[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 188 (Friday, September 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67274-67275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21453]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Southwestern Power Administration


Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project Rate Schedule

AGENCY: Southwestern Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of rate order.

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SUMMARY: The Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration 
(Southwestern), has approved and placed into effect Rate Order No. 
SWPA-83, which provides a temporary extension of Southwestern's current 
Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project rate schedule (RDW-15) through 
September 30, 2024, unless superseded.

DATES: Extension of the rate schedule is effective October 1, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Fritha Ohlson, Senior Vice 
President, Chief Operating Officer, Office of Corporate Operations, 
(918) 595-6684, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rate Order No. SWPA-83, as contained herein, 
has been approved and placed into effect by the Administrator, 
Southwestern, and provides for the temporary extension, through 
September 30, 2024, unless superseded, of the Robert D. Willis 
Hydropower Project Rate Schedule RDW-15, Wholesale Rates for Hydro 
Power and Energy.

United States of America

Department of Energy

Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration

In the matter of: Southwestern Power Administration, Robert D. Willis 
Hydropower Project Rate Schedule, Rate Order No. SWPA-83

Order Approving Extension of Rate Schedule on a Temporary Basis ( 9/25/
2023 )

    Pursuant to Sections 301(b) and 302(a) of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 7151(b) and 7152(a), the functions of the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Federal Power Commission under 
Section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 1944, 16 U.S.C. 825s, relating to 
the Southwestern Power Administration (Southwestern), were transferred 
to and vested in the Secretary of Energy. By Delegation Order No. S1-
DEL-RATES-2016, effective November 19, 2016, the Secretary of Energy 
delegated: (1) the authority to develop power and transmission rates to 
Southwestern'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, or to remand or disapprove such 
rates, to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). By 
Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-S3-2023, effective April 10, 2023, 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 for Infrastructure. By Redelegation Order No. S3-DEL-SWPA1-
2023, effective April 10, 2023, the Under Secretary for Infrastructure 
redelegated the authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates 
into effect on an interim basis to the Southwestern Administrator.

Background

    On December 17, 2015, in Rate Order No. SWPA-70, the Deputy 
Secretary of Energy placed into effect the current Robert D. Willis 
Hydropower Project (Robert D. Willis) rate schedule (RDW-15) on an 
interim basis for the period January 1, 2016 to September 30, 2019. 
FERC confirmed and approved RDW-15 on a final basis on June 15, 2016 
for a period ending September 30, 2019. On September 22, 2019, in Rate 
Order No. SWPA-76, the Assistant Secretary for Electricity extended 
RDW-15 for two years, for the period of October 1, 2019 through 
September 30, 2021. On August 30, 2021, in Rate Order No. SWPA-79, the 
Administrator, Southwestern, extended RDW-15 for two years, for the 
period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.

Discussion

    Southwestern's current rate schedule for the Robert D. Willis 
isolated rate system, RDW-15, is based on the 2015 Power Repayment 
Study (PRS). Each subsequent annual PRS through 2022 indicated the need 
for a revenue adjustment within a plus or minus five percent range of 
the current revenue estimate. It is Southwestern's practice for the 
Administrator to defer, on a case-by-case basis, revenue adjustments 
for isolated rate systems that are within plus or minus five percent of 
the revenue estimated from the current rate schedule. Therefore, the 
Administrator deferred revenue adjustments annually for Robert D. 
Willis through 2022. The 2023 PRS indicated a need for a revenue 
adjustment above five percent and therefore a new rate is needed. 
However, finalization of the 2023 PRS, development of a rate adjustment 
plan including a new rate schedule (RDW-23), and the associated 
procedures for public participation in accordance with 10 CFR part 903 
will not be completed in time for the new rate schedule to be placed 
into effect prior to the September 30, 2023, expiration of the current 
rate schedule and thus temporary extension of the current rate schedule 
is necessary. Pursuant to 10 CFR 903.23(b) and Redelegation Order No. 
S3-DEL-SWPA1-2023, Southwestern's Administrator may extend existing 
rates on a temporary basis without advance notice or comment pending 
further action. In such a circumstance, the Administrator shall publish 
notice of said extension in the Federal Register and promptly advise 
FERC of the extension. The revenue collection associated with the 
extension of the current rate will be considered in the development of 
the new rate based on the 2023 PRS such that repayment obligations are 
met consistent with the provisions of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
Order No. RA 6120.2.

Availability of Information

    Information regarding the extension of the rate schedule is 
available for public review in the offices of Southwestern Power 
Administration, Williams Tower I, One West Third Street Suite 1500, 
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. The rate schedule is available on the 
Southwestern website at www.energy.gov/swpa/rates-and-repayment.

Order

    In view of the foregoing and pursuant to the authority delegated to 
me by the Secretary of Energy, I hereby extend, effective October 1, 
2023, Robert D. Willis Rate Schedule RDW-15, Wholesale Rates for Hydro 
Power and Energy. The rate schedule shall remain in effect on a 
temporary basis through September 30, 2024, unless superseded.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on September 
25, 2023, by Mike Wech, Administrator for Southwestern 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

[[Page 67275]]

authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for 
publication, as an official document of DOE. This administrative 
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on September 26, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-21453 Filed 9-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P