[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3651-3652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01012]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Central Arizona Project, Colorado River Storage Project, Loveland 
Area Projects, Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project, 
and Parker-Davis Project--Rate Order No. WAPA-215

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed extension of the formula rates for use under 
WestConnect Regional Non-Firm Transmission Service.

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SUMMARY: The Colorado River Storage Project Management Center (CRSP 
MC), Desert Southwest Region (DSW), and Rocky Mountain Region (RM) of 
the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) propose extending the 
existing formula rates under Rate Schedule WC-8, without any changes, 
for on-peak and off-peak non-firm transmission service provided under 
the WestConnect Point-to-Point Regional Transmission Service 
Participation Agreement (WestConnect PA) through September 30, 2026. 
The existing formula rates expire on May 31, 2024.

DATES: A consultation and comment period will begin January 19, 2024 
and end February 2, 2024. Written comments will be accepted any time 
during the consultation and comment period.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to be informed of Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) actions concerning the proposed 
extension to be submitted by WAPA to FERC for approval should be sent 
to: Barton V. Barnhart, Regional Manager, Rocky Mountain Region, 
Western Area Power Administration, 5555 East Crossroads Boulevard, 
Loveland, CO 80538-8986, or email: [email protected]. Information 
about the proposed formula rate extension and written comments will be 
posted to WAPA's website at: www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/dsw/power-marketing/westconnect.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamala D. Gheller, CRSP Rates Manager, 
(970) 702-8826 or email: [email protected]; Tina Ramsey, DSW Rates 
Manager, (602) 605-2525 or email: [email protected]; or Sheila D. 
Cook, RM Rates Manager, (970) 685-9562 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WestConnect consists of a group of electric 
utilities which provide hourly, non-firm transmission service in the 
Western Interconnection to eliminate pancaking of transmission charges, 
which is the practice of charging a transmission customer separately 
for the use of each utility's transmission system. The WestConnect 
membership, including WAPA and investor-owned and consumer-owned 
utilities, encompasses an interconnected electrical grid stretching 
from western Nebraska to southern California and from Wyoming to the 
United States-Mexico border.
    On December 15, 2014, FERC confirmed and approved Rate Schedule WC-
8, under Rate Order No. WAPA-163, effective June 1, 2014, through May 
31, 2019.\1\ On June 20, 2019, FERC confirmed and approved the 
extension of Rate Schedule WC-8, under Rate Order No. WAPA-187, 
effective June 1, 2019, through May 31, 2024.\2\
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    \1\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedule on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF14-8-000, 149 FERC ] 62,196 (2014).
    \2\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedule on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF14-8-001, 167 FERC ] 62,188 (2019).
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    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a),\3\ CRSP MC, DSW, and RM are 
proposing to extend the existing formula rates under Rate Schedule WC-8 
for the period of June 1, 2024, through September 30, 2026. The 
existing formula rates are viewable on WAPA's website at: www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/dsw/power-marketing/westconnect. The existing 
formula rates

[[Page 3652]]

provide sufficient revenue to pay annual costs, including interest 
expense, and repay investment within the allowable period consistent 
with the cost recovery criteria set forth in Department of Energy (DOE) 
Order RA 6120.2.
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    \3\ 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347 (Feb. 21, 2019).
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    This extension will allow CRSP MC and RM to proceed with final 
negotiations for membership in the Southwest Power Pool Regional 
Transmission Organization (SPP RTO), with potential membership 
beginning in or around April 2026, after which CRSP MC and RM would no 
longer provide this transmission service. DSW would evaluate whether it 
will continue selling this service beyond that date, as will CRSP MC 
and RM if their proposed integration into the SPP RTO is delayed or is 
not successful.
    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a), CRSP MC, DSW, and RM have 
determined it is not necessary to hold a public information or public 
comment forum for this action but are initiating a 14-day consultation 
and comment period to give the public an opportunity to comment on the 
proposed extension. CRSP MC, DSW, and RM will review and consider all 
timely public comments at the conclusion of the consultation and 
comment period and adjust the proposal as appropriate.

Legal Authority

    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 the WAPA 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 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-WAPA1-2023, effective April 10, 2023, 
the Under Secretary for Infrastructure further redelegated the 
authority to confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an 
interim basis to WAPA's Administrator.

Ratemaking Procedure Requirements

Environmental Compliance

    Categorical exclusion determinations were previously issued for the 
underlying rates of the transmission projects included in the 
WestConnect PA under the following categorical exclusion listed in 
appendix B to subpart D of 10 CFR part 1021: B4.3 (Electric power 
marketing rate changes).\4\ Those categorical exclusion determinations 
are also applicable to this rate action. Copies of the categorical 
exclusion determinations are available on WAPA's website. For CRSP, the 
website is: www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/crsp/about-crsp/environment. Look for file titled ``SLCA/IP Rate Determination--WAPA-
206--(CX Determination 2024-2028)''. For DSW, the website is: 
www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/dsw/environment. Look in the ``2023'' 
folder for file titled, ``Rate Order WAPA-209''. For RM, the website 
is: www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-environment/cx2016. Look for 
file titled, ``2016-077 Proposed Formula Rate Adjustment for 
Transmission Ancillary Services and Sale of Surplus''.
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    \4\ The determination was done in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321-
4347, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and DOE NEPA 
Implementing Procedures and Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021).
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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 January 12, 
2024, 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 January 16, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-01012 Filed 1-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P