[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8423-8424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02462]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration


Loveland Area Projects, Western Area Colorado Missouri Balancing 
Authority, and Colorado River Storage Project--Rate Order No. WAPA-214

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

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

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SUMMARY: The Rocky Mountain Region (RM) of the Western Area Power 
Administration (WAPA) proposes to extend existing formula rates 
(without any changes) for the Loveland Area Projects (LAP), the Western 
Area Colorado Missouri Balancing Authority (WACM), and the Colorado 
River Storage Project (CRSP) through September 30, 2026. The existing 
rates RM proposes to extend are: L-NT1 (network), L-FPT1 (firm point-
to- point), L-NFPT1 (non-firm point-to-point), L-NFJDT (joint dispatch 
transmission), L-UU1 (unreserved use), L-AS1 (scheduling and dispatch), 
L-AS2 (reactive supply and voltage control (VAR) support), L-AS3 
(regulation), L-AS4 (energy imbalance), L-AS5 (spinning reserves), L-
AS6 (supplemental reserves), L-AS7 (balancing authority (BA) real power 
losses), and L-AS9 (generator imbalance). The existing rates expire on 
September 30, 2024.

DATES: A consultation and comment period will begin February 7, 2024, 
and end March 8, 2024. RM 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: 
Barton V. Barnhart, Regional Manager, Rocky Mountain Region, Western 
Area Power Administration, 5555 East Crossroads Boulevard, Loveland, CO 
80538-8986, or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4b070a1b3f392a25382a2f210b3c2a3b2a652c243d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="743835240006151a0715101e34031504155a131b02">[email protected]</span></a>. RM will post information 
about the proposed formula rate extension and written comments received 
to its website at: www.wapa.gov/2025-transmission-and-ancillary-services-rate-extension.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila D. Cook, Rates Manager, Rocky 
Mountain Region, Western Area Power Administration, 5555 East 
Crossroads Boulevard, Loveland, CO 80538-8986, (970) 685-9562 or email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#efa3aebf9b9d8e819c8e8b85af988e9f8ec1888099"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="044845547076656a7765606e44736574652a636b72">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 9, 2017, FERC approved and 
confirmed LAP transmission and LAP, WACM, and CRSP ancillary services 
formula rates under Rate Schedules L-NT1, L-FPT1, L-NFPT1, L-UU1, L-
AS1, L-AS2, L-AS3, L-AS4, L-AS5, L-AS6, L-AS7, and L-AS9 under Rate 
Order No. WAPA-174 for a 5-year period through September 30, 2021.\1\
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    \1\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket Nos. EF16-5-000 and EF16-5-001, 158 FERC ] 62,181 
(2017).
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    On December 29, 2020, WAPA's Administrator approved rates for 
short-term sales for RM to use under the Western Energy Imbalance 
Service (WEIS) Market, which superseded rate schedules L-AS4, L-AS9, 
and L-AS7 (BA real power losses), for the 8-month period of February 1, 
2021, through September 30, 2021.
    On March 10, 2022, FERC confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-
196 extending Rate Schedules L-NT1, L-FPT1, L-NFPT1, L-UU1, L-AS1, L-
AS2, L-AS3, L-AS5, and L-AS6 through September 30, 2024, on a final 
basis.\2\
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    \2\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket Nos. EF21-8-000 and EF21-10-000, 178 FERC ] 
62,147 (2022).
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    On March 29, 2022, FERC confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-
197, putting long-term rates in place for RM to use under the WEIS 
Market under Rate Schedules L-AS4, L-AS9, L-AS7, and L-NFJDT through 
September 30, 2024, on a final basis.\3\
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    \3\ Order Confirming and Approving Rate Schedules on a Final 
Basis, FERC Docket No. EF21-9-000, 178 FERC ] 62,177 (2022).
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    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a),\4\ RM is proposing to extend 
the existing formula rates under Rate Schedules L-NT1, L-FPT1, L-NFPT1, 
L-NFJDT, L-UU1, L-AS1, L-AS2, L-AS3, L-AS4, L-AS5, L-AS6, L-AS7, and L-
AS9 for the period of October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2026. The 
existing formula rates are viewable on WAPA's website at: www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-rates/rate-schedules. 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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    \4\ 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''.\5\ 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). RM and CRSP Management Center's (MC) membership in the SPP RTO 
would have significant impacts on the above rate methodologies. 
Extending the existing rates for two years would allow RM and CRSP MC 
time to evaluate rate methodologies and then conduct major rate 
adjustment processes to put new rates in place that would become 
effective upon RM and CRSP MC joining

[[Page 8424]]

the SPP RTO (currently planned on April 1, 2026).
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    \5\ 88 FR 26298 (Apr. 28, 2023).
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    In accordance with 10 CFR 903.23(a), RM 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. 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 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).\6\ 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/rm/rm-environment/cx2016/and 
www.wapa.gov/about-wapa/regions/rm/rm-environment/2021-cx/. Look for 
files titled, ``2016-077 Proposed Formula Rate Adjustment for 
Transmission Ancillary Services and Sale of Surplus'' and ``2021-088 
Rate Change Categorical Exclusion Determination-WAPA-197.08052021.''
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    \6\ 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 
26th, 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 February 2, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-02462 Filed 2-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P


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