[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12104-12106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4605]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--Eastern Division--2021 Power 
Marketing Initiative Proposal

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed 2021 Power Marketing Initiative.

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SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (Western), Upper Great 
Plains Region, a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of 
Energy (DOE) is seeking comments on this proposed 2021 Power Marketing 
Initiative (2021 PMI). Western's Firm Electric Service (FES) contracts 
associated with the current marketing plan will expire on December 31, 
2020. This proposed 2021 PMI provides the basis for marketing the long-
term firm hydroelectric resources of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin 
Program--Eastern Division (P-SMBP--ED) beyond the year 2020. The 2021 
PMI proposes to extend the current marketing plan, with amendments, to 
key marketing plan principles. This Federal Register notice initiates 
Western's public process for the proposed 2021 PMI and requests public 
comments. Western will prepare and publish the final 2021 PMI in the 
Federal Register after all public comments on the proposed 2021 PMI are 
considered.

DATES: Entities interested in commenting on the proposed 2021 PMI must 
submit written comments to Western's Upper Great Plains Regional 
Office. Western must receive written comments by 4 p.m., MDT, on May 4, 
2011. Western reserves the right to not consider any comments that are 
received after the prescribed date and time.
    Western will hold public information forums (not to exceed 2 hours) 
and public comment forums (immediately following the information 
forums) on this proposed 2021 PMI.
    The public information and public comment forum dates and times 
are:
    1. April 13, 2011, 8:30 a.m., CDT, Lincoln, Nebraska.
    2. April 14, 2011, 8:30 a.m., CDT, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[[Page 12105]]

    3. April 20, 2011, 8:30 a.m., CDT, Bismarck, North Dakota.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments regarding this proposed 2021 PMI to 
Robert J. Harris, Regional Manager, Upper Great Plains Region, Western 
Area Power Administration, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-
1266. Comments may also be faxed to (406) 255-2900 or e-mailed to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dd889a8defedefec9daabcadbcf3bab2ab"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="baeffdea888a888bfacddbcadb94ddd5cc">[email protected]</span></a>.
    The public information and comment forum locations are:
    1. Lincoln--Holiday Inn, 141 North 9th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.
    2. Sioux Falls--Holiday Inn, 100 West 8th Street, Sioux Falls, 
South Dakota.
    3. Bismarck--Best Western Ramkota Hotel, 800 South 3rd Street, 
Bismarck, North Dakota.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John A. Pankratz, Public Utilities 
Specialist, Upper Great Plains Region, Western Area Power 
Administration, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266, 
telephone (406) 255-2932, e-mail <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2772607715171516675046574609404851"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8bdeccdbb9bbb9bacbfceafbeaa5ece4fd">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Current Marketing Plan Background

    The 1985 P-SMBP--ED Marketing Plan (1985 Plan) was published in the 
Federal Register (45 FR 71860, October 30, 1980) and provided the 
marketing plan principles used to market P-SMBP--ED firm hydropower 
resources. The FES contracts associated with the 1985 Plan were 
initially set to expire December 31, 2000. The Energy Planning and 
Management Program (EPAMP) final rule published in the Federal Register 
(60 FR 54151, October 20, 1995) Subpart C extended and amended the 1985 
Plan. EPAMP extended the FES contracts associated with the 1985 Plan 
through December 31, 2020, and established the Post-2000, Post-2005, 
and the Post-2010 power marketing initiatives. The current Marketing 
Plan is inclusive of the 1985 Plan as extended and amended by EPAMP and 
the Post-2000, Post-2005, and Post-2010 power marketing initiatives.

2021 PMI Proposal Background

    Western initiated 2021 PMI discussions with P-SMBP--ED firm power 
customers in November of 2010, by hosting meetings throughout the Upper 
Great Plains Region. In addition, Western hosted Native American-
focused meetings throughout the Upper Great Plains Region to initiate 
government-to-government consultation with tribal firm power customers. 
The meetings provided customers the opportunity to review current 
Marketing Plan principles and provide informal input to Western for 
consideration in this 2021 PMI proposal. Key Marketing Plan principles 
discussed with firm power customers included: Contract Term; Resource 
Pools; Marketable Resource; Marketing Area; Load Factor Limit and 
Withdrawal Provisions; and Marketing Future Resources.
    Western requested informal input from firm power customers for 
consideration in this 2021 PMI proposal. Customer input for the 2021 
PMI supported Western extending the current Marketing Plan with 
amendments to the Contract Term and Resource Pools principles.

