[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 165 (Monday, August 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68432-68433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19080]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--Eastern Division--Rate Order 
No. WAPA-217

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed extension of transmission and ancillary 
services formula rates.

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SUMMARY: The Upper Great Plains (UGP) region of the Western Area Power 
Administration (WAPA or Western) proposes to extend existing formula 
rates (without any changes) for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--
Eastern Division (P-SMBP--ED) through September 30, 2030. The existing 
rates UGP proposes to extend are: WAUGP-ATRR (Annual Transmission 
Revenue Requirement), WAUGP-AS1 (Scheduling, System Control, and 
Dispatch Service), WAUW-AS3 (Regulation and Frequency Response 
Service), WAUW-AS4 (Energy Imbalance Service), WAUW-AS5 (Operating 
Reserve-Spinning Reserve Service), WAUW-AS6 (Operating Reserve-
Supplemental Reserve Service), and WAUW-AS7 (Generator Imbalance 
Service). The existing rates expire on September 30, 2025.

DATES: A consultation and comment period will begin August 26, 2024 and 
end September 25, 2024. UGP will accept written comments at 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 submitted by WAPA to FERC for approval should be sent to: 
Lloyd Linke, Regional Manager, Upper Great Plains Region, Western Area 
Power Administration, 2900 4th Avenue North, 6th Floor, Billings, MT 
59101-1266, or email: [email protected]. UGP will post information 
about the proposed formula rate extension and written comments received 
to its website at: www.wapa.gov/ugp/ugp-rates.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Cady-Hoffman, Rates Manager, 
Upper Great Plains Region, Western Area Power Administration, 2900 4th 
Avenue North, 6th Floor, Billings, MT

[[Page 68433]]

59101-1266, (406) 255-2920 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 2020, FERC approved and 
confirmed Western Area Power Administration--Upper Great Plains 
Region's transmission and ancillary services formula rates under Rate 
Schedules WAUGP-ATRR, WAUGP-AS1, WAUW-AS3, WAUW-AS4, WAUW-AS5, WAUW-
AS6, and WAUW-AS7 under Rate Order No. WAPA-188 for a five-year period 
through September 30, 2025.\1\
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    \1\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket Nos. EF20-3-000 and EF20-3-001.
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    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a),\2\ UGP is proposing to extend 
the existing formula rates under Rate Schedules WAUGP-ATRR, WAUGP-AS1, 
WAUW-AS3, WAUW-AS4, WAUW-AS5, WAUW-AS6, and WAUW-AS7 for the period of 
October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. The existing formula rates 
are viewable online at the following locations: (1) UGP's OASIS at: 
https://www.oasis.oati.com/wapa/index.html; (2) on UGP's Rates website 
at: www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/ugp/ugp-rates; and (3) the 
``Western Area Power Administration UGP Information'' link on SPP's 
Member Related Postings website at: opsportal.spp.org/OASIS/Directory/Member%20Related%20Postings. The existing formula rates provide 
sufficient revenue to pay all 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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    \2\ 50 FR 37835 (Sept. 18, 1985) and 84 FR 5347 (Feb. 21, 2019).
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    On April 28, 2023, WAPA published a Federal Register notice titled 
``Recommendation for Western Area Power Administration's Rocky Mountain 
Region and Colorado River Storage Project Management Center to Pursue 
Final Negotiations Regarding Membership in the Southwest Power Pool 
Regional Transmission Organization and for the Upper Great Plains 
Region to Expand Its Participation''.\3\ On September 8, 2023, WAPA's 
Administrator authorized staff to move forward with the recommendation 
to pursue final negotiations for membership and expanded participation 
in the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization (SPP 
RTO). UGP's expanded participation in the SPP RTO will have impacts on 
the above rate methodologies. Extending the existing formula rates for 
five years allows UGP time to evaluate rate methodologies to conduct a 
major rate adjustment process to put new formula rates in place that 
would become effective upon UGP's expanded participation in the SPP RTO 
(currently planned on April 1, 2026).
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    \3\ 88 FR 26298 (Apr. 28, 2023).
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    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a), UGP 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. UGP 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 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, 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 
these rates 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 at: 
www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/ugp/environment/.
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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 August 19, 
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 August 21, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-19080 Filed 8-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P