[Federal Register: November 12, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 218)]
[Notices]
[Page 65416]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12no04-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. EA-298]
Application To Export Electric Energy; ISO New England Inc.
AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of application.
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SUMMARY: ISO New England Inc. (ISO-NE) has applied for authority to
transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to
section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.
DATES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene must be submitted on
or before November 29, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene should be
addressed as follows: Office of Coal & Power Systems (FE-27), Office of
Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0350 (FAX 202-287-5736).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Russell (Program Office) 202-
586-9624 or Michael Skinker (Program Attorney) 202-586-2793.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exports of electricity from the United
States to a foreign country are regulated and require authorization
under section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C.
824a(e)).
On October 4, 2004, the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the
Department of Energy (DOE) received an application from ISO-NE to
transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada. ISO-NE is
the private, non-profit Independent System Operator for New England.
ISO-NE administers the New England electricity markets and operates the
bulk electric power system in the New England region. ISO-NE is
responsible for protecting the short-term reliability of the New
England control area, for administering competitive and efficient
wholesale markets in New England, and for administering the New England
Power Pool (NEPOOL) Open Access Transmission Tariff on behalf of the
NEPOOL participants.
In its role as control area operator, ISO-NE administers
electricity transactions entered into by the NEPOOL participants and is
responsible for scheduling transmission service over the bulk power
transmission and generating facilities in New England. The electricity
transactions administered by ISO-NE include electricity exports to
Canadian entities.
On March 24, 2004, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
issued an order granting Regional Transmission Organization (RTO)
status to ISO-NE, subject to the fulfillment of certain requirements.
In accordance with that order, ISO-NE will become the RTO for New
England in the near future. In its application, ISO-NE states that
commencement of its operations as the RTO will not have any substantive
effect on the way it will administer electricity exports to Canada. In
that regard, ISO-NE has requested that, if DOE grants its request in
this proceeding, any order issued by DOE explicitly recognize the
impending commencement of ISO-NE's operations as an RTO and provide for
the continuation of its export authority once that conversion to an RTO
occurs.
In its application ISO-NE requested that DOE expedite the
processing of this application in order to have electricity export
authority in place upon completion of the transition to the FERC-
approved RTO. Accordingly, DOE has shortened the public comment period
to 15 days.
ISO-NE proposes to arrange for the delivery of electric energy to
Canada over the existing international transmission facilities owned by
Joint Owners of the Highgate Project, Maine Electric Power Company and
Vermont Electric Transmission Company. The construction, operation,
maintenance, and connection of each of the international transmission
facilities to be utilized by ISO-NE, as more fully described in the
application, has previously been authorized by a Presidential permit
issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended.
Procedural Matters
Any person desiring to become a party to this proceeding or to be
heard by filing comments or protests to this application should file a
petition to intervene, comment or protest at the address provided above
in accordance with Sec. Sec. 385.211 or 385.214 of the FERC's Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of
each petition and protest should be filed with DOE on or before the
date listed above.
Comments on the ISO-NE application to export electric energy to
Canada should be clearly marked with Docket EA-298. Additional copies
are to be filed directly with James H. Douglass, Senior Regulatory
Counsel, ISO New England Inc., One Sullivan Road, Holyoke, MA 01040-
2841 and Perry D. Robinson, Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, 601
13th Street, NW., Suite 1000 South, Washington, DC 20005.
A final decision will be made on this application after the
environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and a determination is made by the
DOE that the proposed action will not adversely impact on the
reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system.
Copies of this application will be made available, upon request,
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above or by
accessing the Fossil Energy Home Page at http://www.fe.de.gov. Upon
reaching the Fossil Energy Home page, select ``Electricity
Regulation,'' and then ``Pending Proceedings'' from the options menus.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 8, 2004.
Anthony J. Como,
Deputy Director, Electric Power Regulation, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 04-25201 Filed 11-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P