2021 PMI Proposal

    Western's 2021 PMI proposes to extend the current Marketing Plan 
with amendments to the Contract Term and Resource Pools principles. The 
Marketing Plan principles that are proposed to be amended as well as 
the Marketing Plan principles that are proposed to be extended are as 
follows:
    Amended Marketing Plan Principles:
    1. Contract Term: A 30-year term contract term would be used for 
FES contracts. The FES contract term would begin January 1, 2021, and 
expire December 31, 2050.
    2. Resource Pools: The 2021 PMI would provide for resource pools of 
up to 1 percent of the marketable resource under contract at the time 
for eligible new preference entities at the beginning of the contract 
term (January 1, 2021) and again every 10 years (January 1, 2031, and 
January 1, 2041).
    Extended Marketing Plan Principles:
    Extension of the current Marketing Plan includes all provisions and 
principles not specifically addressed in the preceding section (Amended 
Marketing Plan Principles). The following key principles were discussed 
with the firm power customers during the informal customer input phase 
of this process and are included below for reference purposes.
    1. Marketable Resource: Based on adverse condition modeling to 
determine future marketable resource capability and median annual 
energy forecasting to determine future annual energy, the proposed 2021 
PMI supports extending the existing contract rates of delivery 
commitments, with associated energy, to existing long-term firm power 
customers reduced by up to 1 percent for each new resource pool in 
2021, 2031, and 2041.
    2. Marketing Area: The marketing area of the P-SMBP--ED is Montana 
(east of the Continental Divide), all of North Dakota and South Dakota, 
Nebraska east of the 101[ordm] meridian, Iowa west of the 94\1/2\[deg] 
meridian, and Minnesota west of a line on the 94\1/2\[deg] meridian 
from the southern boundary of the state to the 46[ordm] parallel and 
then northwesterly to the northern boundary of the state at the 96\1/
2\[deg] meridian.
    3. Load Factor Limit and Withdrawal Provisions:
    a. Load Factor Limit: Western would market firm power at its 
customers' monthly system load factor for as long as possible. Western 
would reserve the right to limit monthly load factors to 70 percent if 
necessary during the 2021 PMI contract term. A 3-year notice would be 
given prior to requiring such limitation.
    b. Project Use Withdrawal Provision: Western would reserve the 
right to reduce a customer's summer season contract rate of delivery by 
up to 5 percent for new project use requirements, by giving a minimum 
of 5 years' written notice in advance of such action.
    c. Hydrology and River Operations Withdrawal Provision: Western, at 
its discretion and sole determination, would reserve the right to 
adjust the contract rate of delivery on 5 years' written notice in 
response to changes in hydrology and river operations. Any such 
adjustments would only take place after a public process by Western.
    4. Marketing Future Resources: Additional power resources may 
become available for various reasons. Any additional available 
resources would be used in accordance with EPAMP as specified in 10 CFR 
905.32 (e).

Availability of Information

    Documents developed or retained by Western in the 2021 PMI formal 
public process will be available for inspection and copying at the 
Upper Great Plains Regional Office, located at 2900 4th Avenue North, 
Billings, Montana. Western will post information about the 2021 PMI on 
its Web site at http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/powermarketing/2021PMI.htm. 
Written comments received as part of the 2021 PMI formal public process 
will be available for viewing on the Web site.

2021 PMI Procedures Requirements

Environmental Compliance

    Western's 2021 PMI will comply with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and DOE NEPA implementing 
procedures (10 CFR 1021).


[[Page 12106]]


    Dated: February 23, 2011.
Timothy J. Meeks,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-4605 Filed 3-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P


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