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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 / Notices
Southwestern Administrator has issued this interim rate order.
Background The following rate schedule for the Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project Robert D. Willis was confirmed and approved on a final basis by FERC on June 15, 2016, in Docket No. EF161
000 155 FERC 62,213, for the period January 1, 2016, through September 30, 2019.
Rate Schedule RDW15, Wholesale Rates for Hydro Power and Energy Since initial FERC approval, the Assistant Secretary for Electricity extended the Robert D. Willis rate schedule RDW15 for a period of two years, from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2021, in Rate Order No.
SWPA76.
Discussion The existing Robert D. Willis rate schedule is based on the Southwestern 2015 power repayment studies PRSs.
PRSs have been completed for Robert D.
Willis, an isolated project, each year since approval of the existing rate schedule. Since 2015, subsequent PRSs have indicated the need for a minimal rate increase, all within the plus or minus five percent isolated project rate adjustment threshold practice established by the Administrator on September 8, 2003. Therefore, the Administrator deferred in the best interest of the government.
However, the existing rate schedule is set to expire on September 30, 2021.
Consequently, Southwestern proposed to extend the existing rate schedule for a two-year period ending September 30, 2023, on an interim basis under the implementation authorities noted in 10
CFR 903.22h and 10 CFR 903.23a.
Southwestern followed 10 CFR part 903, Procedures for Public Participation in Power and Transmission Rate Adjustments and Extensions for the proposed extension of the rate schedule. An opportunity for customers and other interested members of the public to review and comment on the proposed extension of the rate schedule was announced by notice published in the Federal Register on June 14, 2021 86 FR 31500, with written comments due by July 14, 2021.
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Comments and Responses Southwestern received no comments regarding the extension of the rate schedule.
Availability of Information Information regarding the extension of the rate schedule is available for public
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review in the offices of Southwestern Power Administration, Williams Tower I, One West Third Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103. The rate schedule is available on the Southwestern website at www.swpa.gov.
Administrations Certification The 2015 Robert D. Willis PRSs indicated that the current rate schedule will repay all costs, including amortization of the power investment consistent with the provisions of Department of Energy Order No. RA
6120.2. The 2021 Robert D. Willis PRSs indicated the need for an annual revenue increase of 1.0 percent.
However, the 2021 rate adjustment falls within the Southwestern established plus or minus five percent isolated project rate adjustment threshold practice and was deferred.
The Southwestern 2022 PRSs will determine the appropriate level of revenues needed for the next rate period. In accordance with Delegation Order No. 00037.00B, effective November 19, 2016, and Section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 1944, the Administrator has determined that the existing rate schedule is the lowest possible rate consistent with sound business principles, and the extension is consistent with applicable law.
Environment Southwestern previously determined that the rate change actions, placed into effect on January 1, 2016 for Robert D.
Willis, fit within the class of categorically excluded actions as listed in Appendix B to Subpart D of 10 CFR
part 1021, Implementing Procedures and Guidelines of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended 42 U.S.C. 43214347:
Categorical exclusions applicable to B4.3: Electric power marketing rate changes, which does not require preparation of either an environmental impact statement EIS or an environmental assessment EA. On May 27, 2021, Southwestern determined that categorical exclusion B4.3 applies to the current action.
Administrative Procedures Under the Administrative Procedure Act 5 U.S.C. 553d, publication or service of a substantive rule must be made not less than 30 days before its effective date, except 1 a substantive rule that grants or recognizes an exemption or relieves a restriction; 2
interpretative rules and statements of policy; or 3 as otherwise provided by the agency for good cause found and published with the rule. The Administrator finds good cause to waive
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the 30-day delay in the effective date of this action as unnecessary for the following reasons: 1 This is an extension of rates previously approved by FERC, pursuant to 10 CFR 903.23a;
2 there are no substantive changes, as the existing rate schedules and anticipated revenues remain the same;
and 3 the Administrator provided notice and opportunity for public comment more than 30 days prior to the effective date of the rate extension and received no comments.
Order In view of the foregoing, and pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy, I hereby extend on an interim basis, for the period of two years, effective October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023, the current Robert D. Willis rate schedule:
Rate Schedule RDW15, Wholesale Rates for Hydro Power and Energy Signing Authority This document of the Department of Energy was signed on August 30, 2021, by Mike Wech, Administrator for Southwestern Power Administration, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document, with the original signature and date, is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of DOE. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on September 2, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett, Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.

United States Department of Energy Southwestern Power Administration Rate Schedule RDW15 1
Wholesale Rates for Hydro Power and Energy Sold to Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency Contract No. DEPM7585SW00117
Effective During the period January 1, 2016, through September 30, 2023, in 1 Supersedes
Rate Schedule RDW13.
Extended through September 30, 2023, by approval of Rate Order No. SWPA79 by the
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