89626 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 13, 2024 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Bonneville Power Administration 

[BPA File No.: BP–26] 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2026–2028 Proposed 

Power and Transmission Rate 

Adjustments; Public Hearing and 

Opportunities for Public Review and 

Comment 

AGENCY: Bonneville Power 

Administration (Bonneville or BPA), 

Department of Energy (DOE). 

ACTION: Notice of FY 2026–2028 

proposed power and transmission rate 

adjustments. 

SUMMARY: Bonneville is initiating a rate 

proceeding under the Northwest Power 

Planning and Conservation Act 

(Northwest Power Act) to establish 

power, transmission, and ancillary and 

control area services rates for the period 

from October 1, 2025, through 

September 30, 2028. Bonneville has 

designated this proceeding Docket No. 

BP–26. 

DATES: 

Prehearing Conference: The 

prehearing conference in the BP–26 

proceeding will be held on November 

15, 2024, immediately following the 

conclusion of the prehearing conference 

for Bonneville’s TC–26 tariff 

proceeding, which begins at 2:00 p.m. 

The ADDRESSES section of this notice 

provides details on participating in the 

prehearing conference. 

Intervention: Petitions to intervene in 

the BP–26 proceeding must be filed on 

Bonneville’s secure website no later 

than 4:30 p.m. on December 3, 2024. 

Part III of this notice, ‘‘Public 

Participation in BP–26,’’ provides 

details on requesting access to the 

secure website and filing a petition to 

intervene. 

Participant Comments: Written 

comments by non-party participants 

must be received by February 7, 2025, 

to be considered in the Administrator’s 

Record of Decision (ROD). Part III of this 

notice, ‘‘Public Participation in BP–26,’’ 

provides details on submitting 

participant comments. 

ADDRESSES: 

Prehearing Conference: The 

prehearing conference in the BP–26 

proceeding will be held in the 

Bonneville Rates Hearing Room, 1201 

NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 200, 

Portland, Oregon 97232. Interested 

parties may attend in person or 

participate virtually via WebEx. The 

WebEx information will be available on 

Bonneville’s BP–26 web page at http:// 

bpa.gov/bp26 or from the Hearing Clerk 

at BP26clerk@gmail.com. 

Intervention: Anyone intending to 

become a party to the BP–26 proceeding 

must file a petition to intervene on 

Bonneville’s secure website. Petitions to 

intervene may be filed beginning on the 

date of publication of this Notice and 

are due no later than 4:30 p.m. on 

December 3, 2024. Part III of this notice, 

‘‘Public Participation in BP–26,’’ 

provides details on requesting access to 

the secure website and filing a petition 

to intervene. 

Participant Comments: Written 

comments by non-party participants 

may be submitted through Bonneville’s 

website at www.bpa.gov/comment or by 

hard copy to: BPA Public Involvement, 

Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. 

Box 14428, Portland, Oregon 97293. Part 

III of this notice, ‘‘Public Participation 

in BP–26,’’ provides details on 

submitting participant comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Elissa Haley, DKS–7, BPA 

Communications, Bonneville Power 

Administration, P.O. Box 14428, 

Portland, Oregon 97293; by phone tollfree at 1–800–622–4519; or by email to 

enhaley@bpa.gov. 

The Hearing Clerk for this proceeding 

can be reached via email at BP26clerk@

gmail.com or via telephone at (503) 

479–8506. 

Please direct questions regarding 

Bonneville’s secure website to the 

Hearing Coordinator via email at 

cwgriffen@bpa.gov or, if the question is 

time-sensitive, via telephone at (503) 

230–5107. 

Responsible Officials: Mr. Daniel H. 

Fisher, Power Rates Manager, is the 

official responsible for the development 

of Bonneville’s power rates, and Mr. 

Brian McConnell, Manager of 

Transmission Tariff, Rates, and 

Regulatory Activities, is the official 

responsible for the development of 

Bonneville’s transmission, ancillary, 

and control area services rates. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

Part I Introduction and Procedural Matters 

Part II Scope of BP–26 Rate Proceeding 

Part III Public Participation in BP–26 

Part IV Summary of Rate Proposals 

Part V Proposed BP–26 Rate Schedules 

Part I—Introduction and Procedural 

Matters 

A. Introduction 

The Northwest Power Act provides 

that Bonneville must establish, and 

periodically review and revise, its 

power and transmission rates so that 

they recover, in accordance with sound 

business principles, the costs associated 

with the acquisition, conservation, and 

transmission of electric power, 

including amortization of the Federal 

investment in the Federal Columbia 

River Power System (FCRPS) over a 

reasonable number of years, and 

Bonneville’s other costs and expenses. 

Section 7(i) of the Northwest Power Act 

requires that Bonneville’s rates be 

established according to certain 

procedures. Among other things, the 

procedures include publication of 

notice of the proposed rates in the 

Federal Register and one or more 

hearings conducted as expeditiously as 

practicable by a Hearing Officer to 

develop a full and complete record for 

a final decision by the Administrator. 

Bonneville is conducting the BP–26 

proceeding to establish rates for FY 

2026–2028. 

Bonneville’s Rules of Procedure will 

govern the BP–26 proceeding. The rules 

are posted on Bonneville’s website at 

https://www.bpa.gov/energy-andservices/rate-and-tariff-proceedings/ 

rules-of-procedure-revision-process. 

B. BP–26 Integrated Program Review 

Bonneville’s Integrated Program 

Review (IPR) process is designed to 

allow the public an opportunity to 

review and comment on Bonneville’s 

expense and capital cost forecasts before 

the forecast costs are used to set rates. 

Bonneville’s BP–26 IPR process, which 

addressed the expense and capital 

program level cost forecasts for FY 

2026–2028, began on June 25, 2024, 

with the publication of the BP–26 IPR 

Initial Publication. The process 

concluded on October 24, 2024, with 

the issuance of the BP–26 IPR Close-Out 

Report. Comments regarding any new 

information or changed circumstances 

arising after the date of this notice that 

affect BPA’s cost projections should be 

directed to finance@bpa.gov and be 

submitted no later than March 3, 2025. 

At the discretion of the Administrator, 

Bonneville may hold additional 

processes to review these forecasts 

outside of the BP–26 rate proceeding. If 

Bonneville decides to update any cost 

information, such updates will be 

reflected in the final proposed rates. 

