Western UGP - SPP
Integration News
SPP Integration
Related News, Last Updated: 11/04/2014 (1 Item)
See also, UGP's
Website for SPP Membership: http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/PowerMarketing/sppmembership/sppmembership.htm
11/04/14 : (Western
UGP Transmission and Ancillary Rates for SPP
Integration) Notice of Proposed
Western UGP Transmission and Ancillary Rates - Announcement of
Public Information and Public Comment Forums
As described in the November 3, 2014, Federal Register notice (
FRN-Proposed-UGP-Trans-Anc-Service-Rates-2014-1103.pdf),
the Western Area Power
Administration (Western), a power marketing administration
within the Department of Energy (DOE), is proposing new
formula transmission and ancillary services rates for the
Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program—Eastern Division
(P–SMBP—ED). The proposed formula rates would become effective
October 1, 2015, and remain in effect until September 30,
2020, or until Western changes the formula rates through
another public rate process pursuant to 10 CFR part 903,
whichever is sooner. Western’s Upper Great Plains Region
(Western-UGP) has joined the Southwest Power Pool (SPP)
Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) contingent upon
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval of
Western-UGP’s negotiated provisions in the SPP Membership
Agreement, Bylaws, and Tariff (SPP Governing Documents).
Transmission and ancillary services will be provided over
Western-UGP facilities under the SPP Open Access Transmission
Tariff (Tariff) by SPP as the transmission service provider
upon Western-UGP transferring functional control to SPP.
Western-UGP needs to adopt new formula rates for these
transmission and ancillary services so Western-UGP’s costs can
be recovered under the SPP Tariff. These formula rates will
provide Western sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs,
including interest expenses, and repay required investments
within the allowable periods. Western-UGP’s membership in SPP
and the functional control of its facilities will be in
accordance with the SPP Governing Documents and other
contractual arrangements with SPP. Publication of this Federal
Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed
rates.
Western sent the following
letter, dated 11/3/14, to its Transmission Customers and Other
Interested Parties: Customer-Letter-2014-0903-FRN-Announcement.pdf
Publication of the November 3, 2014, FRN begins
the formal process for the proposed formula rates. The
consultation and comment period begins with the Federal Register
notice publication and will end February 2, 2015. Western
will accept written comments any time during the 90-day
consultation and comment period. Western will present a detailed
explanation of the proposed formula rates at the following
public information forums:
November 19, 2014, from 9
a.m. to 12 p.m. CST -- Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha, 1420
Cuming St. Omaha, NE
November 20, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST -- Ramada Plaza
& Suites and Conf. Center, 1635 42nd St. South, Fargo, ND
Western will accept oral and written comments at the following
public comment forums:
December 17, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST --
Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha, 1420 Cuming St. Omaha, NE
December 18, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST -- Ramada Plaza
& Suites and Conf. Center, 1635 42nd St. South, Fargo, ND
Information on this rate process is posted on
Western's OASIS and at the Upper Great Plains Region's Rates Web
Page at: http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/rates/default.htm
.
The proposed Transmission and Ancillary Rates are described in
the Rate Brochure (TO BE POSTED WHEN AVAILABLE):
UGP-Trans-Anc-Service-Rate-Brochure-Nov-2014.pdf
.
The presentations given at the public meetings and any future
information, will be available in the "SPP Integration" Folder
on Western's OASIS.
If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at (406)
255-2840 (sanders@wapa.gov
)
09/11/14 : SPP FERC Filing of proposed changes
to SPP's Tariff, Membership Agreement, and Bylaws for Western
(and other IS members) Integration into SPP
SPP-FERC-Filing-ER14-2850-IS-Tariff-Changes-2014-0911.pdf
SPP-FERC-Filing-ER14-2851-IS-Bylaws-MA-Changes-2014-0911.pdf
(09/05/14 Update -
Customer Letter Posted) 08/31/14 : Status of Western UGPR (and other
IS Parties) Efforts to Pursue Membership in SPP, Impacts to
Existing IS Customers, Proposed Kick-off Informational
Webinar on 9/12/14 @ 1pm CDT
(Update) Customer
Letter Dated 9/3/14
Western
(UGPR) and the other IS Parties have completed formal
negotiations with the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) concerning
membership and have received SPP Board of Director's approval of
the requested changes to the SPP Membership Agreement, SPP
Bylaws, and SPP Tariff to accommodate the integration of the IS
Parties into SPP, planned for October 1, 2015.
