Colorado River Storage ProjectNotice of Order Confirming and Approving an Extension of the Firm Transmission Service RateWAPA-74

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

Colorado River Storage Project--Notice of Order Confirming and

Approving an Extension of the Firm Transmission Service Rate--WAPA-74

AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of rate order

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SUMMARY: This action is to extend the existing Colorado River Storage

Project firm transmission rate until March 31, 1998. Without this

action, the existing firm transmission rate will expire September 30,

1997 and no rate will be in effect for this service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dave Sabo, CRSP Manager, CRSP

Customer Service Center, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box

11606, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0606, (801) 524-5493.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By Amendment No. 3 to Delegation Order No.

0204-108, published November 10, 1993 (58 FR 59716), the Secretary of

Energy delegated (1) the authority to develop long-term power and

transmission rates on a nonexclusive basis to the Administrator of

Western Area Power Administration (Western); (2) the authority to

confirm, approve, and place such rates into effect on an interim basis

to the Deputy Secretary; and (3) the authority to confirm, approve, and

place into effect on a final basis, to remand, or to disapprove such

rates to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Pursuant to Delegation Order No. 0204-108 and existing Department

of Energy procedures for public

[[Page 50942]]

participation in power rate adjustments at 10 CFR Part 903, Western's

Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) firm transmission rate case was

submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for confirmation

and approval on August 13, 1992. On February 18, 1993, in Docket Nos.

EF92-5172-000 and EF92-5172-001, at 62 FERC para. 61,159, FERC issued

an order confirming, approving, and placing in effect on a final basis

Rate Schedule SP-FT4 for firm transmission service over the CRSP

transmission system. The rate was approved for the 4-year period

beginning October 1, 1992, and ending September 30, 1996. The Deputy

Secretary of Energy extended the rate through September 30, 1997, in an

Order published at 61 FR 52338, on October 7, 1996.

Following review of Western's proposal within the Department of

Energy, I approved rate order No. WAPA-74, which extends the existing

CRSP firm transmission Rate Schedule SP-FT4 until March 31, 1998.

Dated: September 19, 1997.

Elizabeth A. Moler,

Deputy Secretary.

Order Confirming and Approving an Extension of the Colorado River

Storage Project Firm Transmission Rate

October 1, 1997.

This firm transmission rate was established pursuant to Section

302(a) of the Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act, 42 U.S.C.

Sec. 7152(a), through which the power marketing functions of the

Secretary of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)

under the Reclamation Act of 1902, ch. 1093, 32 Stat. 388, as amended

and supplemented by subsequent enactments, particularly section 9(c) of

the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, 43 U.S.C. Sec. 485h(c), and other

acts specifically applicable to the project system involved, were

transferred to and vested in the Secretary of Energy (Secretary).

By Amendment No. 3 to Delegation Order No. 0204-108, published

November 10, 1993 (58 FR 59716), the Secretary delegated (1) the

authority to develop long-term power and transmission rates on a

nonexclusive basis to the Administrator of the Western Area Power

Administration (Western); (2) the authority to confirm, approve, and

place such rates into effect on an interim basis to the Deputy

Secretary; and (3) the authority to confirm, approve, and place into

effect on a final basis, to remand, or to disapprove such rates to the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This rate extension is

issued pursuant to the Delegation Order and the DOE rate extension

procedures at 10 CFR Part 903.

Background

In the order issued February 18, 1993, at 62 FERC para. 61,159, in

Docket Nos. EF92-5172-000 and EF92-5172-001, the FERC confirmed,

approved, and placed in effect on a final basis Rate Schedule SP-FT4

for firm transmission service over the Colorado River Storage Project

(CRSP) transmission system. The rate was approved for the period from

October 1, 1992, through September 30, 1996. The Deputy Secretary of

Energy extended the rate through September 30, 1997, in an Order

published at 61 FR 52448, on October 7, 1996. During the last firm-

power rate adjustment for the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects,

placed into effect on December 1, 1994 (SLIP-F5), the CRSP firm

transmission rate was also examined for possible adjustment. It was

determined that the existing firm transmission rate was adequate to

meet revenue requirements.

Discussion

On September 30, 1997, Western's CRSP firm transmission rate will

expire. This makes it necessary to extend the current Rate Schedule SP-

FT4 pursuant to 10 CFR 903.23.

Western proposes to extend the existing CRSP transmission rate

until March 31, 1998, to allow Western to develop transmission and

ancillary services rates consistent with those required of public

utilities under FERC Order No. 888 and the laws and regulations that

govern Western's actions. Western began a public rate adjustment

process with the publication of a notice in the Federal Register on

June 25, 1997. That public rate adjustment process will include the

proposal of transmission rates which are consistent with FERC Order No.

888. Western is developing open access tariffs consistent with FERC

Order No. 888.

We anticipate that process, which will provide opportunities for

public information and comment forums, will take several months to

complete, given the complex issues Western and its interested public

must address.

Order

In view of the foregoing and pursuant to the authority delegated to

me by the Secretary, I hereby extend for a period effective October 1,

1997, until March 31, 1998, the existing Rate Schedule SP-FT4 for firm

transmission service over the Colorado River Storage Project

transmission system.

Dated: September 19, 1997.

Elizabeth A. Moler,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97-25748 Filed 9-26-97; 8:45 am]

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