C. Proposed Settlement of the Generator 

Interconnection Withdrawal Charge 

As part of a workshop process that 

preceded the BP–26 proceeding, 

Bonneville engaged in discussions with 

customers and other stakeholders about 

a proposal for a charge in the 

Transmission rate schedules that would 

apply to the withdrawal of a request for 

interconnection services under the 

Standard Large Generator 

Interconnection Procedures in 

Attachment L to Bonneville’s open 


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access transmission tariff. These 

discussions have resulted in the BP–26 

Partial Rates Settlement Agreement, 

which includes the terms of the 

‘‘Generator Interconnection Withdrawal 

Charge’’ that Bonneville is proposing to 

adopt in the BP–26 proceeding. A 

description of the proposed charge is 

provided in Part IV of this notice. A link 

to the BP–26 Partial Rates Settlement 

Agreement is provided in Part V. The 

proposed settlement addresses the 

Generator Interconnection Withdrawal 

Charge only and no other issues in this 

proceeding. 

The proposed settlement calls for 

Bonneville to file a motion with the BP– 

26 Hearing Officer to establish a 

deadline for parties in the BP–26 

proceeding to either object to the 

proposed settlement or waive the right 

to contest the settlement. Bonneville 

intends to file its motion soon after the 

BP–26 prehearing conference. If no 

party in the BP–26 proceeding objects to 

the proposed settlement, Bonneville 

staff will continue moving forward with 

the proposal to adopt the settlement. If 

a party objects, staff will notify all 

parties and decide how to proceed. 

D. Proposed Procedural Schedule 

A proposed schedule for the BP–26 

proceeding is provided below. The 

proposed schedule assumes there are no 

objections to the proposal to adopt the 

BP–26 Partial Rates Settlement 

Agreement. The official schedule will be 

established by the Hearing Officer and 

may be amended by the Hearing Officer 

as needed during the proceeding. 

Prehearing Conference—November 15, 

2024 

BPA Files Initial Proposal—November 

22, 2024 

Deadline for Petitions to Intervene— 

December 3, 2024 

Clarification—December 10, 2024 

Motions to Strike Due—December 17, 

2024 

Data Request Deadline for BPA’s Initial 

Proposal—December 17, 2024 

Parties File Direct Cases—January 23, 

2025 

Clarification—January 30, 2025 

Motions to Strike Due—February 6, 

2025 

Data Request Deadline for Parties’ Direct 

Cases—February 6, 2025 

Close of Participant Comments— 

February 7, 2025 

Litigants File Rebuttal Cases—March 5, 

2025 

Clarification—March 12, 2025 

Motions to Strike Due—March 14, 2025 

Data Request Deadline for Litigants’ 

Rebuttal—March 14, 2025 

Parties Give Notice of Intent to CrossExamine—March 26, 2025 

Cross-Examination—April 9–10, 2025 

Initial Briefs Filed—April 25, 2025 

Oral Argument—May 7, 2025 

Draft Record of Decision Issued—June 6, 

2025 

Briefs on Exceptions Filed—June 20, 

2025 

Final Record of Decision and Final 

Studies Issued—July 24, 2025 

E. Ex Parte Communications 

Section 1010.5 of Bonneville’s Rules 

of Procedure prohibits ex parte 

communications. Ex parte 

communications include any oral or 

written communication (1) relevant to 

the merits of any issue in the 

proceeding; (2) that is not on the record; 

and (3) with respect to which reasonable 

prior notice has not been given. The ex 

parte rule applies to communications 

with all Bonneville and DOE employees 

and contractors, the Hearing Officer, 

and the Hearing Clerk during the 

proceeding. Except as provided, any 

communications with persons covered 

by the rule regarding the merits of any 

issue in the proceeding by other 

executive branch agencies, Congress, 

existing or potential Bonneville 

customers, nonprofit or public interest 

groups, or any other non-DOE parties 

are prohibited. The rule explicitly 

excludes and does not prohibit 

communications (1) relating to matters 

of procedure; (2) otherwise authorized 

by law or the Rules of Procedure; (3) 

from or to the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission (Commission); (4) that all 

litigants agree may be made on an ex 

parte basis; (5) in the ordinary course of 

business, about information required to 

be exchanged under contracts, or in 

information responding to a Freedom of 

Information Act request; (6) between the 

Hearing Officer and Hearing Clerk; (7) in 

meetings for which prior notice has 

been given; or (8) as otherwise specified 

in section 1010.5(b) of Bonneville’s 

Rules of Procedure. The ex parte rule is 

effective upon publication of this FRN 

and remains in effect until the 

Administrator’s Final ROD is issued. 

Part II—Scope of BP–26 Rate 

Proceeding 

A. Joint Rate Proceeding 

The BP–26 proceeding is a joint 

proceeding for the adoption of both 

power and transmission rates for FY 

2026–2028 (see Parts IV and V). This 

section provides guidance to the 

Hearing Officer regarding the scope of 

the rate proceeding and identifies 

specific issues that are outside the 

scope. In addition to the issues 

specifically listed below, any other issue 

that is not a ratemaking issue is outside 

the scope of this proceeding. 

Bonneville may revise the scope of 

the proceeding to include new issues 

that arise as a result of circumstances or 

events occurring outside the proceeding 

that are substantially related to the rates 

under consideration in the proceeding. 

See Rules of Procedure, section 

1010.4(b)(8)(iii), (iv). If Bonneville 

revises the scope of the proceeding to 

include new issues, Bonneville will 

provide public notice on its website, 

present testimony or other information 

regarding such issues, and provide a 

reasonable opportunity to intervene and 

respond to Bonneville’s testimony or 

other information. Id. 

1. Expense and Capital Cost Forecasts 

Bonneville’s forecasts of its expense 

and capital costs are not determined in 

rate proceedings. Bonneville develops 

these forecasts in other processes, such 

as the IPR process described previously, 

with input from stakeholders. These 

forecasts are used in Bonneville’s 

ratemaking, but do not establish 

Bonneville’s budgets or spending levels 

for any program. Adjustments to, and 

selection of, projects for Bonneville’s 

actual spending levels for its 

programmatic spending, including fish 

and wildlife spending, occur through 

the yearly budgetary review process, 

which includes submission of 

Bonneville’s budget to Congress. 

Bonneville also depreciates the 

capital spending on the Federal power 

and transmission systems over the 

service lives of the associated assets. 

