24132 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2001 / Notices

October 1, 2001, and extending through

September 30, 2002.

Following review of the written

comments (absent any substantive

reasons to do otherwise), the

Administrator will submit the rate

extension proposal for the Integrated

System to the Deputy Secretary of

Energy for confirmation and interim

approval.

b. Rationale for the Decision

The Integrated System’s FY 2000 (last

year’s) PRS concluded that the annual

revenues needed to be increased by 0.4

percent. At that time, it was determined

prudent to defer the increase in

accordance with the established

threshold and the current rate schedule

was continued for one year. It once

again seems prudent to defer this

potential rate adjustment in accordance

with Southwestern’s rate adjustment

threshold and re-evaluate the ability of

the existing rate to provide sufficient

revenues to satisfy costs projected in the

FY 2002 (next year’s) PRS. In

accordance with 10 CFR Sections

903.22(h) and 903.23(a)(3), the Deputy

Secretary may extend existing rates on

an interim basis beyond the period

specified by the FERC.

The current rate schedules for the

Integrated System were confirmed and

approved by the FERC on a final basis

on April 29, 1998, for a period that is

to end September 30, 2001. Since initial

FERC approval, specific provisions

within rate schedules P–98A and

NFTS–98 have been revised to address

issues that have arisen from

restructuring of the electric industry.

Rate schedules were redesignated 98B,

98C and 98D with each revision. All

subsequent revisions of the Integrated

System rate schedules through 98C have

been approved by FERC. Rate schedules

P–98D and NFTS–98D are currently

under FERC review for final approval.

These revisions had no impacts on the

initially established revenue

requirements for Southwestern’s

Integrated System. In addition, no

change was made to the expiration date,

September 30, 2001. Consequently, the

net result of the revenue requirements

projected in the FY1997 Integrated

System Power Repayment Studies,

which provided the basis for the

existing rate schedules, is not changed.

c. Background

The U.S. Department of Energy was

created by an Act of the U.S. Congress,

Department of Energy Organization Act,

Pub. L. 95–91, dated August 4, 1977,

and Southwestern’s power marketing

activities were transferred from the

Department of the Interior to the

Department of Energy, effective October

1, 1977.

Southwestern markets power from 24

multiple-purpose reservoir projects with

power facilities constructed and

operated by the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers (Corps). These projects are

located in the States of Arkansas,

Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Southwestern’s marketing area includes

these states plus Kansas and Louisiana.

Southwestern’s Integrated System is

comprised of 22 of these projects

interconnected through Southwestern’s

transmission system and exchange

agreements with other utilities. The

other two projects (Sam Rayburn and

Robert Douglas Willis) are not

interconnected with Southwestern’s

Integrated System. Their power is

marketed under contracts through

which two customers purchase the

entire power output of each of the

projects at the dams.

d. Availability of Information

Opportunity is presented for

customers and interested parties to

receive copies of the study data for the

Integrated System. If you desire a copy

of this information, please submit your

request to: Mr. James W. Sherwood,

Division Director, Division of Rates and

Repayment, Office of Corporate

Operations, One West Third Street,

Tulsa, OK 74103, call (918) 595–6673 or

e-mail sherwood@swpa.gov.

Dated: April 26, 2001.

Michael A. Deihl,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–11929 Filed 5–10–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Southwestern Power Administration

Proposed Sam Rayburn and Robert D.

Willis Project Power Rate Changes

AGENCY: Southwestern Power

Administration, (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of opportunities for

public review and comment

SUMMARY: The Administrator,

Southwestern Power Administration

(Southwestern), has prepared Current

and Revised 2001 Power Repayment

Studies (PRS) for the Sam Rayburn Dam

(Rayburn) and Robert D. Willis (Willis)

projects that demonstrate the need for

an adjustment in annual revenues

required to meet cost recovery criteria

for each project. The PRS for Rayburn

indicates the need for an annual

revenue decrease of $90,504. This

decrease results from a decrease in

projected replacements. The PRS for the

Willis project indicates the need for an

annual revenue increase of $12,816. The

Willis increase results from an increase

in the annual estimates for Operations

and Maintenance costs of the Corps of

Engineers. The Administrator has

developed proposed rate schedules for

the Rayburn and Willis projects to

assure recovery of the required costs.

