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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77143-77144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21529]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Southwestern Power Administration

Integrated System Rate Schedules

AGENCY: Southwestern Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of rate order.

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SUMMARY: The Administrator of the Southwestern Power Administration 
(Southwestern) has approved and implemented Rate Order No. SWPA-85, 
which grants a temporary extension of Southwestern's current Integrated 
System rate schedules (P-13B, NFTS-13A, and EE-13) through September 
30, 2025, unless superseded.

DATES: Extension of the rate schedules is effective October 1, 2024.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rate Order No. SWPA-85, as provided herein, 
has been approved and implemented by the Administrator of Southwestern. 
It extends the Integrated System Rate Schedule P-13B, Wholesale Rates 
for Hydro Peaking Power; Rate Schedule NFTS-13A, Wholesale Rates for 
Non-Federal Transmission/Interconnection Facilities Service; and Rate 
Schedule EE-13, Wholesale Rates for Excess Energy, until September 30, 
2025, unless otherwise replaced.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

ADMINISTRATOR, SOUTHWESTERN POWER ADMINISTRATION

In the matter of: Southwestern Power Administration, Integrated 
System Rate Schedules
Rate Order No. SWPA-85

Order Approving Extension of Rate Schedules on a Temporary Basis (9/13/
2024)

    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-S3-2024, effective August 30, 2024, 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 September 30, 2013, in Rate Order No. SWPA-66, the Deputy 
Secretary of Energy placed into effect Southwestern's Integrated System 
rate schedules (P-13, NFTS-13, and EE-13) on an interim basis for the 
period October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2017. FERC confirmed and 
approved Southwestern's interim Integrated System rates on a final 
basis on January 9, 2014 for a period ending September 30, 2017.
    Southwestern re-designated Integrated System rate schedule ``NFTS-
13'' as ``NFTS-13A'' with no revenue adjustment. In Rate Order No. 
SWPA-71, the Deputy Secretary of Energy placed into effect 
Southwestern's rate schedule NFTS-13A on an interim basis beginning 
January 1, 2017. FERC confirmed and approved NFTS-13A on a final basis 
on March 9, 2017.
    On September 13, 2017, in Rate Order No. SWPA-72, the Deputy 
Secretary of Energy extended all of Southwestern's Integrated System 
rate schedules (P-13, NTFS-13A, and EE-13) for two years, for the 
period of October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019.
    Southwestern re-designated Integrated System rate schedule ``P-13'' 
as ``P-13A'' with no revenue adjustment to incorporate a new section 
regarding requirements for the peaking energy schedule submission time. 
In Rate Order No. SWPA-73, the Assistant Secretary for Electricity 
placed into effect

[[Page 77144]]

Southwestern's rate schedule for P-13A on an interim basis beginning 
July 1, 2019. FERC confirmed and approved P-13A on a final basis on 
August 29, 2019.
    On September 22, 2019, in Rate Order No. SWPA-74, the Assistant 
Secretary for Electricity extended all of Southwestern's Integrated 
System rate schedules (P-13A, NFTS-13A, and EE-13) for two years, for 
the period of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2021.
    On August 30, 2021, in Rate Order No. SWPA-77, the Administrator, 
Southwestern, extended all of Southwestern's Integrated System rate 
schedules (P-13A, NFTS-13A, and EE-13) for two years, for the period of 
October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.
    Southwestern re-designated Integrated System rate schedule ``P-
13A'' as ``P-13B'' with no revenue adjustment to update the peaking 
energy schedule submission time requirements. In Rate Order No. SWPA-
80, the Administrator, Southwestern, placed into effect Southwestern's 
rate schedule for P-13B on an interim basis beginning July 15, 2023. 
The P-13B rate schedule has been submitted to FERC for confirmation and 
approval on a final basis.
    On September 25, 2023, in Rate Order No. SWPA-81, the 
Administrator, Southwestern, temporarily extended all of Southwestern's 
Integrated System rate schedules (P-13B, NFTS-13A, and EE-13) for one 
year, for the period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Discussion

    Southwestern's current Integrated System rate schedules (P-13B, 
NFTS-13A, and EE-13) are based on its 2013 Power Repayment Study (PRS). 
Southwestern has conducted PRSs annually thereafter through 2023. Each 
PRS from 2014 through 2022 indicated a need for a revenue adjustment 
within a plus or minus two percent range of the revenue estimate based 
on the current rate schedules. It is Southwestern's practice for the 
Administrator to defer, on a case-by-case basis, revenue adjustments 
for the Integrated System within plus or minus two percent from the 
revenue estimate based on the current rate schedules. Thus, the 
Administrator has deferred revenue adjustments annually through 2022. 
The 2023 PRS indicated a need for a revenue adjustment above two 
percent and therefore Southwestern is working towards implementation of 
a rate adjustment plan including design of a new set of Integrated 
System rate schedules (P-23, NFTS-23, and EE-23). However, that effort 
and the associated procedures for public participation in accordance 
with 10 CFR part 903 will not be completed in time for the new rate 
schedules to be placed into effect prior to the September 30, 2024, 
expiration of the current rate schedules, and thus temporary extension 
of the current rate schedules 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 rates 
will be considered in the development of the new rates 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 these rate schedules is 
available for public review in the offices of Southwestern Power 
Administration, One West Third Street Suite 1500, Tulsa, Oklahoma 
74103. The rate schedules are 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, 
2024, the Integrated System Rate Schedule P-13B, Wholesale Rates for 
Hydro Peaking Power; Rate Schedule NFTS-13A, Wholesale Rates for Non-
Federal Transmission/Interconnection Facilities Service; and Rate 
Schedule EE-13, Wholesale Rates for Excess Energy. The rate schedules 
shall remain in effect on a temporary basis through September 30, 2025, 
unless superseded.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on September 
13, 2024, by Michael S. 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 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 17, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-21529 Filed 9-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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