Power’s investments are depreciated 

over fixed periods. Transmission’s 

depreciation is based on a depreciation 

study calculated consistent with 

industry standards. The service lives of 

power and transmission assets, as well 

as the depreciation study and resulting 

depreciation rates, are not determined 

in rate proceedings. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seek to raise 

issues with or challenge the 

appropriateness or reasonableness of: (1) 

the Administrator’s forecasts of cost and 

spending levels, (2) the identification of 

projects used in Bonneville’s cost 

forecasts, or (3) any decisions on the 

depreciation rates that are used to 

calculate depreciation expense. 

Comments regarding new information or 

changed circumstances arising after the 

date of this FRN that affect BPA’s cost 

projections should be submitted 

pursuant to section I.B of this notice. 

The exclusion does not extend to 

those portions of the revenue 

requirement related to the following: (1) 


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interest rate forecasts, (2) interest 

expense and credit, (3) Treasury 

repayment schedules, (4) calculation of 

depreciation and amortization expense, 

(5) forecasts of system replacements 

used in repayment studies, (6) 

purchased power expenses, (7) 

transmission cost incurred by Power 

Services, (8) generation cost incurred by 

Transmission Services, (9) minimum 

required net revenue, and (10) the costs 

of risk mitigation actions resulting from 

the expense and revenue uncertainties 

included in the risk analysis. 

2. Federal and Non-Federal Debt Service 

and Debt Management 

During the 2026 IPR process and in 

other forums, Bonneville provided the 

public with background information on 

Bonneville’s internal Federal and nonFederal debt management policies and 

practices. While these policies and 

practices are not decided in the IPR 

process, these discussions were 

intended to inform interested parties 

about these matters so the parties would 

better understand Bonneville’s debt 

structure. Bonneville’s debt 

management policies and practices 

remain outside the scope of the rate 

proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to address the appropriateness or 

reasonableness of Bonneville’s debt 

management policies and practices. 

This exclusion does not encompass how 

debt management actions are reflected 

in ratemaking. 

3. Financial and Accounting Policies 

and Practices 

Bonneville’s Financial Plan outlines 

objectives to sustain the agency’s 

financial strength and resiliency. The 

Financial Plan focuses on four main 

areas: cost management; debt 

utilization; debt capacity; and liquidity. 

Bonneville has adopted certain financial 

policies to help further its financial 

objectives. Bonneville’s Financial 

Reserves Policy establishes lower and 

upper thresholds for agency and 

business line financial reserves and 

parameters for actions to be taken when 

financial reserves are above or below the 

thresholds. The Sustainable Capital 

Financing Policy guides Bonneville’s 

use of debt and revenue financing to 

finance capital investments. The terms 

of Bonneville’s Financial Plan and 

Policies, along with Bonneville’s 

internal financial and accounting 

policies and practices, are outside the 

scope of the BP–26 proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to visit or revisit the terms of 

Bonneville’s Financial Plan, Financial 

Reserves Policy, Sustainable Capital 

Financing Policy, internal financial and 

accounting policies and practices, and 

previous decisions regarding the 

adoption and implementation of the 

Financial Plan and Policies. 

4. Tiered Rate Methodology (TRM) 

The TRM restricts Bonneville and its 

customers with Contract High Water 

Mark (CHWM) contracts from proposing 

changes to the TRM’s ratemaking 

guidelines unless certain procedures 

have been successfully concluded. No 

proposed changes have been subjected 

to the required procedures. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to propose revisions to the TRM made 

by Bonneville, customers with CHWM 

contracts, or their representatives. This 

exclusion does not extend to a party or 

customer that does not have a CHWM 

contract. 

5. Rate Period High Water Mark 

(RHWM) Process 

The RHWM Process preceded the start 

of the BP–26 proceeding. In that 

process, as directed by the TRM, 

Bonneville established FY 2026–2028 

RHWMs for Public customers that 

signed contracts for firm requirements 

power service providing for tiered rates, 

referred to as CHWM contracts. 

Bonneville established the maximum 

planned amount of power a customer is 

eligible to purchase at Tier 1 rates 

during the rate period, the AboveRHWM Loads for each customer, the 

System Shaped Load for each customer, 

the Tier 1 System Firm Critical Output, 

RHWM Augmentation, the Rate Period 

Tier 1 System Capability (RT1SC), and 

the monthly/diurnal shape of RT1SC. 

The RHWM Process provided customers 

an opportunity to review, comment on, 

and challenge Bonneville’s RHWM 

determinations. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to visit or revisit Bonneville’s 

determination of a customer’s FY 2026– 

2028 RHWM or other RHWM Process 

determinations. 

6. 2008 Average System Cost 

Methodology (2008 ASCM) and Average 

System Cost Determinations 

Section 5(c) of the Northwest Power 

Act established the Residential 

Exchange Program, which provides 

benefits to residential and farm 

consumers of Pacific Northwest utilities 

based, in part, on a utility’s ‘‘average 

system cost’’ (ASC) of resources. The 

2008 ASCM is not subject to challenge 

or review in a section 7(i) proceeding. 

Determinations of the ASCs of 

participating utilities are made in 

separate processes conducted pursuant 

to the ASCM. Those processes began 

with ASC filings on July 1, 2024, and 

will conclude in July 2025, with the 

publication of the Final ASC Reports. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to visit or revisit the appropriateness or 

reasonableness of the 2008 ASCM or of 

any of the ongoing ASC determinations. 

7. 2012 Residential Exchange Program 

Settlement Agreement (2012 REP 

Settlement) 

On July 26, 2011, the Administrator 

executed the 2012 REP Settlement, 

which resolved longstanding litigation 

over Bonneville’s implementation of the 

Residential Exchange Program (REP) 

under section 5(c) of the Northwest 

Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 839c(c). The 

Administrator’s findings regarding the 

legal, factual, and policy challenges to 

the 2012 REP Settlement are explained 

in the REP–12 Record of Decision (REP– 

12 ROD). The Administrator’s decisions 

regarding the 2012 REP Settlement and 

REP–12 ROD were upheld by the U.S. 

Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 

in Ass’n of Pub. Agency Customers v. 

Bonneville Power Admin., 733 F.3d 939 

(9th Cir. 2013). Challenges to 

Bonneville’s decision to adopt the 2012 

REP Settlement and implement its terms 

in Bonneville’s rate proceedings are not 

within the scope of this proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to visit or revisit in this rate proceeding 

Bonneville’s determination to adopt the 

2012 REP Settlement or its terms. 

8. Service to the Direct Service 

Industries (DSIs) 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 


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or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to revisit the appropriateness or 

reasonableness of Bonneville’s decisions 

regarding service to the DSIs, including 

Bonneville’s decision to offer contracts 

to the DSIs and the method, level of 

service, or other terms embodied in the 

existing DSI contracts. 

