Western Area Power Administration (Western)
Upper Great Plains Region (UGPR)
OASIS Page.

This is the OASIS page for the Western / Basin Electric Power Cooperative / Heartland Consumers Power District integrated transmission system called the Integrated System (IS) in the MAPP and WECC Regions.

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Recent News, Last Updated: 06/26/2009 (See "News" Folder for older News)



As described in the June 26, 2009, Federal Register notice ( FRN-Proposed-IS-Unreserved-Use-Penalty-Rate-2009-0626.pdf ), The Western Area Power
Administration (Western) proposes to add a penalty rate for Unreserved Use of Transmission Service for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program—Eastern Division (P–SMBP—ED) in a new rate schedule, Rate Schedule UGP–TSP1. The new rate schedule for Unreserved Use of Transmission System Penalties, Rate Schedule UGP–TSP1, is proposed to go into effect on the later of January 1, 2010, or when Western’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) is revised to provide for Unreserved Use Penalties. Prior to implementing the penalty rate, Western will post notice on its OASIS site. If Rate Schedule UGP–TSP1 is implemented, it will
remain in effect through December 31, 2014, or until superseded. Western will prepare a brochure that provides detailed information on the proposed rate to all interested parties. Publication of this Federal Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed penalty rate.

Publication of the June 26, 2009, Federal Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed Unreserved Use of Transmission Service rate.  The consultation and comment period begins with the Federal Register notice publication and will end September 24, 2009. Western will present a detailed explanation of the proposed rate at a public information forum. The public information forum date is July 28, 2009, 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. CDT, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.Western will accept oral and written comments at a public comment forum. The public comment forum date is July 28, 2009, and will be held in conjunction with the public comment forum for the adjustment of Western’s transmission and ancillary services rates (as announced in 74 FR 26682 on June 3, 2009) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Western will accept written comments any time during the consultation and comment period.  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 June 26, 2009, letter to Western's Transmission Customers announcing the Federal Register notice:  IS-Customer-Letter-Announcing-FRN-WAPA-148.pdf .
 
The presentations given at the public meetings and any future information, are available in the "UGPR 2009 Rate Adjustment" Folder on Western's OASIS.

The public meetings will be held at:

Holiday Inn—City Centre
100 West 8th Street
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at (406) 247-7436.



As described in the June 3, 2009, Federal Register notice ( FRN-Proposed-IS-Trans-Anc-Service-Rates-2009-0603.pdf ), the Western Area Power Administration (Western) is proposing to update its rates for transmission and ancillary services for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program-Eastern Division (P-SMBP-ED) that are utilized for the Integrated System (IS). Current formula rates, under Rate Schedules UGP–NT1, UGP–FPT1, UGP–NFPT1, UGP–AS1, UGP–AS2, UGP–AS3, UGP– AS4, UGP–AS5, and UGP–AS6 will expire on September 30, 2010. Western is also proposing to add a new rate schedule, Rate Schedule UGP–AS7, for Generator Imbalance Service. Western is proposing these rates to meet evolving and expanding transmission system and ancillary services requirements.

Publication of the June 3, 2009, Federal Register notice begins the formal process for the proposed formula rates.  The consultation and comment period begins with the Federal Register notice publication and will end October 1, 2009. Western will present a detailed explanation of the proposed formula rates at a public information forum. The public information forum date is June 24, 2009, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Western will accept oral and written comments at a public comment forum. The public comment forum date is July 28, 2009, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Western will accept written comments any time during the consultation and comment period.  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 Adjustment is described in the Rate Brochure:  IS-Trans-Anc-Service-Rate-Brochure-June-2009.pdf .
 
The presentations given at the public meetings and any future information, are available in the "UGPR 2009 Rate Adjustment" Folder on Western's OASIS.

The public meetings will be held at:

Holiday Inn—City Centre
100 West 8th Street
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at (406) 247-7436.


04/24/2009 : (Business Practice Update) Western UGPR has posted a Western-wide Policy Statement regarding crediting transmission service for transmission system outages that will become effective on May 1, 2009.  The policy document is posted under the "Business Practices" folder and available at the following URL: WAPA-Crediting-for-Outages-Business-Practice. 

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


04/22/2009 : (Business Practice Update) Western UGPR has posted a Western-wide Policy Statement regarding Attachment K of Western's OATT dated 04/16/2009.  The policy document is posted under the "Business Practices" folder and available at the following URL: WAPA-OATT-AttachK-Policy-Statement-2009-0416. 

