Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-2017 Proposed Power and Transmission Rate Adjustments Public Hearing and Opportunities for Public Review and Comment, 71984-71990 [2014-28463]
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71984
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 233 / Thursday, December 4, 2014 / Notices
• Individual vessel owners must
bring a copy of the appropriate
swordfish and/or shark permit(s), a copy
of the vessel registration or
documentation, and proof of
identification.
• Representatives of a businessowned or co-owned vessel must bring
proof that the individual is an agent of
the business (such as articles of
incorporation), a copy of the applicable
swordfish and/or shark permit(s), and
proof of identification.
• Vessel operators must bring proof of
identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Protected Species Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshops
are designed to teach longline and
gillnet fishermen the required
techniques for the safe handling and
release of entangled and/or hooked
protected species, such as sea turtles,
marine mammals, and smalltooth
sawfish. In an effort to improve
reporting, the proper identification of
protected species will also be taught at
these workshops. Additionally,
individuals attending these workshops
will gain a better understanding of the
requirements for participating in these
fisheries. The overall goal of these
workshops is to provide participants
with the skills needed to reduce the
mortality of protected species, which
may prevent additional regulations on
these fisheries in the future.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 1, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–28502 Filed 12–3–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL
PROTECTION
[Docket No. CFPB–2014–0032]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Comment Request
Bureau of Consumer Financial
Protection.
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (Bureau) is proposing
a new information collection titled,
‘‘CFPB’S Consumer Complaint Intake
System Company Portal Boarding Form
Information Collection System.’’
DATES: Written comments are
encouraged and must be received on or
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SUMMARY:
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before February 2, 2015 to be assured of
consideration.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by the title of the information
collection, OMB Control Number (see
below), and docket number (see above),
by any of the following methods:
• Electronic: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (Attention: PRA
Office), 1700 G Street NW., Washington,
DC 20552.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau (Attention:
PRA Office), 1275 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20002.
Please note that comments submitted
after the comment period will not be
accepted. In general, all comments
received will become public records,
including any personal information
provided. Sensitive personal
information, such as account numbers
or social security numbers, should not
be included.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Documentation prepared in support of
this information collection request is
available at www.regulations.gov.
Requests for additional information
should be directed to the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau, (Attention:
PRA Office), 1700 G Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20552, (202) 435–9575,
or email: PRA@cfpb.gov. Please do not
submit comments to this mailbox.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: CFPB’S Consumer
Complaint Intake System Company
Portal Boarding Form Information
Collection System.
OMB Control Number: 3170–XXXX.
Type of Review: New collection
(Request for a new OMB control
number.
Affected Public: Private sector.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
50,000.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 12,500.
Abstract: The Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act,
Public Law 111–203, Title X, provides
for the Bureau’s consumer complaint
handling function. Among other things,
the Bureau is to facilitate the centralized
collection of, monitoring of, and
response to complaints concerning
consumer financial products and
services. The support the appropriate
routing of complaints to the companies
that are the subjects of the complaints,
the Bureau is developing a form which
will allow companies to proactively
participate in the Bureau’s Company
Portal (Company Portal), a secure, Web-
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based interface between the Bureau’s
Office of Consumer Response
(Consumer Response) and companies.
The Company Portal allows companies
to view and respond to complaints
submitted through the Bureau’s
complaint handling system. Many
companies have sought to register with
the Company Portal before consumer
complaints have been submitted to the
Bureau about their companies to ensure
early notice of potential complaints and
allow companies’ users to acclimate to
the software and security protocols
needed to access the Company Portal.
The Bureau’s proposed form, the
Company Portal Boarding Form
(Boarding Form), will serve to
streamline information collection from
these companies, result in a greatly
enhanced and efficient experience from
both the consumers and companies’
perspectives.
Request for Comments: Comments are
invited on: (a) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Bureau, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) The accuracy of the Bureau’s
estimate of the burden of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methods and the assumptions used;
(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) Ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology. Comments submitted in
response to this notice will be
summarized and/or included in the
request for Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval. All comments
will become a matter of public record.
Dated: November 19, 2014.
Nellisha Ramdass,
Acting Chief Information Officer, Bureau of
Consumer Financial Protection.
[FR Doc. 2014–28511 Filed 12–3–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810–AM–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Bonneville Power Administration
[BPA File No.: BP–16]
Fiscal Year (FY) 2016–2017 Proposed
Power and Transmission Rate
Adjustments Public Hearing and
Opportunities for Public Review and
Comment
Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA or Bonneville),
Department of Energy (DOE).
AGENCY:
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Notice of FY 2016–2017
Proposed Power and Transmission Rate
Adjustments.
ACTIONS:
BPA is holding a consolidated
rate proceeding, Docket No. BP–16, to
establish power and transmission rates
for FY 2016–2017.
The Pacific Northwest Electric Power
Planning and Conservation Act
(Northwest Power Act) provides that
BPA must establish and periodically
review and revise its 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 BPA’s
other costs and expenses. The
Northwest Power Act also requires that
BPA’s rates be established based on the
record of a formal hearing, and for
transmission rates only, that the costs of
the Federal transmission system be
equitably allocated between Federal and
non-Federal power utilizing the system.
By this notice, BPA announces the
commencement of a power and
transmission rate adjustment proceeding
for power, transmission, control area
services, and ancillary services rates to
be effective on October 1, 2015.
DATES: Anyone wishing to become a
party to the BP–16 proceeding must
provide written notice, via U.S. Mail or
electronic mail, which must be received
by BPA no later than 3:00 p.m. on
December 12, 2014.
The BP–16 rate adjustment
proceeding begins with a prehearing
conference at 9:00 a.m. on December 10,
2014, in the BPA Rates Hearing Room,
1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 200,
Portland, Oregon 97232.
Written comments by non-party
participants must be received by
February 26, 2015, to be considered in
the Administrator’s Record of Decision
(ROD).
ADDRESSES:
1. Petitions to intervene should be
directed to: Hearing Clerk—L–7,
Bonneville Power Administration, 905
NE 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon
97232, or may be emailed to rateclerk@
bpa.gov. In addition, copies of the
petition must be served concurrently on
BPA’s General Counsel and directed to
both Mr. Kurt Casad, LP–7, and Mr.
Barry Bennett, LT–7, Office of General
Counsel, 905 NE 11th Avenue, Portland,
Oregon 97232, or via email to krcasad@
bpa.gov and bbennett@bpa.gov (see
section III.A. for more information
regarding interventions).
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2. Written comments by participants
should be submitted to the Public
Engagement Office, DKE–7, Bonneville
Power Administration, P.O. Box 14428,
Portland, Oregon 97293. Participants
may also submit comments by email at:
www.bpa.gov/comment. BPA requests
that all comments and documents
intended to be part of the Official
Record in this rate proceeding contain
the designation BP–16 in the subject
line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Michelle Whalen, DKC–7, Public Affairs
Specialist, Bonneville Power
Administration, P.O. Box 3621,
Portland, Oregon 97208; by phone toll
free at 1–800–622–4520; or via email to
mewhalen@bpa.gov. Responsible
Officials: Mr. Raymond D. Bliven,
Power Rates Manager, is the official
responsible for the development of
BPA’s power rates, and Ms. Rebecca E.
Fredrickson, Transmission Rates
Manager, is the official responsible for
the development of BPA’s transmission,
ancillary, and control area services
rates.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
Part I. Introduction and Procedural
Background
Part II. Scope of BP–16 Rate Proceeding
Part III. Public Participation in BP–16
Part IV. Summary of Rate Proposals
Part V. Proposed BP–16 Rate Schedules
Part I—Introduction and Procedural
Background
Section 7(i) of the Northwest Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 839e(i), requires that
BPA’s rates be established according to
certain procedures, including
publication in the Federal Register of
this notice of the proposed rates; one or
more hearings conducted as
expeditiously as practicable by a
Hearing Officer; opportunity for both
oral presentation and written
submission of views, data, questions,
and arguments related to the proposed
rates; and a decision by the
Administrator based on the record.