9. Operation and Maintenance of the 

Power and Transmission Systems 

Bonneville operates and maintains the 

Federal Columbia River Transmission 

System and, in coordination with other 

Federal entities, the FCRPS in 

accordance with good utility practice 

and with applicable reliability standards 

and operating requirements. 

Bonneville’s power and transmission 

systems operation and maintenance 

practices and protocols, such as 

dispatcher standing orders, operating 

instructions, reliability of the system, 

compliance programs, and other 

operating requirements are non-rate 

matters. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to address issues regarding operation 

and maintenance practices and 

protocols. 

10. Terms and Conditions of 

Transmission Service 

Bonneville offers and provides 

transmission services, including 

interconnection service and ancillary 

and control area services, in accordance 

with the terms and conditions specified 

in its open access transmission tariff 

(Tariff), business practices, and 

applicable contracts. In addition to and 

concurrent with this rate proceeding, 

Bonneville is initiating the TC–26 

proceeding to modify the terms and 

conditions of the Tariff. Bonneville’s 

business practices provide 

implementation details for the Tariff. 

Bonneville’s decisions regarding the 

business practices are determined in 

other forums and follow the procedures 

in Bonneville’s Business Practice 

Process posted on its website. The Tariff 

terms and conditions, business 

practices, and the contracts and contract 

disputes between Bonneville and its 

customers are outside the scope of the 

BP–26 rate proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, and except as 

otherwise provided in this section 

II.A.10, the Administrator directs the 

Hearing Officer to exclude from the 

record all argument, testimony, or other 

evidence that seeks in any way to 

address issues regarding terms and 

conditions of transmission service, 

including interconnection service, and 

ancillary and control area services. This 

includes, but is not limited to, 

argument, testimony, or other evidence 

regarding Bonneville’s decisions 

whether to offer particular transmission 

services, the terms and conditions for 

participating in the Western Energy 

Imbalance Market (EIM), the procedures 

and standards for modifications to 

Bonneville’s Tariff or business practices, 

and whether to include certain terms 

and conditions in the Tariff or in 

business practices. 

Bonneville is proposing to adopt a 

Generator Interconnection Withdrawal 

Charge in this proceeding in order to 

implement certain modifications to the 

Standard Large Generator 

Interconnection Procedures in the Tariff 

proposed in the TC–26 proceeding. The 

exclusion in this section does not 

extend to testimony or other evidence 

related to Tariff terms and conditions 

that may be necessary to provide 

context for the proposed adoption of the 

general rate schedule provision for the 

Generator Interconnection Withdrawal 

Charge in the BP–26 proceeding. 

11. Oversupply Management Protocol 

The proposed OS–26 Oversupply rate 

is a formula rate designed to recover 

Bonneville’s actual oversupply costs 

incurred during the BP–26 rate period. 

Bonneville incurs oversupply costs 

pursuant to the Oversupply 

Management Protocol, Attachment P of 

Bonneville’s Tariff. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to address the terms of the Oversupply 

Management Protocol; whether the 

Oversupply Management Protocol 

complies with orders of the 

Commission; and whether Bonneville 

took all actions to avoid using the 

Oversupply Management Protocol, 

including the payment of negative 

prices to generators outside of 

Bonneville’s balancing authority area. 

This exclusion does not extend to issues 

concerning the rates for recovering the 

costs of the Oversupply Management 

Protocol. 

12. Market Initiatives and Regional 

Carbon Policies 

Bonneville is engaged in a number of 

market initiatives that are outside of the 

scope of this proceeding. These include 

(1) the Western EIM, which is an 

extension of the California Independent 

System Operator’s (CAISO) real-time 

market; (2) the Western Resource 

Adequacy Program (WRAP); (3) regional 

cap-and-trade policies, and (4) 

consideration of CAISO’s extended dayahead market proposal and Southwest 

Power Pool’s Markets+ proposal. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(b)(8) of the 

Rules of Procedure, the Administrator 

directs the Hearing Officer to exclude 

from the record all argument, testimony, 

or other evidence that seeks in any way 

to raise or revisit Bonneville’s decision 

to join the EIM or the WRAP, or review 

or address Bonneville’s position on 

regional cap-and-trade policies or 

Bonneville’s consideration of CAISO’s 

extended day-ahead market proposal or 

Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ 

proposal. This exclusion does not 

extend to issues concerning rate 

incentives and the recovery or 

distribution of EIM-related, carbonrelated, and WRAP-related costs or 

credits, which are within the scope of 

the BP–26 proceeding. 

13. Potential Environmental Impacts, 

Biological Constraints, and Related 

Operations 

Environmental impacts are addressed 

in a National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) process Bonneville conducts 

concurrent with the rate proceeding. See 

section II.B of this notice. In addition, 

biological constraints on hydropower 

operations are determined outside of the 

rate case through processes such as 

intra-agency consultations under the 

Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 

1536(a)(2). Finally, implementation of 

the decision regarding operations, 

maintenance and configuration 

(management) of the Columbia River 

System evaluated in the Columbia River 

System Operations Environmental 

Impact Statement (CRSO EIS) and 

associated joint ROD with the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of 

Reclamation, and associated biological 

opinions, court orders, and other 

agreements, are also not issues to be 

addressed in this proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(a)(8) of 

Bonneville’s Procedures, the 

Administrator directs the Hearing 

Officer to exclude from the record all 

argument, testimony, or other evidence 

that seeks in any way to address the 

potential environmental impacts of the 

rates being developed in this rate 

proceeding, potential biological effects 

of operations modeled in the 

proceeding, the appropriate 

hydroelectric constraints defined in 

these environmental compliance 

processes, or the operations, 

maintenance, configuration, 

(management) assumptions, studies, 

decisions, or matters addressed in the 

CRSO EIS or CRSO EIS joint ROD and 


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associated biological opinions, court 

orders, and other agreements. 

14. 2029 Public Rate Design 

Methodology 

The 2029 Public Rate Design 

Methodology is a rate methodology that 

will apply to the establishment of the 

Priority Firm Power (PFp) rate 

beginning in FY 2029 (October 1, 2028). 