All
of the IS Parties have received the necessary internal approvals
and authorizations to proceed with joining SPP. On July 8,
2014, the Heartland Consumers Power District Board of Directors
approved a resolution authorizing execution of a membership
agreement with SPP. Heartland
Press Release. On July 9, 2014, Western's
Administrator Mark Gabriel approved and directed Western’s Upper
Great Plains Region to take the necessary actions to accomplish
full membership with SPP (contingent upon FERC approval of the
Western negotiated provisions). Western
Press Release Western
Approval Memorandum. On July 16, 2014, the Basin
Electric Power Cooperative Board of Directors authorized joining
of SPP subject to FERC approval of necessary documents. Basin
Press Release.
SPP plans to file the proposed IS Parties' Member Agreements,
Bylaws changes, and SPP Tariff changes early September 2014 to
FERC for approval.
IMPACTS
to EXISTING IS CUSTOMERS:
Subject to obtaining the required approvals from FERC that
maintain the negotiated provisions with SPP, the IS Parties plan
to integrate as full members of SPP effective October 1,
2015. At that time, no transmission service on the IS will
be offered under Western's Tariff and under the IS Rates, and
Transmission Customers will need to obtain all transmission and
ancillary services from SPP under the SPP Tariff and under the
applicable SPP Rates. Western intends to exercise the
provision in Western's Tariff and Transmission and Network
Service Agreements allowing Western to terminate such Service
Agreements to allow it to join an Independent System Operator by
providing a one-year written termination notice.
Therefore, existing IS Customers will need to make arrangements
to become eligible Transmission Customers of SPP, document their
existing transmission service with SPP to be included in the
Transmission Congestion Rights (TCR) market, and transition
their existing IS service to SPP service. Information
regarding SPP registration procedures, schedules, and contact
information for SPP staff, can be found at the following
link: SPP
Registration Information for IS Customers
KICK-OFF INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR:
Western (UGPR), as the IS Administrator, will be hosting a
kick-off Informational Webinar on Friday, September 12, 2014, at
1pm CDT to provide additional details on the upcoming SPP
integration and answer IS Customer questions. Those
parties desiring to attend the Webinar
will need to contact Ms. Kass Portra at (406) 255-2842 (or by
email at portra@wapa.gov)
for access information.
Western will be posting detailed information and status
updates regarding the SPP integration in the "SPP
Integration" folder on Western's WAPA OASIS page as it
becomes available.
For further information, please contact:
Steve Sanders, (406) 255-2840, email sanders@wapa.gov
11/05/13 : Alternative Operations Study (AOS),
Letter to Customers, Announcement of Public Meetings
Western Area Power Administration, Upper Great
Plains Region, a power marketing administration of the
Department of Energy, is publishing a recommendation to pursue
formal negotiations with the Southwest Power Pool, a Regional
Transmission Organization, 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 is
expected mid-December and will be posted on Western's AOS
website: http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/PowerMarketing/AlternateOperationsStudy/AOS.htm
.
The Federal Register Notice
was published on 11/01/13. The 45-day public comment
period is open from 11/1/13 through 12/16/13.
Documentation related to the AOS is available at the Western
website above.
Western
plans several meetings where it will present a detailed
explanation of the AOS Team's findings and
recommendation. Public comment forums will be held on
the following dates (see the website above for meeting
locations and other details regarding submission of comments).
November 13, 2013 (9 am to no later than 1 pm MST) - Webinar
November 19, 2013 (8:30 am to no later than 1 pm CST) -
Meeting in Lincoln, NE
November 20, 2013 (8:30 am to no later than 1 pm CST) -
Meeting in Sioux Falls, SD
November 21, 2013 (8:30 am to no later than 1 pm CST) -
Meeting in Fargo, ND
For further information, please contact:
Jody S. Sundsted, UGP Power Marketing Manager
Western Area Power Administration
Upper Great Plains Region
2900 4th Avenue North, Suite 600
Billings, MT 59101-1266
Telephone (406) 255-2910, email sundsted@wapa.gov