BPA’s rate proceedings are further
governed by BPA’s Procedures
Governing Bonneville Power
Administration Rate Hearings, 51
Federal Register 7611 (1986), which
implement and expand the statutory
requirements.
This proceeding is being conducted
under the rule for general rate
proceedings, section 1010.4 of BPA’s
Procedures. A proposed schedule for the
proceeding is provided below. A final
schedule will be established by the
Hearing Officer at the prehearing
conference.
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Prehearing Conference/BPA Initial
Proposal—December 10, 2014
Parties File Petitions to Intervene—
December 12, 2014
Clarification—December 17–19, 2014
Motions to Strike—January 13, 2015
Data Request Deadline—January 13,
2015
Answers to Motions to Strike—January
21, 2015
Data Response Deadline—January 21,
2015
Parties file Direct Case—February 4,
2015
Clarification—February 11–13, 2015
Motions to Strike—February 17, 2015
Data Request Deadline—February 17,
2015
Answers to Motions to Strike—February
24, 2015
Data Response Deadline—February 24,
2015
Close of Participant Comments—
February 26, 2015
Litigants file Rebuttal—March 16, 2015
Clarification—March 19–20, 2015
Motions to Strike—March 24, 2015
Data Request Deadline—March 24, 2015
Answers to Motions to Strike—March
31, 2015
Data Response Deadline—March 31,
2015
Cross-Examination—April 1–3 and 6–7,
2015
Initial Briefs Filed—May 1, 2015
Oral Argument—May 8, 2015
Draft ROD issued—June 12, 2015
Briefs on Exceptions—July 1, 2015
Final ROD—Final Studies—July 24,
2015
Section 1010.7 of BPA’s Procedures
prohibits ex parte communications. The
ex parte rule applies to all BPA and
DOE employees and contractors. Except
as provided below, any outside
communications with BPA and/or DOE
personnel regarding the merits of any
issue in BPA’s rate proceeding by other
Executive Branch agencies, Congress,
existing or potential BPA customers
(including tribes), or nonprofit or public
interest groups are considered outside
communications and are subject to the
ex parte rule. The rule does not apply
to communications relating to: (1)
Matters of procedure only (the status of
the rate proceeding, for example); (2)
exchanges of data in the course of
business or under the Freedom of
Information Act; (3) requests for factual
information; (4) matters for which BPA
is responsible under statutes other than
the ratemaking provisions; or (5) matters
which all parties agree may be made on
an ex parte basis. The ex parte rule
remains in effect until the
Administrator’s Final ROD is issued,
which is scheduled to occur on or about
July 24, 2015.
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Part II—Scope of BP–16 Rate
Proceeding
A. Joint Rate Proceeding
BPA is holding one power and
transmission rate proceeding with one
procedural schedule, one record, and
one ROD.
B. 2014 Integrated Program Review
BPA began its 2014 Integrated
Program Review (IPR) process in May
2014. The IPR process is designed to
allow an opportunity to review and
comment on BPA’s expense and capital
spending level estimates before the
estimates are used to set rates. On
October 2, 2014, BPA issued the Final
Close-Out Report for the IPR. In the
Final Close-Out Report, BPA established
the program level cost estimates that are
used in the Initial Proposal to establish
both the power and transmission rates.
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C. Scope of the Rate Proceeding
This section provides guidance to the
Hearing Officer as to those matters that
are within the scope of the rate
proceeding and those that are outside
the scope. In addition to the items listed
below, any other issue that is not a rates
issue is outside the scope of this
proceeding.
1. Program Cost Estimates
Some of the decisions that determine
program costs and spending levels have
been made in the IPR public review
process outside the rate proceeding. See
section II.B. BPA’s spending levels for
investments and expenses are not
determined or subject to review in rate
proceedings.
Pursuant to section 1010.3(f) of BPA’s
Procedures, the Administrator directs
the Hearing Officer to exclude from the
record all argument, testimony, or other
evidence that challenges the
appropriateness or reasonableness of the
Administrator’s decisions on cost and
spending levels. If any re-examination
of spending levels is necessary, such reexamination will occur outside of the
rate proceeding. The above exclusion
does not extend to those portions of the
revenue requirements related to interest
rate forecasts, interest expense and
credit, Treasury repayment schedules,
forecasts of depreciation and
amortization expense, forecasts of
system replacements used in repayment
studies, Residential Exchange Program
benefits, purchased power expenses,
transmission acquisition expense
incurred by Power Services, generation
acquisition expense incurred by
Transmission Services, minimum
required net revenue, use of financial
reserves, and the costs of risk mitigation
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actions resulting from the expense and
revenue uncertainties included in the
risk analysis. The Administrator also
directs the Hearing Officer to exclude
argument and evidence regarding BPA’s
debt management practices and policies.
See section II.C.5.
2. Tiered Rate Methodology (TRM)
The TRM restricts BPA and customers
with Contract High Water Mark
(CHWM) contracts from proposing
changes to the TRM’s ratesetting
guidelines unless certain procedures
have been successfully concluded. No
proposed changes have been subjected
to the required procedures.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’s
Procedures, the Administrator hereby
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 BPA, customers with a CHWM
contract, or their representatives, unless
it can be established that the TRM
procedures for proposing a change to
the TRM have been concluded. This
restriction does not extend to a party or
customer that does not have a CHWM
contract.
3. Service to the Direct Service
Industries (DSIs)
BPA’s decisions to serve Alcoa and
Port Townsend along with the method
and level of service to be provided DSIs
in the FY 2016–2017 rate period will
not be determined in this proceeding.
The decision to serve the DSIs was
made in the record of decision on the
Alcoa and Port Townsend contracts.
The decision was not challenged in the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’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 revisit
the appropriateness or reasonableness of
BPA’s decisions regarding service to the
DSIs, including BPA’s decision to offer
contracts to the DSIs and the method or
level of service.
4. Generation Inputs
BPA provides a portion of the
available generation from the FCRPS to
enable Transmission Services to meet its
various requirements. Transmission
Services uses these generation inputs to
provide ancillary and control area
services.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’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 revisit
issues regarding reliability of the
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transmission system, dispatcher
standing orders, e-Tag requirements and
definitions, open access transmission
tariff (OATT) provisions, and business
practices. These non-rates issues are
generally addressed by BPA in
accordance with industry, reliability,
and other compliance standards and
criteria and are not matters appropriate
for the rate proceeding.
5. Federal and Non-Federal Debt Service
and Debt Management
During the 2014 IPR and in other
forums, BPA provided the public with
background information on BPA’s
internal Federal and non-Federal debt
management policies and practices.
While these policies and practices are
not decided in the IPR forum, these
discussions were intended to inform
interested parties about these matters so
that they would better understand
BPA’s debt structure. BPA’s debt
management policies and practices
remain outside the scope of the rate
proceeding.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’s
Procedures, the Administrator hereby
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 BPA’s debt
management policies and practices.
This exclusion does not encompass how
debt management actions are reflected
in ratemaking.
6. Potential Environmental Impacts
Environmental impacts are addressed
in a concurrent National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) process. See section
II.D.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’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.
7. 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. On
September 4, 2009, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission)
granted final approval of BPA’s 2008
ASCM. The 2008 ASCM is not subject
to challenge or review in a section 7(i)
proceeding. Determinations of the ASCs
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Public Agency Customers v. Bonneville
Power Administration, 733 F.3d 939
(9th Cir. 2013).
Because the 2012 REP Settlement was
part of the REP–12 ROD, and approved
by the Court, challenges to BPA’s
decision to adopt the 2012 REP
Settlement and implement its terms in
BPA’s rate proceedings are not within
the scope of this proceeding. Pursuant
to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’s Procedures, the
Administrator hereby directs the
Hearing Officer to exclude from the
record all argument, testimony, or other
evidence that seeks in any way to visit
or revisit BPA’s determination to adopt
the 2012 REP Settlement or its terms in
this rate proceeding.