The PRDM will replace the TRM upon 

the TRM’s expiration. Concurrent with 

the BP–26 rate proceeding, BPA is 

conducting a section 7(i) process 

(PRDM–26) to establish the terms and 

provisions of the PRDM. Arguments, 

evidence, or issues related to the PRDM 

are not within the scope of this 

proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(a)(8) of 

Bonneville’s Procedures, the 

Administrator directs the Hearing 

Officer to exclude from the record all 

argument, testimony, or other evidence 

that seeks in any way to address the 

PRDM. 

15. Provider of Choice Contract Policy, 

Policy Record of Decision, and Contract 

Negotiations 

Under section 5(b) of the Northwest 

Power Act, Bonneville is required to 

offer a contract for the sale of firm 

power to meet the net requirements of 

eligible customers requesting such a 

contract. The current form of that 

agreement, colloquially called the 

Regional Dialogue Contract, expires on 

September 30, 2028, which occurs at the 

end of the BP–26 rate period. For the 

better part of two years, BPA, its 

customers, and other interested parties 

have been discussing the terms, 

conditions, products, and policies that 

will form the basis of the follow-on 

section 5(b) power sales contract, 

known colloquially as the Provider of 

Choice Contract. The Provider of Choice 

Contract will apply to the section 5(b) 

power sales from Bonneville for the 

period of October 1, 2028–September 

30, 2044. To support the development of 

the Provider of Choice Contract, on 

March 21, 2024, Bonneville issued a 

Policy (Provider of Choice Policy) and 

Record of Decision (Provider of Choice 

ROD). The Provider of Choice Policy 

and ROD describe the policies, primary 

elements, and key provisions of the new 

section 5(b) Provider of Choice Contract. 

Following the publication of the 

Provider of Choice Policy and ROD, in 

April 2024, Bonneville commenced a 

series of public workshops to discuss 

and negotiate the draft terms and 

provisions of the Provider of Choice 

Contract. Those workshops are ongoing. 

The Provider of Choice Policy, ROD, 

contract, and negotiations, and any 

issue pertaining to those matters, are 

outside of the scope of the BP–26 rate 

proceeding. Pursuant to section 

1010.4(a)(8) of Bonneville’s Procedures, 

the Administrator directs the Hearing 

Officer to exclude from the record all 

argument, testimony, or other evidence 

that seeks in any way to address the 

Provider of Choice Policy, ROD, 

contract, and negotiations, as well as 

any issue or argument pertaining to 

those matters. 

16. Capacity for Ancillary and Control 

Area Services 

Bonneville is forecasting a significant 

increase in balancing reserve capacity 

needs to provide certain Ancillary and 

Control Area Services. These capacity 

needs are expected to exceed the 

capability of the FCRPS during the BP– 

26 rate period. Bonneville is still 

exploring methods for filling the 

balancing reserve capacity shortfall 

outside of the BP–26 rate proceeding. 

Pursuant to section 1010.4(a)(8) of 

Bonneville’s Procedures, the 

Administrator directs the Hearing 

Officer to exclude from the record all 

argument, testimony, or other evidence 

that seeks in any way to specify the 

method or operation Bonneville should 

adopt in order to address the balancing 

reserve shortfall, or that seeks to 

determine the operation or capability of 

the FCRPS to provide additional 

balancing reserve capacity. 

B. The National Environmental Policy 

Act 

Bonneville is in the process of 

assessing the potential environmental 

effects of its proposed power and 

transmission rate adjustments, 

consistent with NEPA. The NEPA 

process is conducted separately from 

the rate proceeding. As discussed above, 

all evidence and argument addressing 

potential environmental impacts of the 

rate adjustments being developed in the 

BP–26 rate proceeding are excluded 

from the rate proceeding record. Instead, 

comments on environmental effects 

should be directed to the NEPA process. 

Based on its most current assessment 

of the proposed power and transmission 

rate adjustments, Bonneville believes 

this proposal may be the type of action 

typically excluded from further NEPA 

review pursuant to U.S. DOE NEPA 

regulations, which apply to Bonneville. 

More specifically, the proposal appears 

to solely involve changes to 

Bonneville’s rates and other cost 

recovery and management mechanisms 

to ensure that there are sufficient 

revenues to meet Bonneville’s financial 

obligations and other costs and 

expenses, while using existing 

generation sources operating within 

normal limits. As such, it appears this 

rate proposal falls within Categorical 

Exclusion B4.3, found at 10 CFR part 

1021, subpart D, app. B4.3, which 

provides for the categorical exclusion 

from further NEPA review of ‘‘[r]ate 

changes for electric power, power 

transmission, and other products or 

services provided by a Power Marketing 

Administration that are based on a 

change in revenue requirements if the 

operations of generation projects would 

remain within normal operating limits.’’ 

Nonetheless, Bonneville is still 

assessing the proposal, and, depending 

upon the ongoing environmental 

review, Bonneville may instead issue 

another appropriate NEPA document. 

Comments regarding the potential 

environmental effects of the proposal 

may be submitted to Katey Grange, 

NEPA Compliance Officer, EC–4, 

Bonneville Power Administration, 905 

NE 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 

97232, and to kcgrange@bpa.gov. Any 

such comments received by the 

comment deadline for Participant 

Comments identified in section III.A of 

this notice will be considered by 

Bonneville’s NEPA compliance staff in 

the NEPA process that is being 

conducted for this proposal. 

Part III—Public Participation in BP–26 

A. Interventions 

Any entity or person intending to 

become a party in the BP–26 proceeding 

must file a petition to intervene through 

Bonneville’s secure website, https://

proceedings.bpa.gov/. Because 

Bonneville is introducing a new secure 

website interface, all prospective users 

must create a new user account to 

submit an intervention. The secure 

website contains a link to the user 

guide, which provides step-by-step 

instructions for creating user accounts, 

submitting filings, and uploading 

interventions. Please contact the 

Hearing Coordinator via email at 

cwgriffen@bpa.gov or, if the question is 

time-sensitive, via telephone at (503) 

230–5107, with any questions regarding 

the registration and submission process. 

All petitions to intervene must be 

submitted through Bonneville’s secure 

website by the deadline in the 

procedural schedule adopted by the 

Hearing Officer. Late interventions are 

strongly disfavored. Petitions to 

intervene must conform to the format 

and content requirements in sections 

1010.6 and 1010.11 of Bonneville’s 

Rules of Procedure. Petitions must state 

the name and address of the entity or 

person requesting party status and the 

entity or person’s interest in the hearing. 


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The Hearing Officer will rule on all 

petitions to intervene. Bonneville 

customers and affiliated customer 

groups will be granted intervention 

based on petitions filed in conformance 

with the Rules of Procedure. Other 

petitioners must explain their interests 

in sufficient detail to permit the Hearing 

Officer to determine whether the 

petitioners have a relevant interest in 

the hearing. 

