[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 29746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14829]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. RP96-267-000]


Gas Research Institute; Notice of Annual Application

June 6, 1996.
    Take notice that on June 5, 1996, Gas Research Institute (GRI) 
filed an application requesting advance approval of its 1997-2001 Five-
Year Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Plan and 1997 RD&D 
Program, and the funding of its RD&D activities for 1997, pursuant to 
the Natural Gas Act and the Commission's Regulations, particularly 18 
CFR 154.401.
    In its application, GRI requests approval of a total obligations 
budget of $170.4 million in 1997, a decrease of $4.4 million from the 
$174.8 million approved for GRI's amended 1996 obligations budget. 
During the twelve months ending December 31, 1997, GRI intends to 
collect $179.9 million through jurisdictional rates and charges, and 
disburse $176.2 million.
    GRI also proposes to modify its current funding mechanism by: (i) 
Not following the 50/50 demand/commodity balancing provisions so that 
current surcharges may be used in 1997; and (ii) limiting refunds to 
amounts collected in excess of the annualized funding requirement for 
its 1997 RD&D program.
    GRI proposes to fund its 1997 RD&D Program through the following 
surcharges: (1) A demand/reservation surcharge on two-part rates of 
26.0 cents per Dth per Month for ``high load-factor customers''; (2) a 
demand/reservation surcharge on two-part rates of 16.0 cents per Dth 
per month for ``low load-factor customers''; (3) a volumetric 
commodity/usage surcharge of 0.88 cents for firm services involving 
two-part rates and for one-part interruptible rates; (4) a special 
``small customer'' surcharge of 2.0 cents per Dth; and (5) a surcharge 
of 1.74 cents per Dth per month for one-part, firm service outside the 
``small customer'' class.
    GRI has not filed detailed information on its 1998 RD&D Program. 
According to GRI, downsizing of its 1996 RD&D Program is yet to be 
fully implemented and issues pertaining to funding stability are still 
outstanding; for this reason GRI requests that is 1997 proposal be 
approved on its own merit, rather than as part of a two-year program.
    The Commission Staff will analyze GRI's application and prepare a 
Commission Staff Report. This Staff Report will be served on all 
parties and filed with the Commission as a public document by July 31, 
1996. Comments on the Staff Report by all parties, except GRI, must 
filed with the Commission on or before August 14, 1996. GRI's reply 
comments must be filed on or before August 28, 1996.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to protest GRI's application, 
except for GRI members and state regulatory commissions, who are 
automatically permitted to participate in the instant proceedings as 
intervenors, should file a motion to intervene or protest with Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 
20426, in accordance with Rules 214 and 211 of the Commission's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.214 and 385.11. All protests, 
motions to intervene and comments should be filed on or before June 20, 
1996. All comments and protests will be considered by the Commission in 
determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to 
make protestants parties to this proceeding. Any person wishing to 
become a party, other than a GRI member or a state regulatory 
commission, must file with the Commission and are available for public 
inspection.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-14829 Filed 6-11-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M