8. Rate Period High Water Mark
(RHWM) Process
Under the Tiered Rate Methodology
(TRM), BPA has established FY 2016–
2017 RHWMs for Public customers that
signed contracts for firm requirements
power service providing for tiered rates,
referred to as CHWM contracts. In this
RHWM Process, which preceded the
BP–16 rate proceeding, BPA established
the maximum planned amount of power
a customer is eligible to purchase at Tier
1 rates during the rate period, the
Above-RHWM 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, and, if necessary,
challenge BPA’s RHWM determinations.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’s
Procedures, the Administrator hereby
directs the Hearing Officer to exclude
from the record all argument, testimony,
or other evidence that seeks in any way
to visit or revisit BPA’s determination of
a customer’s FY 2016–2017 RHWM or
other RHWM Process determinations.
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of participating utilities are made in
separate processes conducted pursuant
to the ASCM. Those processes began
with ASC filings on June 2, 2014, and
are continuing through July 2015. The
determinations of ASCs are not subject
to challenge or review in a section 7(i)
proceeding.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’s
Procedures, the Administrator hereby
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
that seeks in any way to visit or revisit
the appropriateness or reasonableness of
any of the ongoing ASC determinations.
10. Transfer Service for Southeast Idaho
Load Service
Because of the termination of
grandfathered contracts, BPA is
developing a new transmission service
plan for its preference customers located
in Southeast Idaho. The cost allocation
issue related to this plan is an
appropriate issue in this rate
proceeding. However, all decisions
regarding the development of the new
plan of service itself are outside the
scope of the rate proceeding.
Pursuant to § 1010.3(f) of BPA’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 visit
or revisit BPA’s strategy or acquisition
decisions for Southeast Idaho Load
Service.
9. 2012 Residential Exchange Program
Settlement Agreement (2012 REP
Settlement)
On July 26, 2011, the Administrator
executed the 2012 REP Settlement
resolving longstanding litigation over
BPA’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 thoroughly
explained in the REP–12 Record of
Decision (REP–12 ROD). The 2012 REP
Settlement and REP–12 ROD were
approved by U.S. Court of Appeals for
the Ninth Circuit in Association of
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D. The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA)
BPA is in the process of assessing the
potential environmental effects of its
proposed power and transmission rates,
consistent with NEPA. The NEPA
process is conducted separately from
the rate proceeding. As discussed in
section II.C.6., all evidence and
argument addressing potential
environmental impacts of rates being
developed in the BP–16 rate proceeding
are excluded from the rate proceeding
hearing record. Instead, comments on
environmental effects should be
directed to the NEPA process.
Because this proposal involves BPA’s
ongoing business practices related to
rates, BPA is reviewing the proposal for
consistency with BPA’s Business Plan
Environmental Impact Statement
(Business Plan EIS), completed in June
1995 (BOE/EIS–0183). This policy-level
EIS evaluates the environmental
impacts of a range of business plan
alternatives for BPA that could be varied
by applying various policy modules,
including one for rates. Any
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71987
combination of alternative policy
modules should allow BPA to balance
its costs and revenues. The Business
Plan EIS also includes response
strategies, such as adjustments to rates,
that BPA could implement if BPA’s
costs exceed its revenues.
In August 1995, the BPA
Administrator issued a ROD (Business
Plan ROD) that adopted the MarketDriven Alternative from the Business
Plan EIS. This alternative was selected
because, among other reasons, it allows
BPA to: (1) Recover costs through rates;
(2) competitively market BPA’s products
and services; (3) develop rates that meet
customer needs for clarity and
simplicity; (4) continue to meet BPA’s
legal mandates; and (5) avoid adverse
environmental impacts. BPA also
committed to apply as many response
strategies as necessary when BPA’s costs
and revenues do not balance.
In April 2007, BPA completed and
issued a Supplement Analysis to the
Business Plan EIS. This Supplement
Analysis found that the Business Plan
EIS’s relationship-based and policylevel analysis of potential
environmental impacts from BPA’s
business practices remains valid, and
that BPA’s current business practices
remain consistent with BPA’s MarketDriven Alternative approach. The
Business Plan EIS and ROD thus
continue to provide a sound basis for
making determinations under NEPA
concerning BPA’s policy-level
decisions, including rates.
Because the proposed rates likely
would assist BPA in accomplishing the
goals identified in the Business Plan
ROD, the proposal appears consistent
with these aspects of the Market-Driven
Alternative. In addition, this rate
proposal is similar to the type of rate
designs evaluated in the Business Plan
EIS; thus, implementation of this rate
proposal would not be expected to
result in environmental impacts
significantly different from those
examined in the Business Plan EIS.
Therefore, BPA expects that this rate
proposal will likely fall within the
scope of the Market-Driven Alternative
that was evaluated in the Business Plan
EIS and adopted in the Business Plan
ROD.
As part of the Administrator’s ROD
that will be prepared for the BP–16 rate
proceeding, BPA may tier its decision
under NEPA to the Business Plan ROD.
However, depending upon the ongoing
environmental review, BPA may instead
issue another appropriate NEPA
document. Comments regarding the
potential environmental effects of the
proposal may be submitted to Katherine
Pierce, NEPA Compliance Officer, KEC–
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4, Bonneville Power Administration,
905 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR
97232. Any such comments received by
the comment deadline for Participant
Comments identified in section III.A.
below will be considered by BPA’s
NEPA compliance staff in the NEPA
process that will be conducted for this
proposal.
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Part III—Public Participation in BP–16
A. Distinguishing Between
‘‘Participants’’ and ‘‘Parties’’
BPA distinguishes between
‘‘participants in’’ and ‘‘parties to’’ the
hearings. Separate from the formal
hearing process, BPA will receive
written comments, views, opinions, and
information from participants, who may
submit comments without being subject
to the duties of, or having the privileges
of, parties. Participants’ written
comments will be made part of the
official record and considered by the
Administrator. 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. BPA 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 rate 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 intervenor
organizations.
Written comments by participants
will be included in the record if they are
received by February 26, 2015. Written
views, supporting information,
questions, and arguments should be
submitted to the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Entities or persons become parties to
the proceeding by filing petitions to
intervene, which must state the name
and address of the entity or person
requesting party status and the entity’s
or person’s interest in the hearing. BPA
customers and affiliated customer
groups will be granted intervention
based on petitions filed in conformance
with BPA’s Procedures. 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. Pursuant to Rule 1010.1(d)
of BPA’s Procedures, BPA waives the
requirement in Rule 1010.4(d) that an
opposition to an intervention petition be
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filed and served 24 hours before the
prehearing conference. The time limit
for opposing a timely intervention will
be established at the prehearing
conference. Any party, including BPA,
may oppose a petition for intervention.
All petitions will be ruled on by the
Hearing Officer. Late interventions are
strongly disfavored. Opposition to an
untimely petition to intervene must be
filed and received by BPA within two
days after service of the petition.
B. 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
BPA and the parties, written comments
from participants, and other material
accepted into the record by the Hearing
Officer. The Hearing Officer will review
the record 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 Administrator will
serve copies of the Final ROD on all
parties. BPA 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
1. Power Rates
BPA is proposing four different rates
for Federal power sales and services.
The General Transfer Agreement Service
(GTA) rate schedule, currently included
as a power rate schedule, is being
moved to the General Rate Schedule
Provisions. The proposed GTA charges
are expanded to recover Western
Electricity Coordinating Council
(WECC) and Peak Reliability (Peak)
costs BPA incurs based on transfer
customer loads outside of the BPA
balancing authority area.
Priority Firm Power Rate (PF–16)—
The PF rate schedule applies to net
requirements power sales to public
body, cooperative, and Federal agency
customers made pursuant to section 5(b)
of the Northwest Power Act and
includes the PF Public rates for the sale
of firm requirements power under
CHWM Contracts and the PF Exchange
rates for sales under Residential
Purchase and Sale Agreements. The PF
Public rate applies to customers taking
load following 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, four
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Tier 2 rates, corresponding to contract
options, are applied to customers that
have elected to purchase power from
BPA for service to their Above-RHWM
Load.