Bonneville or any party may oppose 

a petition to intervene. The deadline for 

opposing a timely petition to intervene 

is two business days after the deadline 

for filing the petition. Opposition to an 

untimely petition to intervene must be 

filed within two business days after 

service of the petition. 

B. Participant Comments 

Bonneville distinguishes between 

‘‘participants in’’ and ‘‘parties to’’ the 

BP–26 proceeding. Separate from the 

formal hearing process, Bonneville will 

accept written comments, views, 

opinions, and information from 

participants who have not intervened in 

the BP–26 proceeding and been granted 

‘‘party’’ status by the Hearing Officer. 

Participants are not entitled to 

participate in the prehearing conference; 

may not cross-examine parties’ 

witnesses, seek discovery, or serve or be 

served with documents; and are not 

subject to the same procedural 

requirements as parties. Bonneville 

customers whose rates are subject to this 

proceeding, or their affiliated customer 

groups, may not submit participant 

comments. Members or employees of 

organizations that have intervened in 

the proceeding may submit participant 

comments as private individuals (that 

is, not speaking for their organizations) 

but may not use the comment 

procedures to address specific issues 

raised by their intervener organizations. 

Written comments by participants 

must be received by February 7, 2025, 

to be included in the record and 

considered by the Administrator. 

Participants should submit comments 

through Bonneville’s website at 

www.bpa.gov/comment or by hard copy 

to: BPA Public Involvement, Bonneville 

Power Administration, P.O. Box 14428, 

Portland, Oregon 97293. All comments 

should contain the designation ‘‘BP–26’’ 

in the subject line. 

C. Developing the Record 

The hearing record will include, 

among other things, the transcripts of 

the hearing, written evidence and 

argument entered into the record by 

Bonneville and the parties, written 

comments from participants, and other 

material accepted into the record by the 

Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer 

will review and certify the record to the 

Administrator for final decision. 

The Administrator will develop final 

rates based on the record and such other 

materials and information as may have 

been submitted to or developed by the 

Administrator. The Final ROD will be 

made available to all parties. Bonneville 

will file its rates with the Commission 

for confirmation and approval after 

issuance of the Final ROD. 

Part IV—Summary of Rate Proposals 

A. Summary of the Power Rate Proposal 

Bonneville is proposing four primary 

rates for Federal power sales and 

services, along with general rate 

schedule provisions to implement such 

rates. 

1. Priority Firm Power Rate (PF–26) 

The PF rate schedule applies to sales 

of firm power to public body, 

cooperative, and Federal agency 

customers to meet their ‘‘general 

requirements’’ pursuant to section 7(b) 

of the Northwest Power Act. The PF 

Public rate applies to the general 

requirements portion of a customer’s 

Firm Requirements Power under CHWM 

contracts with customers taking Load 

Following, Block, or Slice/Block service. 

Consistent with the TRM, Tier 1 rates 

include three charges: (1) customer 

charges, (2) a demand charge, and (3) a 

load shaping charge. In addition, two 

Tier 2 Short-Term rates are proposed, 

the Short-Term and Load Growth rates. 

These rates would be applicable to 

customers that have elected to purchase 

power from Bonneville for service to 

their Above-RHWM Load. 

The proposed average Tier 1 nonSlice product rate impact, which 

represents the majority of Bonneville’s 

power sales, is 9.8 percent higher than 

its BP–24 equivalent rate. Customerspecific results will vary around this 

average impact, with some customers 

experiencing higher rate impacts and 

some lower rate impacts, based on the 

specific situation of a particular 

customer. A customer’s overall rate 

impact—the rate impact that includes 

the power it purchases from Bonneville 

at Tier 1 and Tier 2 rates—will also vary 

based on the specific situation of the 

particular customer, the amount of 

Above-RHWM Load the customer has, 

and how much of that Above-RHWM 

Load the customer elected Bonneville to 

serve at Tier 2 rates. With regard to 

BPA’s Tier 2 rates, Bonneville is 

proposing new electable Tier 2 rate 

options—a fixed rate option and a 

formula rate option. 

The Base PF Exchange rate and its 

associated surcharges apply to sales 

pursuant to Residential Purchase and 

Sale Agreements and Residential 

Exchange Program Settlement 

Implementation Agreements with 

regional utilities that participate in the 

REP established under section 5(c) of 

the Northwest Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 

839c(c). The Base PF Exchange rate 

establishes the threshold for 

participation in the REP; only utilities 

with ASCs above the appropriate Base 

PF Exchange rate may receive REP 

benefits. If a utility meets the threshold, 

a utility-specific PF Exchange rate will 

be established in this proceeding for 

each eligible utility. The utility-specific 

PF Exchange rate is used in calculating 

the REP benefits each REP participant 

will receive during FY 2026–2028. 

The proposed PF–26 rate schedule 

also includes resource support services 

rates for customers with non-Federal 

resources, and a melded PF rate for 

Public customers that would have been 

applicable to customers had any elected 

power sales contracts other than CHWM 

contracts for firm requirements service. 

No PF Public customer has its general 

requirements power served at anything 

other than a CHWM contract. 

2. New Resource Firm Power Rate (NR– 

26) 

The NR–26 rate applies to firm power 

sales to investor-owned utilities (IOUs) 

to meet their net requirements pursuant 

to section 5(b) of the Northwest Power 

Act. The NR–26 rate is also applied to 

sales of firm power to the portion of a 

Public customer’s Firm Requirements 

Power that is used to serve new large 

single loads. In addition, the NR rate 

schedule includes rates for services to 

support Public customers serving new 

large single loads with non-Federal 

resources. In the BP–26 Initial Proposal, 

Bonneville is forecasting 18 aMW per 

year of power sales to one PF Public 

customer at the NR rate. One of the 

services Bonneville provides to support 

Public customers with serving new large 

single loads with non-Federal resources 

is the NR Energy Shaping Service (NR 

ESS). Bonneville provided this service 

in past rate periods but is proposing to 

revise this service for the BP–26 rate 

period. BPA is also proposing to remove 

the NR Flattening Service from the rate 

schedule. 

3. Industrial Firm Power Rate (IP–26) 

The IP rate is applicable to firm power 

sales to DSI customers authorized by 

section 5(d)(1)(A) of the Northwest 

Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 839c(d)(1)(A). In 

the BP–26 Initial Proposal, Bonneville is 


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forecasting 11 aMW per year of power 

sales to one DSI customer at the IP rate. 