The proposed rate adjustment for the

Rayburn project would decrease annual

revenues from $2,168,136 to $2,077,632

or 4.2 percent. The proposed Willis rate

adjustment increases annual revenues

approximately 3.8 percent from

$337,932 to $350,748. Both rate changes

will be effective October 1, 2001.

DATES: A Public Information Forum has

been scheduled for June 14, 2001, in

Tulsa Oklahoma. A Public Comment

Forum will be held July 18, 2001, in

Tulsa, Oklahoma. Written comments are

due on or before August 9, 2001.

Southwestern is conducting a 90 day

public notice and comment period (10

CFR 903.14(d)) to process both the

Rayburn and Willis rate adjustments at

the same time.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be submitted to the Administrator,

Southwestern Power Administration,

U.S. Department of Energy, One West

Third Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Forrest E. Reeves,Assistant

Administrator,Office of Corporate

Operations,Southwestern Power

Administration,U.S. Department of

Energy,One West Third Street,Tulsa,

Oklahoma 74103,(918) 595–6696.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

a. Background

The U.S. Department of Energy was

created by an Act of the U.S. Congress,

Department of Energy Organization Act,

Pub. L. 95–91, dated August 4, 1977,

and Southwestern’s power marketing

activities were transferred from the

Department of the Interior to the

Department of Energy, effective October

1, 1977.

Southwestern markets power from 24

multiple-purpose reservoir projects with

power facilities constructed and

operated by the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers. These projects are located in

the states of Arkansas, Missouri,

Oklahoma and Texas. Southwestern’s

marketing area includes these states

plus Kansas and Louisiana. Of the total,

22 projects comprise an Integrated

System and are interconnected through

Southwestern’s transmission system and

exchange agreements with other

utilities. The Rayburn project, located in

eastern Texas, is not interconnected

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2001 / Notices 24133

with Southwestern’s Integrated System

hydraulically, electrically, or

financially. Instead, the power produced

by the Rayburn project is marketed by

Southwestern as an isolated project

under a contract through which the

customer purchases the entire power

output of the project at the dam. The

Willis project, located on the Neches

River downstream from the Rayburn,

consists of two 4,000 kilowatt

hydroelectric generating units. It, like

the Rayburn project, is marketed as an

isolated project under a contract

through which the customer receives

the entire output of the project for a

period of 50 years as a result of funding

the construction of the hydroelectric

facilities at the project. A separate PRS

is prepared for each project based on its

isolated project determination.

b. Decision and Rationale

Following Department of Energy

Order Number RA 6120.2, the

Administrator, Southwestern, prepared

a Current PRS for the Rayburn project

using the existing annual rate of

$2,168,136. The study indicates that by

maintaining the current rate, surpluses

would result in FY 2018, the year the

project investment is due, and in the

50th year of the study. This is primarily

the result of reduced estimated

replacement investment. The Revised

PRS indicates that by decreasing

revenues $90,504 (4.2 percent) annually,

repayment criteria would continue to be

met.

The Current PRS for the Willis project

indicates that by maintaining the

current rate, a revenue deficit is shown

for the project. This is primarily a result

of an increase in the Corps of Engineers

estimated Operations and Maintenance

costs. The Revised PRS for the Willis

project shows that an increase of

$12,816 (3.8 percent) annually will be

sufficient to satisfy repayment criteria.

This increase would change annual

revenues produced by the Willis Project

from $337,932 to $350,748 and satisfy

the present financial criteria for

repayment of the project.

c. Availability of Information

Opportunity is presented for

customers and interested parties to

receive copies of the studies and

proposed rate schedule for the Rayburn

and Willis projects. If you desire a copy

of the Repayment Study Data Package

for these projects, please submit your

request to: Mr. James W. Sherwood,

Director, Division of Rates and

Repayment, One West Third Street,

Tulsa, OK 74103, (918) 595–6673 or email sherwood@swpa.gov.

