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Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)

Upper Great Plains Region (UGP)
Rate Order No. WAPA-218

Last Update:  02/18/2025 (Updated 02/06/2025 Posting - Add Information/Presentation postings): (UGP Transmission/Ancillary Rates for SPP): Notice of Posting of Information/Meeting Presentations (as available) for the Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Rates



02/18/2025 (Updated 02/06/2025 Posting - Add Information/Presentation postings): (UGP Transmission/Ancillary Rates for SPP): Notice of Posting of Information/Meeting Presentations (as available) for the Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Rates

The following Information/Presentations have for the Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Service Rates:

1. Rates Customer Brochure; describing proposed Transmission and Ancillary Service Rates:
    WAPA-UGP-Trans-Ancillary-Rates-Customer-Brochure--Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218.pdf 
(Posted 02/06/25)

2. Public Information Forum Presentation:  Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-Public-Information-Forum-Presentation.pdf   (Posted 02/18/25) 
3. Public Comment Forum Presentation:  Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-Public-Comment-Forum-Presentation.pdf 
(Posted 02/18/25)

4. Proposed Rate Schedules (Redlines): 
WAPA-UGP-Rate-Schedules--Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-DRAFT(Redlines).pdf
 
(Posted 02/18/25)   
5. Proposed Rate Schedules (Clean):  WAPA-UGP-Rate-Schedules--Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-DRAFT(Clean).pdf
 
(Posted 02/18/25)   

6. Proposed Rate Templates for Transmission and Ancillary Service:
   
WAPA-UGP-Trans-Anc-Service-Rates-ESTIMATE-Templates--Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-DRAFT.xlsx  (PDF Version) 
(Posted 02/18/25) 
   
WAPA-UGP-Trans-Anc-Service-Rates-TRUEUP-Templates--Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-DRAFT.xlsx  (PDF Version)
 
(Posted 02/18/25)  

7. Proposed Formula Rate Implementation Protocols:  WAPA-UGP-Formula-Rate-Implementation-Protocols--Rate-Order-No-WAPA-218-DRAFT.pdf 
(Posted 02/18/25)

The documents are posted/linked at the following locations: 1) UGP's OASIS at http://www.oasis.oati.com/wapa/index.html; 2) the UGP's Rates Web Page at: https://www.wapa.gov/regions/UGP/rates/Pages/rates.aspx; and 3) the "Western Area Power Administration UGP Information" link on SPP's
Member Related Postings website.


01/29/2025 (Updated 12/30/2024 Posting - Add Net Conference Meeting Information): (UGP Transmission/Ancillary Rates for SPP) Notice of Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Formula Rates (Rate Order No. WAPA-218) for SPP RTO Expansion into Western Interconnection - Federal Register notice on December 30, 2024 (89 FR 106476), Announcement of Consultation and Comment Period

As described in the December 30, 2024, Federal Register notice (FRN-Proposed-UGP-Trans-Anc-Service-Rates-2024-1230.pdf), the Upper Great Plains (UGP) region of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) proposes new formula rates for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--Eastern Division (P-SMBP--ED) transmission and ancillary services for UGP’s costs to be recovered under the Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) should UGP decide to expand its participation in SPP in the Western Interconnection.  These rates will be used by UGP to provide rate data to SPP, the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) of which UGP is a member, after SPP’s planned expansion of the RTO into the Western Interconnection on April 1, 2026.  The existing UGP rates for services expire on September 30, 2025, but are being extended under a separate rate process, Rate Order No. WAPA-217, to continue to provide existing rate data to SPP between October 1, 2025, and final implementation date of the planned RTO expansion into the Western Interconnection.  The proposed rates will address UGP operating changes and new provisions and settlement requirements under the proposed revisions to SPP’s Tariff filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to accommodate their RTO expansion into the Western Interconnection.  The proposed formula rates will become effective on the go-live date of the expansion of the SPP RTO into the Western Interconnection (scheduled for April 1, 2026, as of the date of this notice) and will remain in effect for five years from the effective date, which with an effective date of April 1, 2026, will be March 31, 2031, or until superseded.