The PF rate is a collection of rates
charged on the basis of percentage of
cost responsibility, marginal changes in
demand and energy usage, customer
purchase elections for BPA service to
loads in excess of power purchased at
Tier 1 rates, product and service
choices, transfer load delivery and
operating reserves, and applicability of
rate discounts. Very few of BPA’s
customers have exactly the same mix of
PF rate components in common.
Therefore, BPA has developed a
quantification of the PF rate that
measures the impact on an average
customer purchasing at Tier 1 rates.
This quantification, the Tier 1 Average
Net Cost, is increasing 6.7 percent in
this proposal, from $31.50/MWh for the
PF–14 rate to $33.60/MWh for the PF–
16 rate.
The Base PF Exchange rate and its
associated surcharges apply to the sale
of power to 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
participant will receive during FY
2016–2017.
In addition, the proposed PF–16 rate
schedule includes rates for customers
with non-Federal resources that have
elected to take Diurnal Flattening
Service or Secondary Crediting Service,
and a melded PF rate for any Public
customer that elects a power sales
contract other than a CHWM Contract
for firm requirements service.
New Resource Firm Power Rate (NR–
16)—The NR–16 rate applies to net
requirements power sales to investorowned utilities (IOUs) made pursuant to
section 5(b) of the Northwest Power Act
for resale to ultimate consumers, direct
consumption, construction, testing and
start-up, and station service. The NR–16
rate is also applied to sales of firm
power to Public customers when this
power is used to serve new large single
loads. In addition, BPA is proposing NR
rates for services to support Public
customers serving new large single
loads with non-Federal resources. In the
Initial Proposal BPA is forecasting no
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sales at the NR rate. The average NR–16
rate in the Initial Proposal is $76.60/
MWh, a decrease of 1.4 percent from the
NR–14 rate.
Industrial Firm Power Rate (IP–16)—
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 Initial Proposal BPA is forecasting
annual sales of 316 average megawatts
(aMW) to DSIs. See section IV.A.2c. The
average IP–16 rate in the Initial Proposal
is $41.53/MWh, an increase of 6.6
percent over the IP–14 rate.
Firm Power and Surplus Products and
Services Rate (FPS–16)—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 BPA and the
purchasers. In addition, the FPS–16 rate
schedule includes rates for customers
with non-Federal resources, the
Unanticipated Load Service rate, rates
for other capacity, energy, and
scheduling products and services, and
rates for reserve services for use outside
the BPA balancing authority area.
2. Ancillary Service and Control Area
Service Rates
Beginning in May 2014, BPA held rate
case workshops and solicited
stakeholder comments concerning
generation inputs issues that form the
foundation of most ancillary service and
control area service rates. Over the
following months, BPA and
stakeholders developed a settlement
agreement that covers most ancillary
and control area service rates. The
settlement agreement rates are at the
same level as current rates except for a
five percent increase for the Operating
Reserves rates. The settlement
agreement also provides for other
changes to the rate schedules, and
specifies the amount of balancing
reserve capacity to be provided during
the rate period as well as an acquisition
budget for balancing reserve capacity.
BPA asked all entities that intended to
be parties to the BP–16 rate proceeding
to either sign the agreement or declare
their intention to contest the agreement
by September 25, 2014. By that
deadline, 29 parties signed or agreed not
to contest the settlement agreement. No
party declared an intent to contest the
agreement.
BPA will file the BP–16 generation
inputs settlement agreement as part of
the BP–16 Initial Proposal. Parties will
be given an opportunity to contest the
agreement pursuant to a timeline
established by the Hearing Officer.
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3. Risk Mitigation Tools
The main financial risk mitigation
tool BPA relies upon is financial
liquidity, which consists of cash, other
investments in the Bonneville Fund at
the U.S. Treasury, and a short-term
liquidity facility with the U.S. Treasury.
BPA proposes to include provisions for
two rate adjustments in the power rate
schedules and in certain ancillary and
control area services rate schedules: The
Cost Recovery Adjustment Clause
(CRAC), which can generate additional
cash within the rate period, and the
Dividend Distribution Clause (DDC),
which can return cash to customers
when BPA’s financial reserves
attributed to power are larger than
needed to meet its Treasury Payment
Probability (TPP) standard. When
available liquidity and the CRAC are
insufficient to meet the TPP standard,
BPA includes Planned Net Revenues for
Risk (PNRR) in its rates.
In the Initial Proposal, BPA proposes
to include no PNRR and to cap the
maximum revenue recoverable through
the CRAC at $300 million per year. BPA
is proposing some minor changes to the
risk mitigation tools in the BP–16 Initial
Proposal, including a revision to the
metric used to determine whether a
CRAC or DDC triggers. The thresholds
for triggering the CRAC and DDC remain
unchanged from the BP–14 rate case
(equivalent reserve levels of $0 and
$750 million, respectively, in financial
reserves attributed to Power). BPA also
proposes to continue the National
Marine Fisheries Service FCRPS
Biological Opinion Adjustment (NFB
Adjustment) and the Emergency NFB
Surcharge, given that litigation
regarding the Biological Opinion
continues.
B. Summary of the Transmission Rate
Proposal
BPA is proposing an overall 5.6
percent increase in transmission rates.
BPA is also proposing to develop a
WECC and Peak rate.
BPA is proposing four different rates
for the use of its Network segment, four
different rates for use of intertie
segments, and several other rates for
various purposes.
The four rates for use of the Network
segment are:
Formula Power Transmission Rate
(FPT–16)—The FPT rate is based on the
cost of using specific types of facilities,
including a distance component for the
use of transmission lines, and is charged
on a contract demand basis.
Integration of Resources Rate (IR–
16)—The IR rate is a postage stamp,
contract demand rate for the use of the
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71989
Network, similar to Point-to-Point (PTP)
service (see below), and includes
Scheduling, System Control, and
Dispatch Service.
Network Integration Transmission
Rate (NT–16)—The NT rate applies to
customers taking network integration
service under the Open Access
Transmission Tariff (OATT) and allows
customers to flexibly serve their retail
load.
Point-to-Point Rate (PTP–16)—The
PTP rate is a contract demand rate that
applies to customers taking Point-toPoint service on BPA’s network
facilities under the OATT. It provides
customers with flexible service from
identified Points of Receipt to identified
Points of Delivery. There are separate
PTP rates for long-term firm service;
daily firm and non-firm service; and
hourly firm and non-firm service.
BPA is proposing four rates for
intertie use:
The Southern Intertie Rate (IS–16) is
a contract demand rate that applies to
customers taking Point-to-Point service
under the OATT on the Southern
Intertie.
The Montana Intertie Rate (IM–16)
applies to customers taking Point-toPoint service on the Eastern Intertie.
The Townsend-Garrison Transmission
Rate (TGT–16) is a rate for firm service
over BPA’s section of the Montana
Intertie and is available to parties to the
Montana Intertie Agreement.
The Eastern Intertie Rate (IE–16) is a
rate for non-firm service on the portion
of the Eastern Intertie capacity that
exceeds BPA’s firm transmission rights
and is available to parties to the
Montana Intertie Agreement.
Other proposed transmission rates
are:
The Use-of-Facilities Rate (UFT–16)
establishes a formula rate for the use of
a specific facility based on the annual
cost of that facility.
The Advance Funding Rate (AF–16)
allows BPA to collect the capital and
related costs of specific facilities
through an advance-funding
mechanism.
The Scheduling, System Control, and
Dispatch Service Rate and the Reactive
Supply and Voltage Control from
Generation Sources Service Rate are for
required ancillary services for
transmission service on the Network,
the Southern Intertie, and the Montana
Intertie.
The WECC and Peak rates recover
WECC and Peak costs assessed to BPA
to cover WECC and Peak reliability
functions.
The Oversupply Rate (OS–16)
recovers the costs BPA incurs to
displace generation under the
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oversupply management protocol,
Attachment P to BPA’s OATT.
Other charges that may apply include
a Delivery Charge for the use of lowvoltage delivery substations; a
Reservation Fee for customers that
postpone their service commencement
dates; incremental rates for transmission
requests that require new facilities; a
penalty charge for failure to comply
with dispatch, curtailment, redispatch,
or load shedding orders; and an
Unauthorized Increase Charge for
customers that exceed their contracted
amounts. BPA is proposing to eliminate
the Power Factor Penalty Charge.