4. Firm Power and Surplus Products 

and Services Rate (FPS–26) 

The FPS rate schedule is applicable to 

sales of various surplus power products 

and surplus transmission capacity for 

use inside and outside the Pacific 

Northwest. The rates for these products 

are negotiated between Bonneville and 

the purchasers. The FPS–26 rate 

schedule also includes rates for 

customers with non-Federal resources; 

the Unanticipated Load Service rate; 

rates for other capacity, energy, and 

scheduling products and services; rates 

for reserve services for use outside the 

Bonneville balancing authority area; and 

real power losses rates for customers 

that elect financial settlement of real 

power losses. 

5. Power General Rate Schedule 

Provisions (GRSPs) 

The Power GRSPs include general rate 

schedule terms and conditions 

applicable to Bonneville’s power rates. 

In addition, the Power GRSPs contain 

special rate adjustments, charges, 

credits, and pass-through mechanisms 

for specific events and customer 

circumstances. Among other matters 

covered by the Power GRSPs are 

provisions related to calculating rates, 

resource support services, charges 

associated with transfer service, risk 

adjustments, Slice True-up, the 

Residential Exchange Program, 

conservation, payment options, and 

other charges. Of particular note for BP– 

26 is Bonneville’s proposal to rework 

the Unauthorized Increase Charge and 

proposing to remove the Transfer 

Service Delivery Charge. 

B. Summary of the Transmission Rate 

Proposal 

Bonneville is proposing separate 

transmission rates for its network 

segment, intertie segments, ancillary 

and control area services, and for 

various specific purposes. 

1. Network Rates 

The Network Integration 

Transmission Rate (NT–26) applies to 

customers taking network integration 

service, which allows customers to 

flexibly serve retail load. 

The Point-to-Point Rate (PTP–26) is a 

contract demand rate that applies to 

customers taking Point-to-Point service 

on Bonneville’s network. Point-to-Point 

service provides customers with service 

from identified points of receipt to 

identified points of delivery. There are 

separate rates for long-term firm service 

and various increments of firm and nonfirm short-term service. 

2. Intertie Rates 

The Southern Intertie Rate (IS–26) is 

a contract demand rate that applies to 

customers taking Point-to-Point service 

on the Southern Intertie. 

The Montana Intertie Rate (IM–26) 

applies to customers taking Point-toPoint service on the Eastern Intertie and 

that are not parties to the Montana 

Intertie Agreement. 

The Townsend-Garrison Transmission 

Rate (TGT–26) applies to parties to the 

Montana Intertie Agreement taking firm 

service over Bonneville’s section of the 

Montana Intertie. 

The Eastern Intertie Rate (IE–26) 

applies to parties to the Montana 

Intertie Agreement taking non-firm 

service on the portion of the Eastern 

Intertie capacity that exceeds 

Bonneville’s firm transmission rights. 

3. Other Transmission Rates and 

General Rate Schedule Provisions 

The Use-of-Facilities Rate (UFT–26) 

establishes a formula rate for the use of 

a specific facility based on the annual 

cost of that facility. 

The Advance Funding Rate (AF–26) 

allows Bonneville to collect the capital 

and related costs of specific facilities 

through an advance-funding 

mechanism. 

The Regional Compliance 

Enforcement and Regional Coordinator 

rate (RC–26) recovers costs assessed to 

Bonneville for regional reliability 

compliance monitoring, enforcement, 

and reliability coordination services. 

The Oversupply Rate (OS–26) 

recovers the costs Bonneville incurs to 

displace generation under the 

Oversupply Management Protocol, 

Attachment P to Bonneville’s Tariff. 

Other proposed transmission rates 

and charges include: a Reservation Fee 

for customers that postpone the service 

commencement date of transmission 

service; incremental cost rates for 

transmission service requests that 

require new facilities; a penalty charge 

for failure to comply with dispatch, 

curtailment, redispatch, or load 

shedding orders; an Unauthorized 

Increase Charge for use of the 

transmission system in excess of 

contracted-for demand; and rate 

adjustment mechanisms consistent with 

Bonneville’s Financial Policies. 

Bonneville proposes a new GRSP for 

a ‘‘Generator Interconnection 

Withdrawal Charge’’ that applies to the 

removal of interconnection requests at 

certain stages of the Large Generator 

Interconnection Procedures in the 

Tariff. 

Bonneville also proposes to 

discontinue certain transmission rates 

and charges in the current (BP–24) rate 

schedules. The FPT–24.1 rate applies to 

a ‘‘legacy’’ transmission service 

agreement that will no longer be in 

effect in the BP–26 rate period. The FPT 

rate will no longer be necessary once the 

FPT agreement expires. The Utility 

Delivery Charge applies to deliveries 

over low-voltage facilities on 

Bonneville’s system that have been 

segmented to the Utility Delivery 

segment. BPA proposes elimination of 

the Utility Delivery Charge in 

conjunction with the proposal to 

segment the low voltage facilities to the 

network segment. 

4. Ancillary Service and Control Area 

Service Rates 

The BP–26 Transmission Rates 

Proposal includes rates for Bonneville’s 

Ancillary and Control Area Services, 

along with certain updates to those rates 

and new rates. Bonneville is proposing 

two new rates related to Western EIM 

participation and modifications to three 

existing rates. 

Bonneville proposes a new rate to 

account for balancing costs that are not 

settled by the EIM. At times, there is a 

discrepancy between the schedules used 

by the EIM for settlement and schedules 

submitted to Bonneville. If the 

schedules do not match, there is an 

additional use of balancing reserves that 

the EIM does not account for. The 

proposed new rate is intended to 

account for this use of balancing 

reserves. In addition, Bonneville is 

proposing a new rate to recover costs 

related to Bid Cost Recovery charges in 

the EIM that Bonneville did not 

previously allocate to customers. 

Bonneville also proposes 

modifications to the Variable Energy 

Resource Balancing Service (VERBS) 

rate to allow for the recovery of costs 

related to balancing reserve purchases. 

Bonneville is projecting a shortage of 

the capacity needed to provide VERBS 

throughout the rate period, as 

Bonneville is projecting a significant 

increase in interconnections of Variable 

Energy Resources during the rate period. 