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


04/14/2009 : Western UGPR has posted its updated Integrated System (IS) Transmission and Ancillary Services Rate Calculation, which will be effective May 1, 2009.  The updated documents are posted under the "Current Rates/Losses" folder.  The following documents were mailed to UGPR's Transmission Customers and Other Interested Parties on 04/14/2009: IS Rate Calculation - May 1, 2009

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.



Western's Upper Great Plains Region (UGPR) Transmission initiated a review and potential revision to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) at the informal public information meeting on June 10, 2008.  The information presented at that meeting is posted on UGPR's OASIS site under the "UGPR 2008 OATT Revision/Rate Adjustment" folder and "OATT Revision" sub-folder.  The direct link is: http://www.oatioasis.com/WAPA/WAPAdocs/IS-OATT-Revision-2008-0610-Mtg.ppt .   The necessary OATT changes would address potential IS participation in the proposed Midwest ISO's Module F, Part III (Market Integration Service), as filed with the FERC.  Based upon the intervention filings against the proposed Module F, Part III, FERC has not yet accepted Midwest ISO's tariff filing or issued an Order rejecting or modifying the proposal.  FERC recently held a technical conference on November 12, 2008, to review the proposal.  It is unclear at this time when FERC will be prepared to make a final ruling on Module F, Part III.

UGPR's Merchant Function, who is evaluating MISO's proposal, has put its evaluation of the Midwest ISO proposal on hold, pending a final Order from the FERC.  The status of the Western Merchant review can be found at: http://www.wapa.gov/ugp/PowerMarketing/MISOSeams/Default.htm

UGPR Transmission has also delayed the process for changing/updating the OATT to allow for potential participation in Module F, Part III until the FERC issues a final Order.  The necessary changes to UGPR's OATT are unknown until FERC accepts or modifies the Midwest ISO filing.  Western will notify all potential Transmission Customer's when and/if it re-initiates the OATT revision process related to Midwest ISO's Module F, Part III.

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at (406) 247-7436.


06/27/2008 (Rate Corrections effective 05/1/2008) : On June 27, 2008, Western sent a letter to Customers notifying them of a correction to the transmission service rates effective May 1, 2008.  Excerpted from that letter: "On April 30, 2008, Western Area Power Administration sent the Integrated System (IS) Transmission and Ancillary Services Rate Calculation to be effective May 1,2008. Since then Western has received revised revenue requirement data and has updated and changed the annual revenue requirement and transmission rates. The revenue requirement and transmission rates were changed prior to the calculation of the bills for May service. Therefore, the bill you received for May service included these adjustments and no future adjustment will be required based on these changes."

A copy of the letter is available under the "Current Rates" folder and at the following URL: Letter to Customers 06/27/2008

If you have any questions, please contact  Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


06/18/2008 (Business Practice Update) : Western Area Power Administration (Western) Upper Great Plains Region (UGPR) made minor changes to its posted "Business Practice for Adjustment Criteria for Open Access Transmission Tariff Charges" to clarify the 18 month adjustment period.  The updated business practice is effective immediately (6/18/2008).  The updated document is posted under the "Business Practices" folder and URL: WAPA UGPR Adjustment Criteria for OATT Charges

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.



6/18/08 Update - The presentations given at the informal public meeting on June 10, 2008, and any future information, are available in the "UGPR 2008 OATT Revision/Rate Adjustment" Folder.

5/19/2008 Posting: Western Area Power Administration (Western) is initiating a review and potential revision to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT).  The OATT applies to transmission service provided over the Integrated System (IS) owned by Western, Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Heartland Consumers Power District, and administered by Western.  Western is also beginning the development of potential new and the revision of existing transmission and ancillary service rates for services under the OATT that are currently under consideration.

An informal public information meeting pertaining to potential OATT changes and an Advance Announcement of Rate Adjustment meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Potential revisions to the OATT, and IS transmission and ancillary service rate adjustments for services provided under the provisions of the OATT, will be presented.  Interested persons will be able to provide input and ask questions at the meeting.  A court reporter will be present to record discussions.  The meeting time and place are:

9:00 (CDT), Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Holiday Inn—City Centre
100 West 8th Street
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at (406) 247-7436.


