OATI webOASIS

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.

Recent News, Last Updated: 01/26/2010 (See "News" Folder for older News)

01/26/2010 (Storm Damage Update - Updated 01/26/2010 @16:00 CST): Summary of January 21-xx, 2010 Winter Storm Damage to IS Transmission System

Update: 1/26/2010 @ 16:00 CST: The Heskett-Dickinson 230kV line was removed from service today due to storm damage, again restricting the Miles City AC - DC - AC Converter station to only west to east operation (east to west limited to zero). The updated listing (which doesn't yet include this latest loss of the Heskett-Dickinson 230kV line) of the related outages and other system restrictions: Summary-UGPR-Jan21st-Winter-Storm-Trans-Issues-Rev1.pdf

Update: 1/25/2010 @ 21:00 CST: The Bowman-Hettinger 230kV line was restored to service today at 19:19, allowing the limitations on the Miles City AC - DC - AC Converter station to be partially released and allowing limited east to west operation (75 MW). The Charlie Creek - Rough Rider 115-kV line was restored to service at 17:42. At 18:19 Eagle Butte Substation was energized allowing the 69-kV deliveries to begin to be restored. At 18:11 Faith Substation was energized (with the restoration of hte Maurine-Faith-Eagle Butte 115-kV line at 18:11), and at 18:13 the City of Faith service was restored.

01/25/2010 (Initial Posting): UGPR experienced a severe winter storm that started the evening of January 21, 2010. The storm started with conditions that resulted in ice formation; freezing rain, drizzle, and heavy fog. The storm then transitioned into snow with heavy winds. UGPR experienced several transmission line outages due to ice loading and high winds. The snow and high winds have lasted for several days and are expected to diminish tonight. This has limited our ability to respond to the outages. Although there were 17 transmission lines out of service, we only experienced long term outages to Western customers at two substations. However, the coops, municipalities, and others taking service from our facilities had issues on their facilities that resulted in over 10,000 customers without power at various times during the storm. The Western long term outages were at Eagle Butte and Faith 115-kV substations. The Eagle Butte substation was de-energized at 0115 on January 22, 2010. Service was temporarily restored at 1529 on the 23, 2010. However, Eagle Butte and Faith substations were de-energized at 0432 on January 24, 2010 and are still out of service. UGPR personnel have been working on restoring the lines to these substations and they have been tested multiple times without success. Due to conditions the lines needed to be patrolled from the ground and access to all of the lines was not possible. Also conditions were such that problems developed as the line was being patrolled. It appears that we will be able to do an aerial patrol on January 25, 2010.

A listing of the related outages and other system restrictions: Summary-UGPR-Jan21st-Winter-Storm-Trans-Issues.pdf

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

12/29/2009 (New Rates Posting): Notice - New IS Transmission Rates Effective 01/01/2010 Posted

As described in the December 29, 2009, Federal Register notice ( FRN-IS-Trans-Anc-Service-Rates-2010-0101.pdf ), the Western Area Power Administration (Western) is updating 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). The Federal Register Notice summary follows:

ACTION: Notice of Order Concerning Transmission and Ancillary Services Rates and Transmission Service Penalty Rate for Unreserved Use.
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SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary of Energy confirmed and approved Rate Order Nos. WAPA-144 and WAPA-148 and Rate Schedules UGP-NT1, UGP-FPT1, UGP-NFPT1, UGP-AS1, UGP-AS2, UGP-AS3, UGP-AS4, UGP-AS5, UGP-AS6, UGP-AS7 and UGP-TSP1 on an interim basis. The provisional rates will be in effect until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) confirms, approves, and places them into effect on a final basis or until they are superseded. The provisional rates will provide sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs, including interest expenses, and repay required investments within the allowable periods.

DATES: Rate Schedules UGP-NT1, UGP-FPT1, UGP-NFPT1, UGP-AS1, UGP-AS2, UGP-AS3, UGP-AS4, UGP-AS5, and UGP-AS6 and will be placed into effect on an interim basis on January 1, 2010, and will be in effect until FERC confirms, approves, and places the rate schedules in effect on a final basis through December 31, 2014, or until the rate schedules are superseded. The revised Rate Schedules UGP-NT1, UGP-FPT1, UGP-NFPT1, UGP-AS1, UGP-AS2, UGP-AS3, UGP-AS4, UGP-AS5 and UGP-AS6 dated January 1, 2010, supersede the similarly titled rate schedules dated October 1, 2005. Rate Schedule UGP-AS7 will be placed into effect on an interim basis on January 1, 2010; however, Rate Schedule UGP-AS7 will not be charged until such time as Western's OATT is revised to provide for Generator Imbalance Service. Rate Schedule UGP-AS7 will remain in effect through December 31, 2014, or until superseded, to coincide with the other ancillary service rates in this rate order. Rate Schedule UGP-TSP1 will be placed into effect on an interim basis on January 1, 2010; however, Rate Schedule UGP-TSP1 will not be charged until such time as Western's Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) is revised to provide for unreserved use of transmission service penalties. Rate schedule UGP-TSP1 will also remain in effect through December 31, 2014, or until superseded, to coincide with the other rates in this rate order. Western will post notice on its Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) Web site of its intent to initiate charging
for Rate Schedule UGP-AS7 or UGP-TSP1.