Part V—Proposed BP–16 Rate
Schedules
BPA’s proposed BP–16 Power Rate
Schedules and Transmission Rate
Schedules are a part of this notice and
are available for viewing and
downloading on BPA’s Web site at
https://www.bpa.gov/goto/BP16. Copies
of the proposed rate schedules also are
available for viewing in BPA’s Public
Reference Room at the BPA
Headquarters, 1st Floor, 905 NE 11th
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232.
Issued this 19th day of November, 2014.
Elliot E. Mainzer,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–28463 Filed 12–3–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 2246–069]
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Yuba County Water Agency; Notice of
Application Accepted for Filing,
Soliciting Comments, Motions To
Intervene, and Protests
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection:
a. Type of Application: Application
for Temporary Variance of Minimum
Flow Requirement.
b. Project No.: 2246–069.
c. Date Filed: November 25, 2014.
d. Applicant: Yuba County Water
Agency (licensee).
e. Name of Project: Yuba River
Project.
f. Location: North Yuba River, Middle
Yuba River, and Oregon Creek in Yuba,
Nevada, and Sierra counties, CA.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Curt
Aikens, General Manager, Yuba County
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17:23 Dec 03, 2014
Jkt 235001
Water Agency, 1200 F Street,
Marysville, CA 95901–4740, (530) 741–
5015.
i. FERC Contact: Mr. John Aedo, (415)
369–3335, or john.aedo@ferc.gov.
j. Deadline for filing comments,
motions to intervene, protests, and
recommendations is 30 days from the
issuance date of this notice by the
Commission (December 26, 2014). The
Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file motions to
intervene, protests, comments, or
recommendations using the
Commission’s eFiling system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system
at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ecomment.asp. You must include your
name and contact information at the end
of your comments. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866)
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please
send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Please include the project number (P–
2246–069) on any comments, motions to
intervene, protests, or recommendations
filed.
k. Description of Request: The
licensee requests a temporary variance
of the minimum flow requirements in
the lower Yuba River below Englebright
Dam, which requires a minimum flow of
1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) from
January 1 to 15. In order to conserve
water resources during the current
drought and make best biological use of
a limited water supply, the licensee
proposes to instead release 550 cfs from
January 1 to January 16, 2015. In
addition, the licensee requests that
minimum flow compliance during this
period be based on a 5-day running
average of average daily streamflows,
with instantaneous flows never less
than 90 percent of the specified 550 cfs
minimum flow and never less than 550
cfs for more than 48 hours. The
proposed variance would be in addition
to the one already requested variance for
December 1–31, 2014 and January 16 to
March 31, 2015 period. Take note that
the December 1–31 variance was
granted by Commission order dated
November 25, 2014.
l. Locations of the Application: A
copy of the application is available for
inspection and reproduction at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room,
located at 888 First Street NE., Room
2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling
(202) 502–8371. This filing may also be
viewed on the Commission’s Web site at
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https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number
excluding the last three digits in the
docket number field to access the
document. You may also register online
at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via
email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, call 1–866–208–3676 or
email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for
TTY, call (202) 502–8659. A copy is also
available for inspection and
reproduction at the address in item (h)
above.
m. Individuals desiring to be included
on the Commission’s mailing list should
so indicate by writing to the Secretary
of the Commission.
n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to
Intervene: Anyone may submit
comments, a protest, or a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
requirements of Rules of Practice and
Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214.
In determining the appropriate action to
take, the Commission will consider all
protests or other comments filed, but
only those who file a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
Commission’s Rules may become a
party to the proceeding. Any comments,
protests, or motions to intervene must
be received on or before the specified
comment date for the particular
application.
o. Filing and Service of Responsive
Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in
all capital letters the title
‘‘COMMENTS’’, ‘‘PROTEST’’, or
‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE’’ as
applicable; (2) set forth in the heading
the name of the applicant and the
project number of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish
the name, address, and telephone
number of the person protesting or
intervening; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR
385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, motions to intervene, or
protests must set forth their evidentiary
basis and otherwise comply with the
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). All
comments, motions to intervene, or
protests should relate to project works
which are the subject of the variance.
Agencies may obtain copies of the
application directly from the applicant.
A copy of any protest or motion to
intervene must be served upon each
representative of the applicant specified
in the particular application. If an
intervener files comments or documents
with the Commission relating to the
merits of an issue that may affect the
responsibilities of a particular resource
agency, they must also serve a copy of
the document on that resource agency.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 233 (Thursday, December 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71984-71990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28463]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Bonneville Power Administration
[BPA File No.: BP-16]
Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-2017 Proposed Power and Transmission Rate
Adjustments Public Hearing and Opportunities for Public Review and
Comment
AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA or Bonneville), Department
of Energy (DOE).
[[Page 71985]]
ACTIONS: Notice of FY 2016-2017 Proposed Power and Transmission Rate
Adjustments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: BPA is holding a consolidated rate proceeding, Docket No. BP-
16, to establish power and transmission rates for FY 2016-2017.
The Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act
(Northwest Power Act) provides that BPA must establish and periodically
review and revise its 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 BPA's other
costs and expenses. The Northwest Power Act also requires that BPA's
rates be established based on the record of a formal hearing, and for
transmission rates only, that the costs of the Federal transmission
system be equitably allocated between Federal and non-Federal power
utilizing the system. By this notice, BPA announces the commencement of
a power and transmission rate adjustment proceeding for power,
transmission, control area services, and ancillary services rates to be
effective on October 1, 2015.
DATES: Anyone wishing to become a party to the BP-16 proceeding must
provide written notice, via U.S. Mail or electronic mail, which must be
received by BPA no later than 3:00 p.m. on December 12, 2014.
The BP-16 rate adjustment proceeding begins with a prehearing
conference at 9:00 a.m. on December 10, 2014, in the BPA Rates Hearing
Room, 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97232.
Written comments by non-party participants must be received by
February 26, 2015, to be considered in the Administrator's Record of
Decision (ROD).
ADDRESSES:
1. Petitions to intervene should be directed to: Hearing Clerk--L-
7, Bonneville Power Administration, 905 NE 11th Avenue, Portland,
Oregon 97232, or may be emailed to rateclerk@bpa.gov. In addition,
copies of the petition must be served concurrently on BPA's General
Counsel and directed to both Mr. Kurt Casad, LP-7, and Mr. Barry
Bennett, LT-7, Office of General Counsel, 905 NE 11th Avenue, Portland,
Oregon 97232, or via email to krcasad@bpa.gov and bbennett@bpa.gov (see
section III.A. for more information regarding interventions).
2. Written comments by participants should be submitted to the
Public Engagement Office, DKE-7, Bonneville Power Administration, P.O.
Box 14428, Portland, Oregon 97293. Participants may also submit
comments by email at: www.bpa.gov/comment. BPA requests that all
comments and documents intended to be part of the Official Record in
this rate proceeding contain the designation BP-16 in the subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Michelle Whalen, DKC-7, Public
Affairs Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. Box 3621,
Portland, Oregon 97208; by phone toll free at 1-800-622-4520; or via
email to mewhalen@bpa.gov. Responsible Officials: Mr. Raymond D.
Bliven, Power Rates Manager, is the official responsible for the
development of BPA's power rates, and Ms. Rebecca E. Fredrickson,
Transmission Rates Manager, is the official responsible for the
development of BPA's transmission, ancillary, and control area services
rates.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
Part I. Introduction and Procedural Background
Part II. Scope of BP-16 Rate Proceeding
Part III. Public Participation in BP-16
Part IV. Summary of Rate Proposals
Part V. Proposed BP-16 Rate Schedules
Part I--Introduction and Procedural Background
Section 7(i) of the Northwest Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 839e(i),
requires that BPA's rates be established according to certain
procedures, including publication in the Federal Register of this
notice of the proposed rates; one or more hearings conducted as
expeditiously as practicable by a Hearing Officer; opportunity for both
oral presentation and written submission of views, data, questions, and
arguments related to the proposed rates; and a decision by the
Administrator based on the record. BPA's rate proceedings are further
governed by BPA's Procedures Governing Bonneville Power Administration
Rate Hearings, 51 Federal Register 7611 (1986), which implement and
expand the statutory requirements.