As a result, Bonneville will need to 

obtain capacity to fill the balancing 

reserve shortfall. As the method for 

filling the balancing reserves shortfall is 

currently unknown, Bonneville is 

proposing a formula rate intended to 

allow for the recovery of costs related to 

whatever method by which Bonneville 

is able to fill the shortfall. 

Additionally, Bonneville proposes 

modifications to the Persistent 

Deviation Penalty Charge to clarify rate 

language and to the New Technology 


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Pilot to expand the scope of the pilot to 

include additional new technologies. 

C. Risk Mitigation Tools 

Bonneville is proposing three rate 

adjustment mechanisms for BP–26 

power and transmission rates to mitigate 

the risk that actual costs and revenues 

will differ from forecast over the rate 

period and to protect the agency’s 

solvency and strong credit rating. These 

mechanisms implement Bonneville’s 

Financial Reserves Policy (FRP) and 

provide for adjustments to a business 

line’s rates or other action in the event 

the business line’s Financial Reserves 

fall below or exceed certain thresholds. 

The Cost Recovery Adjustment Clause 

(CRAC) will adjust rates upward to 

generate additional revenue within the 

rate period if business line Financial 

Reserves fall below a defined lower 

threshold. 

The Financial Reserves Policy 

Surcharge (FRP Surcharge) will also 

adjust rates upward to generate 

additional revenue within the rate 

period if business line Financial 

Reserves fall below a defined lower 

threshold. 

Finally, the Reserves Distribution 

Clause (RDC) will trigger if Financial 

Reserves exceed upper thresholds for 

the business line and the agency as a 

whole. If the RDC triggers, Bonneville 

will consider the amount of Financial 

Reserves above the threshold for rate 

relief or investment in high-value, 

business line-specific purposes such as 

debt retirement. The process for 

determining the RDC amounts (which is 

described in the power and 

transmission General Rate Schedule 

Provisions) is also being revised. 

Bonneville is proposing to maintain 

risk-related provisions and proposes to 

include additional Planned Net 

Revenues for Risk (PNRR) in power 

rates if the average effective PF Public 

Non-Slice Tier 1 rate is no greater than 

38.85 mills/kWh. First, for FY 2026, the 

three Power risk adjustment clauses will 

not be applicable to the portion of a 

customer’s service at PF Tier 1 rates that 

has been converted from a Slice product 

to a non-Slice product beginning 

October 1, 2025. However, the three risk 

adjustment clauses will apply to such 

customer’s entire service at PF Tier 1 

rates for FY 2026 and 2027. Second, any 

FY 2026, 2027 or 2028 Power RDC will 

automatically provide a dividend 

distribution in an amount equal to the 

lesser of the RDC amount and the 

amount of PNRR included in the BP–26 

power rates. And third, the caps on the 

Power and Transmission RDCs are 

removed for the BP–26 rate period. 

Part V—Proposed BP–26 Power Rate 

Schedules and BP–26 Transmission 

Rates Schedules 

Bonneville’s proposed BP–26 Power 

Rate Schedules and BP–26 

Transmission Rate Schedules, which 

includes Transmission, Ancillary, and 

Control Area Services Rate Schedules, 

are a part of this notice and are available 

on Bonneville’s website at https://

www.bpa.gov/BP26. The BP–26 Partial 

Rates Settlement Agreement is also 

posted at this website. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on October 31, 2024, 

by John L. Hairston, Administrator and 

Chief Executive Officer of the 

Bonneville Power Administration, 

pursuant to delegated authority from the 

Secretary of Energy. This 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 November 7, 

2024. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26244 Filed 11–12–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Bonneville Power Administration 

[BPA File No.: PRDM–26] 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2029 Public Rate 

Design Methodology; Public Hearing 

and Opportunities for Public Review 

and Comment 

AGENCY: Bonneville Power 

Administration (Bonneville or BPA), 

Department of Energy (DOE). 

ACTION: Notice of FY 2029 public rate 

design methodology proceeding. 

SUMMARY: BPA is proposing to adopt a 

new tiered rate design for setting its 

Priority Firm Power (PFp) rates for the 

period beginning October 1, 2028. The 

primary feature of the Public Rate 

Design Methodology (PRDM) is the 

establishment of two tiers of rates: one 

rate tier (Tier 1) will be based on 

generation output and costs attributed to 

BPA’s current system resources and a 

second rate tier (Tier 2) will be based on 

the generation and costs associated with 

newly acquired resources. 

DATES: 

Prehearing Conference: The 

prehearing conference in the PRDM–26 

proceeding will be held on November 

15, 2024, immediately following the 

conclusion of the prehearing 

conferences for Bonneville’s TC–26 

tariff proceeding and BP–26 rate 

proceeding, which begin at 2:00 p.m. 

The ADDRESSES section of this notice 

provides details on participating in the 

prehearing conference. 

Intervention: Petitions to intervene in 

the PRDM–26 proceeding must be filed 

on Bonneville’s secure website no later 

than 4:30 p.m. on November 19, 2024. 

Part III of this notice, ‘‘Public 

Participation in PRDM–26,’’ provides 

details on requesting access to the 

secure website and filing a petition to 

intervene. 

Participant Comments: Written 

comments by non-party participants 

must be received by January 30, 2025, 

to be considered in the Administrator’s 

Record of Decision (ROD). Part III of this 

notice, ‘‘Public Participation in PRDM– 

26,’’ provides details on submitting 

participant comments. 

ADDRESSES: 

Prehearing Conference: The 

prehearing conference in the PRDM–26 

proceeding will be held in the 

Bonneville Rates Hearing Room, 1201 

NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 200, 

Portland, Oregon 97232. Interested 

parties may attend in person or 

participate virtually via WebEx. The 

WebEx information will be available on 

Bonneville’s PRDM web page at https:// 

www.bpa.gov/prdm2029 or from the 

Hearing Clerk at PRDM29clerk@

gmail.com. 

Intervention: Anyone intending to 

become a party to the PRDM–26 

proceeding must file a petition to 

intervene on BPA’s secure website. 

Petitions to intervene may be filed 

beginning on the date of publication of 

this Notice and are due no later than 

4:30 p.m. on November 19, 2024. Part III 

of this notice, ‘‘Public Participation in 

PRDM–26,’’ provides details on 

requesting access to the secure website 

and filing a petition to intervene. 

Participant Comments: Written 

comments by non-party participants 

may be submitted through Bonneville’s 

website at www.bpa.gov/comment or by 

hard copy to: BPA Public Involvement, 

Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. 

Box 14428, Portland, Oregon 97293. Part 

III of this notice, ‘‘Public Participation 


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