Western submitted the following letter to its customers on 12/29/2010 advising them of the implementation of the revised rates: IS-Rate-Calculation-2010-0101-Cover-Letter.pdf.

The updated rates are shown in the "Current Rates/Losses" folder. If you have any questions, please contact Steve Sanders at 406-247-7436.

12/28/2009 (Rate Update Status): Notice � Rate Orders Signed (Rates to be effective 01/01/2010)

The Deputy Secretary of Energy has signed Rate Orders 144 and 148, Orders Confirming, Approving, and Placing the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program � Eastern Division Transmission and Ancillary Services and Transmission Service Penalty for Unreserved Use Formula Rates into effect on an interim basis on January 1, 2010.

The Federal Register notice announcing these rates is expected to be published during the week of December 28-31. Once the Federal Register notice is published, a letter will be sent to our transmission customers and other interested parties providing rate information and a copy of the Federal Register notice.

The rate announcement letter and Federal Register notice will also be posted to this web site and the Upper Great Plains Region Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) web site.

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

10/07/2009: OATT Revision Filed with FERC, Effective Date of December 1, 2009:

Western Area Power Administration submitted its revised Open Access Transmission Service Tariff with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on September 30, 2009. The new tariff becomes effective on December 1, 2009. The new revised tariff was developed to comply with FERC Order No. 890 and to be consistent with Western�s statutory and regulatory requirements. It addresses changes in transmission services and planning. The updated OATT (both clean and redline versions) and FERC generated PDF documents for this filing are included in the "Tariff" folder.

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

08/25/2009 : MAPP Schedule F service no longer available effective 9/1/2009; TranServ beginning operations as Western's Transmission Service Contractor (TSC) effective 0000 CDT on 9/1/2009 to assist in the processing of Transmission Service Requests on the WAPA OASIS; Corn Belt Power Cooperative changes effective 9/1/2009.

Western has obtained the services of TranServ International, Inc. (TranServ) to perform as its Transmission Service Coordinator (TSC) starting effective September 1, 2009 at 0000 (CDT). Based upon the departure of MidAmerican Energy Company from MAPP on September 1, 2009, the regional MAPP Schedule F tariff will no longer be available to customers to take transmission service across Western's Integrated System. Therefore, effective September 1, 2009 all service on Western's transmission system will need to be obtained under Western's Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) and requested on Western's OASIS (WAPA TP OASIS). TranServ will assist Western in the processing of the majorify of short-term transmission service requests (TSRs). Western personnel will continue to process Monthly Firm and Long-Term TSRs. The delineation of responsibilities for processing TSRs starting September 1, 2009 is outlined in the following document:

WAPA-Customer-Notification-TranServ-as-TSC.pdf

To assist Western's customer with the transition associated with the end of MAPP Schedule F and the introduction of TranServ as TSC in processing TSRs Western and TranServ will host conference calls starting on August 31, 2009 at 1500 (CDT) to answer customer questions and explain the changes being implemented. In addition, Western will answer questions regarding the changes associated with the move of Corn Belt Power Cooperative (CBPC) into Western's WAUE Balancing Authority Area and inclusion of a portion of CBPC transmission facilities into the Integrated System. More information regarding the CBPC changes is noted in the updated 07/22/2009 news item below. The announcement of the conference calls is outlined in the following letter:

Western-TranServ-Daily-Call-Announcement-Letter-2009-0825.pdf

(Business Practice Update) Western has updated its TSR Timing Requirements and business practice related to bumping of TSRs, to address the termination of any new MAPP Schedule F service, as outlined in the following Timing Requirement document that will be effective on September 1, 2009 at 0000 (CDT).