This proceeding is being conducted under the rule for general rate
proceedings, section 1010.4 of BPA's Procedures. A proposed schedule
for the proceeding is provided below. A final schedule will be
established by the Hearing Officer at the prehearing conference.
Prehearing Conference/BPA Initial Proposal--December 10, 2014
Parties File Petitions to Intervene--December 12, 2014
Clarification--December 17-19, 2014
Motions to Strike--January 13, 2015
Data Request Deadline--January 13, 2015
Answers to Motions to Strike--January 21, 2015
Data Response Deadline--January 21, 2015
Parties file Direct Case--February 4, 2015
Clarification--February 11-13, 2015
Motions to Strike--February 17, 2015
Data Request Deadline--February 17, 2015
Answers to Motions to Strike--February 24, 2015
Data Response Deadline--February 24, 2015
Close of Participant Comments--February 26, 2015
Litigants file Rebuttal--March 16, 2015
Clarification--March 19-20, 2015
Motions to Strike--March 24, 2015
Data Request Deadline--March 24, 2015
Answers to Motions to Strike--March 31, 2015
Data Response Deadline--March 31, 2015
Cross-Examination--April 1-3 and 6-7, 2015
Initial Briefs Filed--May 1, 2015
Oral Argument--May 8, 2015
Draft ROD issued--June 12, 2015
Briefs on Exceptions--July 1, 2015
Final ROD--Final Studies--July 24, 2015
Section 1010.7 of BPA's Procedures prohibits ex parte
communications. The ex parte rule applies to all BPA and DOE employees
and contractors. Except as provided below, any outside communications
with BPA and/or DOE personnel regarding the merits of any issue in
BPA's rate proceeding by other Executive Branch agencies, Congress,
existing or potential BPA customers (including tribes), or nonprofit or
public interest groups are considered outside communications and are
subject to the ex parte rule. The rule does not apply to communications
relating to: (1) Matters of procedure only (the status of the rate
proceeding, for example); (2) exchanges of data in the course of
business or under the Freedom of Information Act; (3) requests for
factual information; (4) matters for which BPA is responsible under
statutes other than the ratemaking provisions; or (5) matters which all
parties agree may be made on an ex parte basis. The ex parte rule
remains in effect until the Administrator's Final ROD is issued, which
is scheduled to occur on or about July 24, 2015.
[[Page 71986]]
Part II--Scope of BP-16 Rate Proceeding
A. Joint Rate Proceeding
BPA is holding one power and transmission rate proceeding with one
procedural schedule, one record, and one ROD.
B. 2014 Integrated Program Review
BPA began its 2014 Integrated Program Review (IPR) process in May
2014. The IPR process is designed to allow an opportunity to review and
comment on BPA's expense and capital spending level estimates before
the estimates are used to set rates. On October 2, 2014, BPA issued the
Final Close-Out Report for the IPR. In the Final Close-Out Report, BPA
established the program level cost estimates that are used in the
Initial Proposal to establish both the power and transmission rates.
C. Scope of the Rate Proceeding
This section provides guidance to the Hearing Officer as to those
matters that are within the scope of the rate proceeding and those that
are outside the scope. In addition to the items listed below, any other
issue that is not a rates issue is outside the scope of this
proceeding.
1. Program Cost Estimates
Some of the decisions that determine program costs and spending
levels have been made in the IPR public review process outside the rate
proceeding. See section II.B. BPA's spending levels for investments and
expenses are not determined or subject to review in rate proceedings.
Pursuant to section 1010.3(f) of BPA's Procedures, the
Administrator directs the Hearing Officer to exclude from the record
all argument, testimony, or other evidence that challenges the
appropriateness or reasonableness of the Administrator's decisions on
cost and spending levels. If any re-examination of spending levels is
necessary, such re-examination will occur outside of the rate
proceeding. The above exclusion does not extend to those portions of
the revenue requirements related to interest rate forecasts, interest
expense and credit, Treasury repayment schedules, forecasts of
depreciation and amortization expense, forecasts of system replacements
used in repayment studies, Residential Exchange Program benefits,
purchased power expenses, transmission acquisition expense incurred by
Power Services, generation acquisition expense incurred by Transmission
Services, minimum required net revenue, use of financial reserves, and
the costs of risk mitigation actions resulting from the expense and
revenue uncertainties included in the risk analysis. The Administrator
also directs the Hearing Officer to exclude argument and evidence
regarding BPA's debt management practices and policies. See section
II.C.5.
2. Tiered Rate Methodology (TRM)
The TRM restricts BPA and customers with Contract High Water Mark
(CHWM) contracts from proposing changes to the TRM's ratesetting
guidelines unless certain procedures have been successfully concluded.
No proposed changes have been subjected to the required procedures.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA's Procedures, the Administrator
hereby 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 BPA, customers with a CHWM contract, or
their representatives, unless it can be established that the TRM
procedures for proposing a change to the TRM have been concluded. This
restriction does not extend to a party or customer that does not have a
CHWM contract.
3. Service to the Direct Service Industries (DSIs)
BPA's decisions to serve Alcoa and Port Townsend along with the
method and level of service to be provided DSIs in the FY 2016-2017
rate period will not be determined in this proceeding. The decision to
serve the DSIs was made in the record of decision on the Alcoa and Port
Townsend contracts. The decision was not challenged in the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA'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 revisit the
appropriateness or reasonableness of BPA's decisions regarding service
to the DSIs, including BPA's decision to offer contracts to the DSIs
and the method or level of service.
4. Generation Inputs
BPA provides a portion of the available generation from the FCRPS
to enable Transmission Services to meet its various requirements.
Transmission Services uses these generation inputs to provide ancillary
and control area services.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA'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 revisit issues
regarding reliability of the transmission system, dispatcher standing
orders, e-Tag requirements and definitions, open access transmission
tariff (OATT) provisions, and business practices. These non-rates
issues are generally addressed by BPA in accordance with industry,
reliability, and other compliance standards and criteria and are not
matters appropriate for the rate proceeding.
5. Federal and Non-Federal Debt Service and Debt Management
During the 2014 IPR and in other forums, BPA provided the public
with background information on BPA's internal Federal and non-Federal
debt management policies and practices. While these policies and
practices are not decided in the IPR forum, these discussions were
intended to inform interested parties about these matters so that they
would better understand BPA's debt structure. BPA's debt management
policies and practices remain outside the scope of the rate proceeding.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA's Procedures, the Administrator
hereby 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 BPA's debt management policies
and practices. This exclusion does not encompass how debt management
actions are reflected in ratemaking.
6. Potential Environmental Impacts
Environmental impacts are addressed in a concurrent National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. See section II.D.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA'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.
7. 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. On September 4, 2009, the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) granted final
approval of BPA's 2008 ASCM. The 2008 ASCM is not subject to challenge
or review in a section 7(i) proceeding. Determinations of the ASCs
[[Page 71987]]
of participating utilities are made in separate processes conducted
pursuant to the ASCM. Those processes began with ASC filings on June 2,
2014, and are continuing through July 2015. The determinations of ASCs
are not subject to challenge or review in a section 7(i) proceeding.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA's Procedures, the Administrator
hereby 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
that seeks in any way to visit or revisit the appropriateness or
reasonableness of any of the ongoing ASC determinations.
8. Rate Period High Water Mark (RHWM) Process
Under the Tiered Rate Methodology (TRM), BPA has established FY
2016-2017 RHWMs for Public customers that signed contracts for firm
requirements power service providing for tiered rates, referred to as
CHWM contracts. In this RHWM Process, which preceded the BP-16 rate
proceeding, BPA established the maximum planned amount of power a
customer is eligible to purchase at Tier 1 rates during the rate
period, the Above-RHWM 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, and, if necessary, challenge BPA's RHWM
determinations.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA's Procedures, the Administrator
hereby directs the Hearing Officer to exclude from the record all
argument, testimony, or other evidence that seeks in any way to visit
or revisit BPA's determination of a customer's FY 2016-2017 RHWM or
other RHWM Process determinations.
