Western Area Power Administration 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Loveland Area Projects-2025 Power Marketing Initiative
Document Number: 2013-31220
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-12-30
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western), Rocky Mountain Region, a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the 2025 Power Marketing Initiative (2025 PMI). The 2025 PMI provides the basis for marketing the long-term firm hydroelectric resources of the Loveland Area Projects (LAP) beginning with the Federal fiscal year 2025. Western's Firm Electric Service (FES) contracts associated with the current marketing plan expire September 30, 2024. The 2025 PMI extends the current marketing plan, with amendments to key marketing plan principles. Western's proposed 2025 PMI was published in the Federal Register on October 17, 2011. Responses to public comments are included in this notice. This Federal Register notice is published to announce Western's decisions for the 2025 PMI.
Boulder Canyon Project-Post-2017 Resource Pool
Document Number: 2013-31214
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-12-30
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) post-2017 resource pool marketing criteria and is calling for applications from entities interested in an allocation of Federal power from the BCP. The Conformed Power Marketing Criteria or Regulations for the Boulder Canyon Project (2012 Conformed Criteria) published in the Federal Register on June 14, 2012, as required by the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, established general eligibility criteria and a resource pool (Post-2017 Resource Pool) to be allocated to new allottees. Western has finalized marketing criteria, developed through a public process, to be used to allocate the Post-2017 Resource Pool, which will become available October 1, 2017. These marketing criteria, in conjunction with the 2012 Conformed Criteria, establish the framework for allocating power from the Post- 2017 Resource Pool. Entities applying for an allocation of power from the Post-2017 Resource Pool must submit formal applications as described within this notice.
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the San Luis Transmission Project, Alameda, Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties, California (DOE/EIS-0496)
Document Number: 2013-28043
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-11-22
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western) is a power marketing administration within the U.S. Department of Energy. Western has a statutory responsibility to make the necessary arrangements to deliver federal power to federally authorized projects including the San Luis Unit (SLU), a part of the Central Valley Project (CVP). The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) submitted a transmission request to Western to interconnect several key SLU facilities to Western's CVP transmission system. Reclamation requested Western to consider various transmission service arrangements so Reclamation can continue to economically deliver federal water when the current transmission service contract with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) expires. Western must respond to Reclamation's transmission request consistent with Western's Open Access Transmission Tariff and existing laws. The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (Authority), a Reclamation contractor that operates and maintains a part of the SLU, has a direct interest in this requested transmission service between Western's Tracy Substation and several key pumping and generating facilities of the SLU. Western determined an environmental impact statement (EIS) is the appropriate level of review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Western will prepare the EIS in accordance with NEPA, the DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures, and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA. Western will be the lead federal agency for the NEPA EIS review process, and Reclamation will be a cooperating agency. Western intends to prepare a joint EIS/ environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed San Luis Transmission Project (SLTP) in coordination with the Authority. The Authority will be the lead agency for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) EIR review process. Portions of the proposed action may affect floodplains and wetlands, so this Notice of Intent (NOI) also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or wetland action in accordance with DOE floodplain and wetland environmental review requirements.
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement-Interconnection of the Proposed Wilton IV Wind Energy Center Project, North Dakota (DOE/EIS-0469)
Document Number: 2013-27861
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-11-20
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), intends to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the interconnection of NextEra Energy Resources' proposed Wilton IV Wind Energy Center Project (Project), Burleigh County, North Dakota. Western is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform the public and interested parties about a change in the proposed Project and to invite the public to comment on the scope, proposed action, and other issues to be addressed in the SDEIS. Based on substantial changes to the proposed Project, Western has made the decision to prepare an SDEIS. These changes include the relocation of 30 planned turbine locations and 5 alternate turbine locations in Crofte Township, and moving them as far as 12 miles north-east to Rock Hill Township. Additionally, up to 20 miles of new overhead transmission line will be necessary to connect the Project collector substation to the existing Wilton/Baldwin substation. Portions of the proposed Project may affect floodplains and wetlands, so this NOI also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or wetland action in accordance with DOE floodplain and wetland environmental review requirements.
Loveland Area Projects, Colorado River Storage Project, Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project, Central Arizona Project, and Parker-Davis Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-163
Document Number: 2013-26572
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-11-06
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western is proposing new formula rates to participate in WestConnect's PA. The proposed formula rates under Rate Schedule WC-8 would become effective June 1, 2014, and remain in effect through May 30, 2019. Western, along with other WestConnect participants (Participants), has participated in the WestConnect Pricing Experiment (Experiment) since its inception in June 2009. On June 28, 2013, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order (143 FERC ] 61,291) conditionally accepting the PA and regional tariffs. FERC ordered that the Participants in the filing submit separate compliance filings. Western has determined that no changes are necessary to Western's Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) because Western will continue to offer this transmission service under the existing Tariff Schedule 8. For Western to implement the permanent arrangement, however, Western needs to adopt new formula rates. Publication of this Federal Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed formula rates.