WAPA UGPR Timing Requirements-Effective-2009-0901.pdf

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

07/22/2009 (Updated 08/25/2009) : Corn Belt Power Cooperative (CBPC) move into Western's east-side "WAUE" Balancing Authority Area (Control Area) and addition of CBPC transmission facilities to Integrated System (IS) effective September 1, 2009

08/25/2009 Update: Western will be including eligible portions of the Corn Belt Power Cooperativce (CBPC) transmission facilities located in western Iowa in the Western/Basin Electric Power Cooperative/Heartland Consumers Power District Integrated System (IS), and the change will be effective on September 1, 2009. The following CBPC transmission facilities will be included in the IS as Basin Electric Power Cooperative leased facilities:

Wisdom to Osgood 161 kV transmission line � 30.64 miles
Osgood to Burt 161 kV transmission line � 29.79 miles
Burt to Hancock 161 kV transmission line � 33.70 miles
Wisdom to Buena Vista 161 kV transmission line � 32.77 miles
Buena Vista to Sac County 161 kV transmission line � 9.66 miles
Hope to Webster 161 kV transmission line � 12.39 miles
Burt to Hope 161 kV transmission line � 34.61 miles

Hope substation (161 kV portion only)
Wisdom substation (161 kV portion only)
Burt substation (161 kV portion only)
Osgood substation (161 kV portion only)
Webster substation (161 kV portion only)
Hancock substation (161 kV portion only)

Interconnection and transmission service requests utilizing these facilities will need to be submitted to Western, as the IS administrator, pursuant to Western's OATT and LGIP/SGIP, starting on September 1, 2009 at 0000 (CDT). Western and CBPC will work with existing interconnection and transmission service customers on the CBPC facilities listed above to address any transition issues. The IS transmission rates will apply to service across the facilities above, and preliminary analysis shows no expected increase to the IS rate as the result of inclusion of the CBPC facilities and associated new network load into the IS. CBPC will continue to adminster its own tariff on the remaining CBPC facilities that are moving into Western's WAUE Balancing Authority Area on September 1, 2009, and therefore interconnection and transmission service requests on those other CBPC facilities will continue to be submitted to CBPC.

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07/22/2009 Posting: Corn Belt Power Cooperativce (CBPC) intends to move its transmission system located presently in the MidAmerican Energy Company (MEC) Balancing Authority Area/Control Area (BAA) into Western's east-side "WAUE" BAA by September 1, 2009, as a result of MEC's plan to join the Midwest ISO on September 1, 2009 and move its facilities into the Midwest ISO BAA. CBPC and the Integrated System are also exploring the possibility of eligible portions of the CBPC transmission facilities becoming part of the Integrated System (IS) as a result of this BAA change, and that change would also occur on September 1, 2009. Western will post additional details in near future regarding the potential inclusion of CBPC transmission facilities into the IS, and the impacts upon such a change on interconnection and transmission service requests located on those CBPC transmission facilities, and preliminary information regarding potential IS rate impacts. This information will be located on Western's OASIS page under "Recent News" and also under a documents folder named "CBPC BAA Move Information", if necessary. More information concerning CBPC and its members is available on their company web page at: http://www.cbpower.coop/aspx/CBPower/default.aspx

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

06/26/2009 : Announcement of Public Information and Public Comment Forums - Proposed Penalty Rate for Unreserved Use of Transmission Service

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.

06/17/2009 : Announcement of Public Information and Public Comment Forums - Proposed Updates to IS Transmission and Ancillary Service Rates

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.

01/12/2009: Status Update on Integrated System (IS) Transmission Rate Adjustment

Change of Scope in Transmission Rate Adjustment

Western's Upper Great Plains Region (UGPR) provided an Advance Announcement of Rate Adjustment at a public meeting held June 10, 2008. The announcement included potential rate adjustments that would be required for IS participation in the proposed Midwest Independent System Operator's (Midwest ISO) Tariff Module F, Part III (Market Integration Service) as described in their Western Markets filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). UGPR also described potential rate adjustments for implementation regardless of Midwest ISO's Market Integration Service participation.

The FERC�s action on the Midwest ISO Western Markets filing has changed the scope of Western�s Upper Great Plains Region�s anticipated transmission rate adjustment. Our original intent was to incorporate rate changes necessitated by the Western Markets filing. However, with the FERC action and the uncertainty of the outcome of the Western Markets filing, Western will proceed with this transmission rate adjustment process for required adjustments unassociated with the Western Markets filing. Western intends to publish a Federal Register Notice to initiate the public rate process early in 2009.

Western's UGPR will initiate a future, additional rate adjustment process if and as required, to incorporate IS transmission rate changes made necessary by the final FERC Order accepting or modifying the Midwest ISO filing and Western's decision regarding Market Integration Service.

Related information can be found at: http://www.oatioasis.com/WAPA/WAPAdocs/IS-OATT-Revision-2008-0610-Mtg.ppt, http://www.wapa.gov.ugp/PowerMarketing/MISOSeams/Default.htm, and http://www.oatioasis.com/WAPA/WAPAdocs/IS-Rate-Adjustment-2008-0610-Mtg.ppt

If you have any questions, please contact Stan Bayley at (406) 247-7432.

12/03/2008 : Status Update on Potential Transmission Tariff Revision (See original 05/19/08 News Item below)

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.