9. 2012 Residential Exchange Program Settlement Agreement (2012 REP
Settlement)
On July 26, 2011, the Administrator executed the 2012 REP
Settlement resolving longstanding litigation over BPA'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 thoroughly explained in the REP-12 Record of Decision
(REP-12 ROD). The 2012 REP Settlement and REP-12 ROD were approved by
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Association of Public
Agency Customers v. Bonneville Power Administration, 733 F.3d 939 (9th
Cir. 2013).
Because the 2012 REP Settlement was part of the REP-12 ROD, and
approved by the Court, challenges to BPA's decision to adopt the 2012
REP Settlement and implement its terms in BPA's rate proceedings are
not within the scope of this proceeding. Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of
BPA's Procedures, the Administrator hereby directs the Hearing Officer
to exclude from the record all argument, testimony, or other evidence
that seeks in any way to visit or revisit BPA's determination to adopt
the 2012 REP Settlement or its terms in this rate proceeding.
10. Transfer Service for Southeast Idaho Load Service
Because of the termination of grandfathered contracts, BPA is
developing a new transmission service plan for its preference customers
located in Southeast Idaho. The cost allocation issue related to this
plan is an appropriate issue in this rate proceeding. However, all
decisions regarding the development of the new plan of service itself
are outside the scope of the rate proceeding.
Pursuant to Sec. 1010.3(f) of BPA'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 visit or revisit
BPA's strategy or acquisition decisions for Southeast Idaho Load
Service.
D. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
BPA is in the process of assessing the potential environmental
effects of its proposed power and transmission rates, consistent with
NEPA. The NEPA process is conducted separately from the rate
proceeding. As discussed in section II.C.6., all evidence and argument
addressing potential environmental impacts of rates being developed in
the BP-16 rate proceeding are excluded from the rate proceeding hearing
record. Instead, comments on environmental effects should be directed
to the NEPA process.
Because this proposal involves BPA's ongoing business practices
related to rates, BPA is reviewing the proposal for consistency with
BPA's Business Plan Environmental Impact Statement (Business Plan EIS),
completed in June 1995 (BOE/EIS-0183). This policy-level EIS evaluates
the environmental impacts of a range of business plan alternatives for
BPA that could be varied by applying various policy modules, including
one for rates. Any combination of alternative policy modules should
allow BPA to balance its costs and revenues. The Business Plan EIS also
includes response strategies, such as adjustments to rates, that BPA
could implement if BPA's costs exceed its revenues.
In August 1995, the BPA Administrator issued a ROD (Business Plan
ROD) that adopted the Market-Driven Alternative from the Business Plan
EIS. This alternative was selected because, among other reasons, it
allows BPA to: (1) Recover costs through rates; (2) competitively
market BPA's products and services; (3) develop rates that meet
customer needs for clarity and simplicity; (4) continue to meet BPA's
legal mandates; and (5) avoid adverse environmental impacts. BPA also
committed to apply as many response strategies as necessary when BPA's
costs and revenues do not balance.
In April 2007, BPA completed and issued a Supplement Analysis to
the Business Plan EIS. This Supplement Analysis found that the Business
Plan EIS's relationship-based and policy-level analysis of potential
environmental impacts from BPA's business practices remains valid, and
that BPA's current business practices remain consistent with BPA's
Market-Driven Alternative approach. The Business Plan EIS and ROD thus
continue to provide a sound basis for making determinations under NEPA
concerning BPA's policy-level decisions, including rates.
Because the proposed rates likely would assist BPA in accomplishing
the goals identified in the Business Plan ROD, the proposal appears
consistent with these aspects of the Market-Driven Alternative. In
addition, this rate proposal is similar to the type of rate designs
evaluated in the Business Plan EIS; thus, implementation of this rate
proposal would not be expected to result in environmental impacts
significantly different from those examined in the Business Plan EIS.
Therefore, BPA expects that this rate proposal will likely fall within
the scope of the Market-Driven Alternative that was evaluated in the
Business Plan EIS and adopted in the Business Plan ROD.
As part of the Administrator's ROD that will be prepared for the
BP-16 rate proceeding, BPA may tier its decision under NEPA to the
Business Plan ROD. However, depending upon the ongoing environmental
review, BPA may instead issue another appropriate NEPA document.
Comments regarding the potential environmental effects of the proposal
may be submitted to Katherine Pierce, NEPA Compliance Officer, KEC-
[[Page 71988]]
4, Bonneville Power Administration, 905 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR
97232. Any such comments received by the comment deadline for
Participant Comments identified in section III.A. below will be
considered by BPA's NEPA compliance staff in the NEPA process that will
be conducted for this proposal.
Part III--Public Participation in BP-16
A. Distinguishing Between ``Participants'' and ``Parties''
BPA distinguishes between ``participants in'' and ``parties to''
the hearings. Separate from the formal hearing process, BPA will
receive written comments, views, opinions, and information from
participants, who may submit comments without being subject to the
duties of, or having the privileges of, parties. Participants' written
comments will be made part of the official record and considered by the
Administrator. 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. BPA 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 rate 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 intervenor organizations.
Written comments by participants will be included in the record if
they are received by February 26, 2015. Written views, supporting
information, questions, and arguments should be submitted to the
address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Entities or persons become parties to the proceeding by filing
petitions to intervene, which must state the name and address of the
entity or person requesting party status and the entity's or person's
interest in the hearing. BPA customers and affiliated customer groups
will be granted intervention based on petitions filed in conformance
with BPA's Procedures. 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. Pursuant to
Rule 1010.1(d) of BPA's Procedures, BPA waives the requirement in Rule
1010.4(d) that an opposition to an intervention petition be filed and
served 24 hours before the prehearing conference. The time limit for
opposing a timely intervention will be established at the prehearing
conference. Any party, including BPA, may oppose a petition for
intervention. All petitions will be ruled on by the Hearing Officer.
Late interventions are strongly disfavored. Opposition to an untimely
petition to intervene must be filed and received by BPA within two days
after service of the petition.
B. 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 BPA and the parties, written comments from participants,
and other material accepted into the record by the Hearing Officer. The
Hearing Officer will review the record 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 Administrator will serve copies of
the Final ROD on all parties. BPA 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
1. Power Rates
BPA is proposing four different rates for Federal power sales and
services. The General Transfer Agreement Service (GTA) rate schedule,
currently included as a power rate schedule, is being moved to the
General Rate Schedule Provisions. The proposed GTA charges are expanded
to recover Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) and Peak
Reliability (Peak) costs BPA incurs based on transfer customer loads
outside of the BPA balancing authority area.
Priority Firm Power Rate (PF-16)--The PF rate schedule applies to
net requirements power sales to public body, cooperative, and Federal
agency customers made pursuant to section 5(b) of the Northwest Power
Act and includes the PF Public rates for the sale of firm requirements
power under CHWM Contracts and the PF Exchange rates for sales under
Residential Purchase and Sale Agreements. The PF Public rate applies to
customers taking load following 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, four Tier
2 rates, corresponding to contract options, are applied to customers
that have elected to purchase power from BPA for service to their
Above-RHWM Load.
The PF rate is a collection of rates charged on the basis of
percentage of cost responsibility, marginal changes in demand and
energy usage, customer purchase elections for BPA service to loads in
excess of power purchased at Tier 1 rates, product and service choices,
transfer load delivery and operating reserves, and applicability of
rate discounts. Very few of BPA's customers have exactly the same mix
of PF rate components in common. Therefore, BPA has developed a
quantification of the PF rate that measures the impact on an average
customer purchasing at Tier 1 rates. This quantification, the Tier 1
Average Net Cost, is increasing 6.7 percent in this proposal, from
$31.50/MWh for the PF-14 rate to $33.60/MWh for the PF-16 rate.