The proposed rates continue the formula-based methodology that includes an annual update on January 1 of every year, to the financial data in the rate formulas, and include Rate Formula Implementation Protocols to clarify UGP’s rate implementation and annual update procedures with changes related to the planned RTO expansion in the Western Interconnection to: (1) Terminate the Balancing Authority Area (BAA)-related ancillary services (and associated worksheets in the Rate Formula Templates) for Regulation and Frequency Response Service, Operating Reserves—Spinning Reserve Service and Supplemental Reserve Service, Energy Imbalance Service (EI), and Generator Imbalance Service (GI); (2) Incorporate changes in the Rate Formula Templates to calculate the Annual Transmission Revenue Requirement (ATRR) for the Miles City Direct Current (DC)Tie for SPP’s settlements purposes related to SPP’s proposed DC Tie Access Charge; (3) Incorporate changes in the Rate Formula Templates to calculate the subtotals of the ATRR for the SPP West and East BAAs separately for SPP’s settlements purposes; (4) Incorporate a new worksheet in the Rate Formula Templates to calculate the Incremental Market Efficiency Use (Incremental MEU) share for the Miles City DC Tie; (5) Incorporate changes in the Rate Formula Templates to calculate the ATRRs for SPP Base Plan Upgrades separately for SPP’s settlements purposes in each of the SPP West and East BAAs; and (6) Update, as needed, the existing Rate Formula Templates to smooth the true-up process impacts, increase transparency, and incorporate the changes noted above.

The formal consultation and comment period began with the publication of the Proposed FRN on December 30, 2024, and ends 90 days later, on March 31, 2025.  UGP will present a detailed explanation of the proposed formula rates and other modifications at a public information forum. Public information and comment forums have been scheduled as follows:

(Updated Posting)
=======================

Public Information Forum: Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 8:00 a.m. to no later than 9:00 a.m. MST -- Join the Meeting
Public Comment Forum: Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 9:15 a.m. to no later than 10:00 a.m. MST -- Join the Meeting
    You can also dial by phone to 720-738-1532, conference ID# 974 065 710# for each meeting.


=======================

Meeting details will be posted to the websites listed below within 14 days of the Forums.

All interested parties may submit written comments to UGP at any time during the consultation and comment period.  All comments must be received by UGP by the end of the comment period to be considered in the decision process.  Written comments should be e-mailed to UGPTRates@WAPA.GOV.

UGP welcomes your participation in this rate adjustment process and will provide additional information as it becomes available.  The most up-to-date information concerning WAPA-218, including the “Proposed Formula Rates for Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program--Eastern Division (P-SMBP--ED) Transmission and Ancillary Services Under the Southwest Power Pool’s Open Access Transmission Tariff” customer rate brochure, will be made available on the websites listed below.

WAPA provided notification and posted information by email on December 31, 2024 about the proposed formula rates to the SPP ‘‘Formula Rate Posting Information Notification’’ Exploder List: frpin@ spplist.spp.org.

Information on this rate process is, or will be, posted on: 1) UGP's OASIS at http://www.oasis.oati.com/wapa/index.html; 2) the UGP's Rates Web Page at: https://www.wapa.gov/regions/UGP/rates/Pages/rates.aspx; and 3) the "Western Area Power Administration UGP Information" link on SPP's
Member Related Postings website.


WAPA UGP Transmission & Ancillary Services Rates contact(s):

- Ms. Linda Cady-Hoffman, Rates Manager, UGP, WAPA, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266;
     telephone: (406) 255–2920; email: cady@wapa.gov
- Mr. Steve Sanders, Strategic Advisor, UGP, WAPA, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266;
     telephone: (406) 670-7436; email sanders@wapa.gov
- Ms. Sara Baker, Public Utilities Specialist, UGP, WAPA, 2900 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101-1266;
     telephone: (406) 255-2924; email SBaker@wapa.gov


Any other questions can be directed to:  Steve Sanders (WAPA-UGP) at 406-670-7436 (sanders@wapa.gov).

Previous Updates:
02/06/2025: Notice of Posting of Information/Meeting Presentations (as available) for the Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Rates
01/29/25: (Updated 12/30/2024 Posting - Add Net Conference Meeting Information): Notice of Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Formula Rates (Rate Order No. WAPA-218) for SPP RTO Expansion into Western Interconnection - Federal Register notice on December 30, 2024 (89 FR 106476), Announcement of Consultation and Comment Period
12/30/24:  Notice of Proposed UGP Transmission/Ancillary Formula Rates (Rate Order No. WAPA-218) for SPP RTO Expansion into Western Interconnection - Federal Register notice on December 30, 2024 (89 FR 106476), Announcement of Consultation and Comment Period