Recommendation From the Western Area Power Administration To Pursue Regional Transmission Organization Membership
Document Number: 2013-26079
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-11-01
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western), Upper Great Plains Region (Western-UGP), a power marketing administration (PMA) of the Department of Energy (DOE), is publishing a recommendation to pursue formal negotiations with the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), concerning membership. Western is seeking public comment from Western's customers, Tribes, stakeholders, and the public at large. A decision to pursue implementation of the recommendation will be posted to Western's Web site.
Granby Pumping Plant Switchyard-Windy Gap Substation Transmission Line Rebuild, Grand County, Colorado
Document Number: 2013-23988
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-10-01
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western), a power marketing administration in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), owns and operates the 69-kilovolt (kV) Granby Pumping Plant Switchyard-Windy Gap Substation (Project) transmission line in Grand County, Colorado. The transmission line is 13.6 miles long. Western proposes to rebuild the single-circuit line as a double-circuit line, increase the voltage rating to 138-kV, and operate one circuit at 69-kV and the second at 138-kV. One circuit would replace Western's existing transmission line between the Windy Gap Substation and Stillwater Tap and provide a redundant feed from the tap to the Granby Pumping Plant to prepare for when the existing 69-kV cable located in the Alva B. Adams Tunnel is no longer operable. The second circuit was requested by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) to improve reliability for their local customer, Mountain Parks Electric, Inc., and to minimize environmental effects by sharing a right-of-way (ROW). The Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register on July 5, 2013 (78 FR 40474). After considering the environmental impacts, Western has decided to construct, operate, and maintain the transmission line on the preferred alignment identified as Alternative D (Option 1), in the EIS.
Transmission Infrastructure Program; Proposed Transmission Infrastructure Program Updates and Request for Comments
Document Number: 2013-23604
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-09-27
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
The Western Area Power Administration (``Western'') hereby announces updates to its Transmission Infrastructure Program (``the Program'' or TIP). The Program implements Section 402 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (``Recovery Act'') regarding loans for the purpose of: (1) Constructing, financing, facilitating, planning, operating, maintaining, or studying construction of new or upgraded electric power transmission lines and related facilities with at least one terminus within Western's service territory, and (2) delivering or facilitating the delivery of power generated by renewable energy resources constructed, or reasonably expected to be constructed, after the date that the Recovery Act was enacted. Through this Federal Register notice (FRN), Western seeks public comment on proposed updates to the Program. The proposed updates will create a more efficient and transparent process to screen and evaluate potential projects, improve communications with project applicants, promote additional interest from potential applicants that seek Western's assistance to develop a project and use Western's Recovery Act borrowing authority, and integrate the DOE Loan Programs Office into the process. The FRN also identifies the principles Western will continue using to ensure (1) that the Program is separate and distinct from Western's power marketing functions, and (2) that each eligible TIP project stands on its own for repayment purposes.
Parker-Davis Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-162
Document Number: 2013-23054
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-09-23
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
This action extends the existing Parker-Davis Project (P-DP) firm electric and transmission service formula rates through September 30, 2018. The existing Firm Electric and Transmission Service Rate Schedules PD-F7, PD-FT7, PD-FCT7, and PD-NFT7 were set to expire on September 30, 2013. These firm electric and transmission service rate schedules contain formula rates that are calculated annually using updated financial and sales data.
Colorado River Storage Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-161
Document Number: 2013-22297
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-09-13
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
This action is to extend the existing Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP) Firm Power Rate and the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Transmission and Ancillary Services Rates through September 30, 2015. The existing SLCA/IP Firm Power Rate and CRSP Transmission and Ancillary Services Rates are set to expire September 30, 2013.
Boulder Canyon Project
Document Number: 2013-19305
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-08-09
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
In this notice, the Deputy Secretary of Energy (Deputy Secretary) approves the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Base Charge and Rates for Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) electric service provided by the Western Area Power Administration (Western). The Base Charge will provide sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs, including interest expense, and repay investments within the allowable period.
