16 U.S.C. § 838g

Schedules of rates and charges for the sale, including dispositions to Federal agencies, of all electric power made available to the Administrator pursuant to section 838f of this title or otherwise acquired, and for the transmission of non-Federal electric power over the Federal transmission system, shall become effective upon confirmation and approval thereof by the Secretary of Energy. Such rate schedules may be modified from time to time by the Secretary of Energy, acting by and through the Administrator, subject to confirmation and approval by the Secretary of Energy, and shall be fixed and established (1) with a view to encouraging the widest possible diversified use of electric power at the lowest possible rates to consumers consistent with sound business principles, (2) having regard to the recovery (upon the basis of the application of such rate schedules to the capacity of the electric facilities of the projects) of the cost of producing and transmitting such electric power, including the amortization of the capital investment allocated to power over a reasonable period of years and payments provided for in section 838i(b)(9) of this title , and (3) at levels to produce such additional revenues as may be required, in the aggregate with all other revenues of the Administrator, to pay when due the principal of, premiums, discounts, and expenses in connection with the issuance of and interest on all bonds issued and outstanding pursuant to this chapter, and amounts required to establish and maintain reserve and other funds and accounts established in connection therewith.