42 USC 16422 - Advanced transmission technologies

Collapse to view only § 16422. Advanced transmission technologies

§ 16421. Third-party finance
§ 16421a. Western Area Power Administration borrowing authority
§ 16422. Advanced transmission technologies
§ 16423. Advanced Power System Technology Incentive Program

§ 16421. Third-party finance

(a) Existing facilitiesThe Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration (hereinafter in this section referred to as “WAPA”), or through the Administrator of the Southwestern Power Administration (hereinafter in this section referred to as “SWPA”), or both, may design, develop, construct, operate, maintain, or own, or participate with other entities in designing, developing, constructing, operating, maintaining, or owning, an electric power transmission facility and related facilities (“Project”) needed to upgrade existing transmission facilities owned by SWPA or WAPA if the Secretary, in consultation with the applicable Administrator, determines that the proposed Project—

(1)

(A) is located in a national interest electric transmission corridor designated under section 216(a) of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 824p(a)] and will reduce congestion of electric transmission in interstate commerce; or

(B) is necessary to accommodate an actual or projected increase in demand for electric transmission capacity;

(2) is consistent with—

(A) transmission needs identified, in a transmission expansion plan or otherwise, by the appropriate Transmission Organization (as defined in the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.]), if any, or approved regional reliability organization; and

(B) efficient and reliable operation of the transmission grid; and

(3) would be operated in conformance with prudent utility practice.

(b) New facilitiesThe Secretary, acting through WAPA or SWPA, or both, may design, develop, construct, operate, maintain, or own, or participate with other entities in designing, developing, constructing, operating, maintaining, or owning, a new electric power transmission facility and related facilities (“Project”) located within any State in which WAPA or SWPA operates if the Secretary, in consultation with the applicable Administrator, determines that the proposed Project—

(1)

(A) is located in an area designated under section 216(a) of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 824p(a)] and will reduce congestion of electric transmission in interstate commerce; or

(B) is necessary to accommodate an actual or projected increase in demand for electric transmission capacity;

(2) is consistent with—

(A) transmission needs identified, in a transmission expansion plan or otherwise, by the appropriate Transmission Organization (as defined in the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.]) if any, or approved regional reliability organization; and

(B) efficient and reliable operation of the transmission grid;

(3) will be operated in conformance with prudent utility practice;

(4) will be operated by, or in conformance with the rules of, the appropriate (A) Transmission Organization, if any, or (B) if such an organization does not exist, regional reliability organization; and

(5) will not duplicate the functions of existing transmission facilities or proposed facilities which are the subject of ongoing or approved siting and related permitting proceedings.

(1) In general

(2) AvailabilityThe contributed funds shall be available for expenditure for the purpose of carrying out the Project—

(A) without fiscal year limitation; and

(B) as if the funds had been appropriated specifically for that Project.

(3) Allocation of costs

(d) Relationship to other lawsNothing in this section affects any requirement of—

(1) any Federal environmental law, including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);

(2) any Federal or State law relating to the siting of energy facilities; or

(3) any existing authorizing statutes.

(e) Savings clause

(f) Secretarial determinations

(g) Maximum funding amount

(Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1222, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 952.)

§ 16421a. Western Area Power Administration borrowing authority

(a) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Administrator

(2) Secretary

(b) Authority

(1) In generalNotwithstanding any other provision of law, subject to paragraphs (2) through (5)—

(A) the Western Area Power Administration may borrow funds from the Treasury; and

(B) the Secretary shall, without further appropriation and without fiscal year limitation, loan to the Western Area Power Administration, on such terms as may be fixed by the Administrator and the Secretary, such sums (not to exceed, in the aggregate (including deferred interest), $3,250,000,000 in outstanding repayable balances at any one time) as, in the judgment of the Administrator, are from time to time required for the purpose of—

(i) constructing, financing, facilitating, planning, operating, maintaining, or studying construction of new or upgraded electric power transmission lines and related facilities with at least one terminus within the area served by the Western Area Power Administration; and

(ii) delivering or facilitating the delivery of power generated by renewable energy resources constructed or reasonably expected to be constructed after February 17, 2009.

(2) Interest

(3) Refinancing

(4) Participation

(5) Congressional review of disbursement

(1) In generalFor repayment purposes, each transmission line and related facility project in which the Western Area Power Administration participates pursuant to this section shall be treated as separate and distinct from—

(A) each other such project; and

(B) all other Western Area Power Administration power and transmission facilities.

(2) ProceedsThe Western Area Power Administration shall apply the proceeds from the use of the transmission capacity from an individual project under this section to the repayment of the principal and interest of the loan from the Treasury attributable to that project, after reserving such funds as the Western Area Power Administration determines are necessary—

(A) to pay for any ancillary services that are provided; and

(B) to meet the costs of operating and maintaining the new project from which the revenues are derived.

(3) Source of revenueRevenue from the use of projects under this section shall be the only source of revenue for—

(A) repayment of the associated loan for the project; and

(B) payment of expenses for ancillary services and operation and maintenance.

(4) Limitation on authority

(5) Treatment of certain revenues

(d) Certification

(1) In generalFor each project in which the Western Area Power Administration participates pursuant to this section, the Administrator shall certify, prior to committing funds for any such project, that—

(A) the project is in the public interest;

(B) the project will not adversely impact system reliability or operations, or other statutory obligations; and

(2) Forgiveness of balances

(A) In general

(B) Unconstructed projects

(e) Public processes

(1) Policies and practices

(2) Requests for interest

(Pub. L. 98–381, title III, § 301, as added Pub. L. 111–5, div. A, title IV, § 402, Feb. 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 141.)

§ 16422. Advanced transmission technologies

(a) Definition of advanced transmission technology

In this section, the term “advanced transmission technology” means a technology that increases the capacity, efficiency, or reliability of an existing or new transmission facility, including—

(1) high-temperature lines (including superconducting cables);

(2) underground cables;

(3) advanced conductor technology (including advanced composite conductors, high-temperature low-sag conductors, and fiber optic temperature sensing conductors);

(4) high-capacity ceramic electric wire, connectors, and insulators;

(5) optimized transmission line configurations (including multiple phased transmission lines);

(6) modular equipment;

(7) wireless power transmission;

(8) ultra-high voltage lines;

(9) high-voltage DC technology;

(10) flexible AC transmission systems;

(11) energy storage devices (including pumped hydro, compressed air, superconducting magnetic energy storage, flywheels, and batteries);

(12) controllable load;

(13) distributed generation (including PV, fuel cells, and microturbines);

(14) enhanced power device monitoring;

(15) direct system state sensors;

(16) fiber optic technologies;

(17) power electronics and related software (including real time monitoring and analytical software);

(18) mobile transformers and mobile substations; and

(19) any other technologies the Commission considers appropriate.

(b) Authority

(Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1223, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 953.)

§ 16423. Advanced Power System Technology Incentive Program

(a) Program

The Secretary is authorized to establish an Advanced Power System Technology Incentive Program to support the deployment of certain advanced power system technologies and to improve and protect certain critical governmental, industrial, and commercial processes. Funds provided under this section shall be used by the Secretary to make incentive payments to eligible owners or operators of advanced power system technologies to increase power generation through enhanced operational, economic, and environmental performance. Payments under this section may only be made upon receipt by the Secretary of an incentive payment application establishing an applicant as either—

(1) a qualifying advanced power system technology facility; or

(2) a qualifying security and assured power facility.

(b) Incentives

For purposes of this section:

(1) Qualifying advanced power system technology facility

(2) Qualifying security and assured power facility

(d) Authorization

(Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1224, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 954.)