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the TransWest Express 600-kV Direct Current Transmission Project in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada, and Prospective Draft Land Use Plan Amendments
Document Number: 2013-16009
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-07-03
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Western Area Power Administration (Western) announce the availability of the TransWest Express Transmission Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and draft Land Use Plan Amendments. The DEIS analyzes the consequences of granting a right-of-way (ROW) to TransWest Express, LLC (TransWest) to construct and operate an extra-high voltage (EHV) direct current (DC) transmission system (proposed Project). The Project would provide the transmission infrastructure and capacity to deliver approximately 3,000 megawatts of electric power from existing and future renewable and other energy sources in south-central Wyoming to a substation hub in southern Nevada. The Project would consist of an approximately 725-mile-long 600-kilovolt (kV), DC transmission line and two terminals, each containing an alternating current (AC)/DC converter station. The northern AC/DC converter station would be located near Sinclair, Wyoming, and the southern AC/DC converter station would be located near a group of substations in the Eldorado Valley called Marketplace Hub, approximately 25 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada. A ground electrode system (required for transmission line emergency shutdown) would be installed within 100 miles of each terminal. The Project would retain an option for future interconnection with the Intermountain Power Project (IPP) transmission system in Millard County, Utah. The BLM, through consultation with other Federal, State, and local cooperating agencies, has included an Agency Preferred Alternative (APA) transmission route in the DEIS. The rationale for selecting the location of this alternative is described in the Supplementary Information section of this Notice of Availability (NOA). The following discussions of Project segment lengths across various land ownerships and jurisdictions are specific to the 760-mile- long APA. The requested ROW width would generally be 250 feet. As a general planning goal, the APA has been located parallel to existing transmission lines and other utilities, within the West-wide energy corridors designated pursuant to Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and other federally designated utility corridors, unless precluded by resource or routing constraints or technical infeasibility. Approximately 230 miles (30 percent) of the APA is located within or adjacent to designated federal utility corridors. The APA is located in proximity and parallel to other utilities (transmission lines, pipelines, roads) over a distance of 447 miles (57 percent) of the total length. The lengths of the APA segments by Federal jurisdiction are: WyomingBLM Rawlins Field Office (78 miles). ColoradoBLM Little Snake, White River Field Offices (71 miles). UtahBLM Vernal, Price, Fillmore, Richfield, Cedar City Field Offices (212 miles); Bureau of Indian Affairs/Tribal (3 miles); and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Uinta, Manti-La-Sal, Fishlake, and Ashley National Forests (18 miles). NevadaBLM Caliente, Las Vegas Field Offices (129 miles) and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) (6 miles). The APA transmission route would cross 58 miles of State land, and 127 miles of private land. In Wyoming, the APA crosses 78 miles of Federal, 1 mile of State and 30 miles of private land. In Colorado, the APA crosses 71 miles of Federal, 7 miles of State and 12 miles of private land. In Utah the APA crosses 230 miles of Federal, 50 miles of State, 3 miles of Tribal and 123 miles of private land. In Nevada, the APA crosses 135 miles of Federal, 14 miles of Tribal and 7 miles of private land. Transmission line alternatives were developed as part of this EIS analysis. Additional Federal land jurisdictions crossed by Project alternatives include: ColoradoBLM Grand Junction Field Office; Utah BLM Moab, Richfield, and St. George Field Offices and Fishlake, Ashley and Dixie National Forests; NevadaNational Park Service (NPS) and the Department of Energy (DOE). These alternatives cross State and private lands in addition to the Federal lands. The DEIS includes draft amendments of USFS Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans) and BLM land use plans (Management Framework Plans and Resource Management Plans) that would be needed for the Project under each of the alternatives. The BLM and USFS draft amendments are described in the Supplementary Information section of this NOA. Additionally, based on information learned through the EIS process, the USFS may determine that more plan amendments are required to fulfill the intent of standards and guidelines in the areas affected. Depending on the alternative selected in the Record of Decision (ROD), the NPS may consider applications for segments of the Project within Lake Mead National Recreation Area and across the Deer Lodge Road that provides access to Dinosaur National Monument. By this notice, and the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS, published January 4, 2011 (see below), the BLM is providing notice to the public of potential amendments to land use plans and Forest Plans, as required by 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1610.2(c) and 36 CFR 219.8. The impacts of these potential amendments are analyzed in the DEIS together with the impacts of the various Project alternatives. Your input is important and will be considered in the environmental analysis process. All comment submissions must include the commenter's name and street address. Comments including the names and addresses of the commenter will be available for public inspection at the locations listed below during normal business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Parker-Davis Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-162
Document Number: 2013-13791
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-06-11
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a power marketing administration within the Department of Energy (DOE), is proposing to extend the existing firm electric and transmission service formula rates for the Parker-Davis Project (P-DP) through September 30, 2018. The existing Rate Schedules PD-F7, PD-FT7, PD-FCT7, and PD-NFT7 expire on September 30, 2013. This notice of proposed extension of rates is issued pursuant to 10 CFR 903.23(a). Publication of this Federal Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed extension of the formula rates.