A Public Information Forum is

scheduled to be held at 1:30 p.m.,

central daylight time (C.D.T.) Thursday,

June 14, 2001, in Southwestern’s offices,

room 1600, Williams Center Tower 1,

One West Third Street, Tulsa,

Oklahoma. The Forum is to explain to

customers and interested parties the

proposed rates and supporting studies.

The Forum will be conducted by a

chairperson who will be responsible for

orderly procedure. Questions

concerning the rates, studies and

information presented at the forum may

be submitted from interested persons

and will be answered, to the extent

possible, at the forum. Questions not

answered at the Forum will be answered

in writing, except the questions

involving voluminous data contained in

Southwestern’s records may best be

answered by consultation and review of

pertinent records at Southwestern’s

offices. Persons interested in attending

the Public Information Forum should

indicate in writing by 4 p.m., C.D.T.,

Friday, June 8, 2001, their intent to

appear at such Forum. Accordingly, if

no one so indicates their intent to

attend, no such Forum will be held.

A Public Comment Forum is

scheduled to be held at 1:30 p.m.,

C.D.T., Thursday, July 18, 2001, at the

same location established for the Public

Information Forum. At the Public

Comment Forum, interested persons

may submit written comments or make

oral presentations of their views and

comments. This forum will also be

conducted by a chairperson who will be

responsible for orderly procedure.

Southwestern’s representatives will be

present, and they and the chairperson

may ask questions of speakers. The

chairperson may allow others to speak

if time permits. Persons interested in

attending or speaking at the Public

Comment Forum should indicate in

writing by 4 p.m., C.D.T., Friday, July

13, 2001, their intent to appear at such

Forum. Accordingly, if no one so

indicates their intent to attend, no such

Forum will be held.

A transcript of each Forum will be

made. Copies of the transcripts may be

obtained from the transcribing service.

Copies of all documents introduced will

be available from Southwestern upon

request, for a fee. Written comments on

the proposed rates for the Rayburn and

Willis projects are due on or before 90

days from publication of this notice in

the Federal Register. Written comments

should be submitted to the

Administrator, Southwestern Power

Administration, U. S. Department of

Energy, One West Third Street, Tulsa,

Oklahoma 74103.

Following review of the oral and

written comments, the Administrator

will submit the rate proposals and the

Power Repayment Studies for the

Rayburn and Willis projects, in support

of the proposed rates, to the Deputy

Secretary of Energy for confirmation and

approval on an interim basis and then

to the Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission (FERC) for confirmation

and approval on a final basis. The FERC

will allow the public an additional

opportunity to provide written

comments on the proposed rate

adjustments before making a final

decision.

Dated: April 27, 2001.

George C. Grisaffe,

Acting Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–11928 Filed 5–10–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

Post-2004 Resource Pool-Loveland

Area Projects

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed allocation.

SUMMARY: Western Area Power

Administration (Western), a Federal

power marketing agency of the

Department of Energy (DOE), announces

its Post-2004 Resource Pool Proposed

Allocation of Power developed under

the requirements of Subpart C—Power

Marketing Initiative of the Energy

Planning and Management Program

(Program) Final Rule, 10 CFR part 905.

Western’s call for applications was

published in the Federal Register at 65

FR 12987, March 10, 2000. Applications

for power were accepted at Western’s

Rocky Mountain Customer Service

Region until close of business

September 6, 2000. Review of those

applications resulted in the Proposed

Allocation of Power published in this

notice.

DATES: The comment period on the

Proposed Allocation of Power begins

today and ends September 10, 2001. To

be assured of consideration, Western

must receive all written comments by

the end of the comment period. Western

will hold public information forums

about the proposed allocations on

August 2, 7, and 9, 2001, at the

following locations and times:

1. August 2, 2001, information forum

begins at 10 a.m. in Westminster,

Colorado.

2. August 7, 2001, information forum

begins at 10 a.m. in Casper, Wyoming.