02/16/2008 (Business Practice Update) : Notice of upcoming change in UGPR's Business Practice (Deadline for submission of written transmission service application, application fee, and deposit):  Effective upon 03/01/2008 @ 00:00 CST,  the written Application, Deposit, and non-refundable application processing fee for Firm Point-to-Point and Network transmission service requests of one (1) year or longer (as required per Tariff Sections 17.1-17.3 for Firm Point-to-Point transmission service and Sections 29.1-29.2 for Network service) must be received by close of business within five (5) business days of the OASIS Request Queued Date at the following address, or via wire transfer to Western:

 Western Area Power Administration
Upper Great Plains Region
Operations and Transmission Advisor
2900 4th Ave. N, Room 600
Billings, MT 59101
 (or P.O. Box 35800, Billings, MT 59107-5800)

Wire transfer instructions will be provided, upon request.  If the written Application, Deposit, and application processing fee are not received within five (5) business days of the OASIS Request Queued Date, the OASIS Request status will be changed to "Refused".

This minor change to the UGPR business practice (which previously has been seven (7) calendar days) will make this timing requirement consistent across each of Western's Regional Offices.

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at (406) 247-7436.


01/17/2008  (Updated) : Notice of Pre-Decisional Information Meetings (2/12/08 and 2/14/08) - Potential Consolidation of Western Balancing Authorities, including Upper Great Plains Region West Side "WAUW" Balancing Authority (BA):  A letter sent to Western's customers announcing the subject Information meetings is available at the following URL:

Notice Letter - Potential BA Consolidation Information Meetings - January 16, 2008

The agenda and presentation for the subject meetings are available:

Potential BA Consolidation Information Meetings (2/12 and 2/14/08) - Agenda
Potential BA Consolidation Information Meetings (2/12 and 2/14/08) - Presentation


The status of the process and subsequent meeting agenda/presentations are available on Western's main corporate web site at: Strategic Planning - Operations Consolidation Proposal

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


12/26/2007 (Updated 05/30/08, to reflect extension of testing period to August 29, 2008) : White Substation 345 kV Interconnection Project Update (December 26, 2007):  Northern States Power Company (NSP) and the Western Area Power Administration (Western) have entered into a letter agreement that facilitates the temporary closure of the NSP-Western 345 kV transmission to transmission interconnection at Western’s White Substation (White Interconnection) on an interim basis for operational testing purposes through August 29, 2008.  During this time, Western and NSP will work to complete outstanding transmission study analysis, and negotiate and execute required transmission service and replacement interconnection agreements.  Western will open the interconnection in the event of adverse reliability impacts to the Integrated System during this interim timeframe or at the conclusion of this interim testing period unless successor contractual arrangements are completed.  The White Interconnection will not be closed on a permanent basis until Western and NSP have executed long term transmission service arrangements and a replacement interconnection agreement.


11/17/2007 : Based upon the upcoming expiration of the MAPP/MISO Seams Agreement, which addresses coordination between the MAPP Transmission Providers and the MidWest ISO (MISO), the parties in the Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP), including Western UGPR, have been reviewing and providing comments to the MidWest ISO regarding its recent preliminary proposals to replace the MAPP/MISO Seams Agreement; to continue Reliability Coordination (RC) Services, to coordinate with MAPP Transmission Providers with manual redispatch options ("MISO Option 1"), and to also allow generation and load outside of the MidWest ISO Tariff Module B footprint to participate in the MidWest ISO Energy Market while still taking transmission service under the invidivual MAPP OATT's ("MISO Option 2").  The MidWest ISO has posted various documents and information describing these proposals, notes on the meetings with MAPP and other interested parties, the latest Draft agreements, on its web site at the following URL:

MISO Seams Proposal - 2007, Web Page

The basic description of "MISO Option 2", which has garnered the most interest within the MAPP footprint (as set forth by MidWest ISO in its initial proposal offering) is as follows:

 Option 2 – “Join the MISO Market” while continuing to provide transmission service under individual OATT

• Modules A, C, D, E (see note B) of MISO Energy MarketTariff will apply
• Pay transmission tariff drive-in and drive-out rates to obtain full participation in the market
• May select Independent Entity tariff administration services
• May select Transmission Planning: Economic Studies

The Integrated System (IS) owners are reviewing these MidWest ISO proposals.  A new folder in the Documents section of Western UGPR's OASIS page entitled "MISO Seams Proposals" has been created to post various documents related to the potential impacts to the Transmission Customers of the IS.  The IS owners recently provided the MidWest ISO with comments regarding the necessary transmission service that would be required to allow for this market integration across various transmission tariff seams.  The preliminary version of that document is posted under this new folder, and is as follows:

Principles of Market Integration Transmission Service (PRELIMINARY) - November 26, 2007. (Updated 12/3/07)
 