Searchlight Wind Energy Project Record of Decision (DOE/EIS-0413)
Document Number: 2013-11704
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-05-16
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), received a request from Searchlight Wind Energy, LLC (Searchlight) to interconnect its proposed Searchlight Wind Energy Project (Project) to Western's Davis-Mead 230- kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The Project would be located in southern Clark County, Nevada, near the town of Searchlight. On December 14, 2012, the Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Searchlight Wind Energy Project was published in the Federal Register (77 FR 74479). The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was the lead Federal agency for the EIS. Western was a cooperating agency in preparation of the EIS. After considering the environmental impacts, Western has decided to allow Searchlight's request for interconnection to Western's transmission system on its Davis-Mead transmission line and to construct, own, and operate a new switching station to accommodate the interconnection.
Quartzsite Solar Energy Project Record of Decision (DOE/EIS-0440)
Document Number: 2013-11696
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-05-16
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), received a request from Quartzsite Solar Energy, LLC (QSE) to interconnect its proposed Quartzsite Solar Energy Project (Project) to Western's Bouse-Kofa 161-kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The proposed Project site is in an undeveloped area in La Paz County, Arizona, east of State Route (SR) 95, approximately 10 miles north of Quartzsite, Arizona, on lands administered by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). On December 21, 2012, the Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Yuma Field Office (Yuma) Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment (PRMPA) for Quartzsite Solar Energy Project was published in the Federal Register (77 FR 75632). After considering the environmental impacts, Western has decided to allow QSE's request for interconnection to Western's transmission system on the Bouse-Kofa 161-kV transmission line and to construct, own, and operate a new switchyard and its associated communication pathway.
Washoe Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-160
Document Number: 2013-10125
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-04-30
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
The Western Area Power Administration (Western) extends, on an interim basis, the existing Washoe Project formula rate through September 30, 2017. The existing Non-Firm Power Formula Rate Schedule SNF-7 expires on July 31, 2013. The formula rate will be in effect until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) places the formula rate into effect on a final basis or until it is replaced by another rate.
Pacific Northwest-Pacific Southwest Intertie Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-157
Document Number: 2013-07618
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-04-02
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
The Deputy Secretary of Energy confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-157 and Rate Schedules INT-FT5 and INT-NFT4, placing firm and nonfirm transmission service rates for the Pacific Northwest- Pacific Southwest Intertie Project (Intertie) of the Western Area Power Administration (Western) into effect on an interim basis. The provisional rates will be in effect until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) confirms, approves, and places them into effect on a final basis, or until they are replaced by other rates. The provisional rates will provide sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs, including interest expense, and repay required investment within the allowable periods.
Central Arizona Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-158
Document Number: 2013-06851
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-03-26
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
This action is to extend the rate setting formula for the Central Arizona Project, reflected in Transmission Service Rate Schedules CAP-FT2, CAP-NFT2, and CAP-NITS2, from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015. These Transmission Service Rate Schedules contain formula rates recalculated from annual updated financial and load data.
Upper Great Plains Wind Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0408)
Document Number: 2013-06614
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-03-22
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration, Department of the Interior, U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, the U.S. Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration (Western) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have, as joint lead agencies, prepared the Upper Great Plains Wind Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft PEIS).\1\ The Draft PEIS evaluates issues associated with wind energy development within Western's Upper Great Plains Customer Service Region (UGP Region), which encompasses all or parts of the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and upon the Service's landscape-level grassland and wetland easements in the same area. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utility Services (RUS) have participated as cooperating agencies. Public hearings will be held during the public comment period on the Draft PEIS. The Draft PEIS is available on the project Web site at: https://plainswindeis.anl.gov https://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/ricesolar/.
Washoe Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-160
Document Number: 2013-04115
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-02-22
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
This action is a proposal to extend the existing Washoe Project, Stampede Powerplant (Stampede) non-firm power formula rate, Schedule SNF-7, through September 30, 2017. The existing formula rate will expire July 31, 2013.
Boulder Canyon Project
Document Number: 2013-02333
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-02-04
Agency: Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration
The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a power marketing administration within the Department of Energy (DOE), is proposing an adjustment to the Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) electric service base charge and rates. The current base charge and rates expire September 30, 2013, under Rate Schedule BCP-F8. The current base charge is not sufficient to cover all annual costs including operation, maintenance, replacements, interest expense, and to repay investment obligations within the required period. The proposed base charge will provide sufficient revenue to cover all annual costs and to repay investment obligations within the allowable period. A detailed rate package that identifies the reasons for the base charge and rates adjustment will be available in March 2013. The proposed base charge and rates are scheduled to become effective October 1, 2013, and will remain in effect through September 30, 2014. This Federal Register notice initiates the formal process for the proposed base charge and rates.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.