The Base PF Exchange rate and its associated surcharges apply to
the sale of power to 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 participant will receive during FY 2016-2017.
In addition, the proposed PF-16 rate schedule includes rates for
customers with non-Federal resources that have elected to take Diurnal
Flattening Service or Secondary Crediting Service, and a melded PF rate
for any Public customer that elects a power sales contract other than a
CHWM Contract for firm requirements service.
New Resource Firm Power Rate (NR-16)--The NR-16 rate applies to net
requirements power sales to investor-owned utilities (IOUs) made
pursuant to section 5(b) of the Northwest Power Act for resale to
ultimate consumers, direct consumption, construction, testing and
start-up, and station service. The NR-16 rate is also applied to sales
of firm power to Public customers when this power is used to serve new
large single loads. In addition, BPA is proposing NR rates for services
to support Public customers serving new large single loads with non-
Federal resources. In the Initial Proposal BPA is forecasting no
[[Page 71989]]
sales at the NR rate. The average NR-16 rate in the Initial Proposal is
$76.60/MWh, a decrease of 1.4 percent from the NR-14 rate.
Industrial Firm Power Rate (IP-16)--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. Sec. 839c(d)(1)(A). In the Initial
Proposal BPA is forecasting annual sales of 316 average megawatts (aMW)
to DSIs. See section IV.A.2c. The average IP-16 rate in the Initial
Proposal is $41.53/MWh, an increase of 6.6 percent over the IP-14 rate.
Firm Power and Surplus Products and Services Rate (FPS-16)--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
BPA and the purchasers. In addition, the FPS-16 rate schedule includes
rates for customers with non-Federal resources, the Unanticipated Load
Service rate, rates for other capacity, energy, and scheduling products
and services, and rates for reserve services for use outside the BPA
balancing authority area.
2. Ancillary Service and Control Area Service Rates
Beginning in May 2014, BPA held rate case workshops and solicited
stakeholder comments concerning generation inputs issues that form the
foundation of most ancillary service and control area service rates.
Over the following months, BPA and stakeholders developed a settlement
agreement that covers most ancillary and control area service rates.
The settlement agreement rates are at the same level as current rates
except for a five percent increase for the Operating Reserves rates.
The settlement agreement also provides for other changes to the rate
schedules, and specifies the amount of balancing reserve capacity to be
provided during the rate period as well as an acquisition budget for
balancing reserve capacity.
BPA asked all entities that intended to be parties to the BP-16
rate proceeding to either sign the agreement or declare their intention
to contest the agreement by September 25, 2014. By that deadline, 29
parties signed or agreed not to contest the settlement agreement. No
party declared an intent to contest the agreement.
BPA will file the BP-16 generation inputs settlement agreement as
part of the BP-16 Initial Proposal. Parties will be given an
opportunity to contest the agreement pursuant to a timeline established
by the Hearing Officer.
3. Risk Mitigation Tools
The main financial risk mitigation tool BPA relies upon is
financial liquidity, which consists of cash, other investments in the
Bonneville Fund at the U.S. Treasury, and a short-term liquidity
facility with the U.S. Treasury. BPA proposes to include provisions for
two rate adjustments in the power rate schedules and in certain
ancillary and control area services rate schedules: The Cost Recovery
Adjustment Clause (CRAC), which can generate additional cash within the
rate period, and the Dividend Distribution Clause (DDC), which can
return cash to customers when BPA's financial reserves attributed to
power are larger than needed to meet its Treasury Payment Probability
(TPP) standard. When available liquidity and the CRAC are insufficient
to meet the TPP standard, BPA includes Planned Net Revenues for Risk
(PNRR) in its rates.
In the Initial Proposal, BPA proposes to include no PNRR and to cap
the maximum revenue recoverable through the CRAC at $300 million per
year. BPA is proposing some minor changes to the risk mitigation tools
in the BP-16 Initial Proposal, including a revision to the metric used
to determine whether a CRAC or DDC triggers. The thresholds for
triggering the CRAC and DDC remain unchanged from the BP-14 rate case
(equivalent reserve levels of $0 and $750 million, respectively, in
financial reserves attributed to Power). BPA also proposes to continue
the National Marine Fisheries Service FCRPS Biological Opinion
Adjustment (NFB Adjustment) and the Emergency NFB Surcharge, given that
litigation regarding the Biological Opinion continues.
B. Summary of the Transmission Rate Proposal
BPA is proposing an overall 5.6 percent increase in transmission
rates. BPA is also proposing to develop a WECC and Peak rate.
BPA is proposing four different rates for the use of its Network
segment, four different rates for use of intertie segments, and several
other rates for various purposes.
The four rates for use of the Network segment are:
Formula Power Transmission Rate (FPT-16)--The FPT rate is based on
the cost of using specific types of facilities, including a distance
component for the use of transmission lines, and is charged on a
contract demand basis.
Integration of Resources Rate (IR-16)--The IR rate is a postage
stamp, contract demand rate for the use of the Network, similar to
Point-to-Point (PTP) service (see below), and includes Scheduling,
System Control, and Dispatch Service.
Network Integration Transmission Rate (NT-16)--The NT rate applies
to customers taking network integration service under the Open Access
Transmission Tariff (OATT) and allows customers to flexibly serve their
retail load.
Point-to-Point Rate (PTP-16)--The PTP rate is a contract demand
rate that applies to customers taking Point-to-Point service on BPA's
network facilities under the OATT. It provides customers with flexible
service from identified Points of Receipt to identified Points of
Delivery. There are separate PTP rates for long-term firm service;
daily firm and non-firm service; and hourly firm and non-firm service.
BPA is proposing four rates for intertie use:
The Southern Intertie Rate (IS-16) is a contract demand rate that
applies to customers taking Point-to-Point service under the OATT on
the Southern Intertie.
The Montana Intertie Rate (IM-16) applies to customers taking
Point-to-Point service on the Eastern Intertie.
The Townsend-Garrison Transmission Rate (TGT-16) is a rate for firm
service over BPA's section of the Montana Intertie and is available to
parties to the Montana Intertie Agreement.
The Eastern Intertie Rate (IE-16) is a rate for non-firm service on
the portion of the Eastern Intertie capacity that exceeds BPA's firm
transmission rights and is available to parties to the Montana Intertie
Agreement.
Other proposed transmission rates are:
The Use-of-Facilities Rate (UFT-16) establishes a formula rate for
the use of a specific facility based on the annual cost of that
facility.
The Advance Funding Rate (AF-16) allows BPA to collect the capital
and related costs of specific facilities through an advance-funding
mechanism.
The Scheduling, System Control, and Dispatch Service Rate and the
Reactive Supply and Voltage Control from Generation Sources Service
Rate are for required ancillary services for transmission service on
the Network, the Southern Intertie, and the Montana Intertie.
The WECC and Peak rates recover WECC and Peak costs assessed to BPA
to cover WECC and Peak reliability functions.
The Oversupply Rate (OS-16) recovers the costs BPA incurs to
displace generation under the
[[Page 71990]]
oversupply management protocol, Attachment P to BPA's OATT.
Other charges that may apply include a Delivery Charge for the use
of low-voltage delivery substations; a Reservation Fee for customers
that postpone their service commencement dates; incremental rates for
transmission requests that require new facilities; a penalty charge for
failure to comply with dispatch, curtailment, redispatch, or load
shedding orders; and an Unauthorized Increase Charge for customers that
exceed their contracted amounts. BPA is proposing to eliminate the
Power Factor Penalty Charge.
Part V--Proposed BP-16 Rate Schedules
BPA's proposed BP-16 Power Rate Schedules and Transmission Rate
Schedules are a part of this notice and are available for viewing and
downloading on BPA's Web site at https://www.bpa.gov/goto/BP16. Copies
of the proposed rate schedules also are available for viewing in BPA's
Public Reference Room at the BPA Headquarters, 1st Floor, 905 NE 11th
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232.
Issued this 19th day of November, 2014.
Elliot E. Mainzer,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-28463 Filed 12-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