If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


11/05/2007: On November 1, 2007, Western Area Power Administration (Western) filed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  Specifically, Western is modifying the Section 7 billing and payment provisions in its Tariff to create the flexibility to require Transmission Customers to pay for transmission service in advance.  However, advance payment will only be required if it is included in a rate schedule adopted in a public process.  Western requested that FERC deem this modification effective as of December 1, 2007.  The FERC generated PDF document for this informational filing is as follows:

WAPA Tariff Revision NJ08-1-000, November 1, 2007

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


07/06/2007: On July 6, 2007, Western Area Power Administration (Western) filed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  Specifically, in response to an order issued by FERC on June 28, 2007 (June 28 Order), Western modified its pro forma Small Generator Interconnection Agreement to remove the small wind generator technical requirements proposed in Western’s filing dated March 1, 2007, in Docket No. NJ07-2-000.  Western requested that FERC deem these modifications effective as of May 1, 2007, the date originally accepted by FERC in its June 28 Order.  The FERC generated PDF document for this filing is as follows:

WAPA Tariff Revision NJ07-2-001, July 6, 2007

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


06/21/2007: On June 21, 2007, Western Area Power Administration (Western) filed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  Specifically, in response to an order issued by FERC on May 21, 2007, Western defined in its OATT the terms “New Rate,” “Rate,” “Rate Adjustment,” and “Rate Formula Adjustment,” all of which are currently used or defined under 10 CFR Part 903.  Western requested that FERC deem these definitions effective as of January 25, 2005, the date originally accepted by FERC in its July 6, 2005 order applicable to Western’s applicable OATT revision filing in Docket No. NJ05-1-000.  The FERC generated PDF document for this filing is as follows:

WAPA Tariff Revision NJ05-1-002, June 21, 2007

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


05/24/07 : Western UGPR sent a letter to all of its Network Customers clarifying the restrictions on the use of Network Integration Transmission Service for Third-Party Sales, and notifying the Network Customers of Western plans to develop the necessary monitoring tools tool ensure that  Network Service is not used inappropriately.  A copy of the letter mailed to UGPR's Network Customers on 05/24/2007 is as follows: Restrictions on use of Network Service - May 24, 2007. 

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


05/01/07 : Western UGPR has posted its updated Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) documents (filed with FERC on March 2, 2007) that became effective on May 1, 2007, under the "Tariff" folder links.  The generation interconnection procedures summary document was updated to reflect the inclusion of the SGIP under the "Generator Interconnections" folder. 

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


04/26/07 (This news item obsolete with posting of rates effective May 1, 2008) : Western UGPR has posted an update to its Integrated System (IS) Transmission and Ancillary Services Rate Calculation, which will be effective May 1, 2007.  The updated documents are posted under the "Current Rates/Losses" folder.  The following documents were mailed to UGPR's Transmission Customers and Other Interested Parties on 04/26/2007: IS Rate Calculation Update - May 1, 2007

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


04/02/07 (This news item obsolete with posting of rates effective May 1, 2008) : Western UGPR has posted its updated Integrated System (IS) Transmission and Ancillary Services Rate Calculation, which will be effective May 1, 2007.  The updated documents are posted under the "Current Rates/Losses" folder.  The following documents were mailed to UGPR's Transmission Customers and Other Interested Parties on 04/02/2007: IS Rate Calculation - May 1, 2007

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


04/02/07 : On March 2, 2007, Western Area Power Administration (Western) filed non-jurisdictional modifications to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), Large Generator Interconnection Procedures and Large Generator Interconnection Agreement, and to incorporate its Small Generator Interconnection Procedures and Small Generator Interconnection Agreement in the OATT, pursuant to the Commission’s Order Nos. 2003-C, 676, 676-A, 661, 661-A, 2006, 2006-A, 2006-B. Western also requests that the Commission issue a declaratory order determining that its Tariff maintains a “safe harbor” tariff and that it may not be denied transmission access by any FERC-jurisdictional public entity pursuant to sections 35.28(e) and (f) of the rules and regulations.  (FERC Docket No. NJ07-2-000).  The FERC generated PDF documents for this filing are as follows:
03/29/07 (Business Practice Update) : Western UGPR has posted an updated Business Practice for its Behind the Meter Generator Policy.  The updated document is posted under the "Business Practices" folder, or can be accessed directly at the following URL:  UGPR Behind the Meter Gen Policy

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.


10/02/06 (Replaced on 06/18/08 with posting above) : Western UGPR has posted an updated Business Practice for Adjustment Criteria for Open Access Transmission Service Tariff (OATT) Charges that will be effective on 12/01/2006. The updated document is posted under the "Business Practices" folder, or can be accessed directly at the following URL:  WAPA UGPR Adjustment Criteria for OATT Charges

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.

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