public interest, the project 
will not adversely impact system reliability or operations or other 
statutory obligations, and it is reasonable to expect the proceeds 
from the project shall be adequate to repay the loan. TIP's 
principles, policies, and practices were announced May 14, 2009 (74 
FR 22732), and subsequently revised April 7, 2014 (79 FR 19065) and 
August 23, 2021 (86 FR 47099).
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    Transmission capacity in the area of Boulder City, Nevada, is 
congested due to high demand and WAPA seeks to reduce that congestion 
by increasing transmission capacity. In this notice, WAPA solicits SOIs 
to allow WAPA to determine the level of interest for actions that could 
reduce congestion and facilitate the interconnection and/or transmittal 
of energy, including renewable generation, in its transmission system 
in southern Nevada. Specifically, WAPA is soliciting SOIs from entities 
that are interested in (1) participating with WAPA in upgrading or 
constructing new facilities for WAPA's transmission system, including 
Mead Substation, in the area of Boulder City, Nevada, and/or (2) taking 
transmission service from or interconnecting to such upgraded or newly 
constructed transmission facilities.
    SOIs submitted with respect to this notice should include the 
following information, as applicable:
    1. Name and general description of the entity submitting the SOI.
    2. Name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address of 
the entity's primary contact for the SOI.
    3. A description of (a) the entity's interest in upgrading or 
constructing new transmission facilities in the area of Boulder City, 
Nevada and/or taking service on or interconnecting to such facilities; 
(b) information about the energy resource(s) associated with the 
entity's interest, including, but not necessarily limited to, type of 
resource, the general location, expected resource capacity, and 
estimated commercial operation date; and (c) an overview of any 
proposed upgraded or new transmission facilities, including location, 
routing, and minimum transfer capability.
    4. Statement of potential financing sources, including, if 
applicable, interest in financing through WAPA's TIP.
    5. Description of the proposed role that the submitting entity may 
serve in the development, construction, ownership, operation, and 
maintenance of the facilities.
    6. Any other information that the submitting entity thinks would be 
useful for consideration as part of its SOI.
    An expression of interest made by submitting a SOI is not binding 
or promissory. WAPA will treat data submitted by entities in this 
process, including financing arrangements with other parties, in 
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If submitting 
entities seek confidential treatment of all or part of a submitted 
document under the FOIA exemption for confidential business 
information, they should appropriately mark such documents and WAPA 
will consider such markings in the event a FOIA request is received.
    Additional information on WAPA's Desert Southwest Region and 
transmission system can be found at: https://www.wapa.gov/regions/DSW/Pages/dsw.aspx and https://www.wapa.gov/transmission/Pages/oasis.aspx.

Procedure Requirements

Determination Under Executive Order 12866

    WAPA 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 August 15, 
2022, by Tracey A. LeBeau, Administrator, Western Area 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 August 17, 2022.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2022-18080 Filed 8-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P