[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36045-36046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17410]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-610-000]


Granite State Gas Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Application

July 2, 1996.
    Take notice that on July 1, 1996, Granite State Gas Transmission, 
Inc. (Granite State), 300 Friberg Parkway, Westborough, Massachusetts 
01581, filed in Docket No. CP96-610-000, an application pursuant to 
Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's 
Regulations for a certificate of public convenience and necessity 
authorizing the construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas 
(LNG) facility in Wells, Maine, to serve Northern Utilities, Inc. 
(Northern Utilities), pursuant to new Rate Schedule LNG-1, all as more 
fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission 
and open to public inspection.
    Granite State submits that the LNG facility proposed in this 
application is identical to the one proposed in Docket No. CP-95-52-
000, that was dismissed without prejudice to resubmitting the proposal 
changing its use from baseload to peakshaving service. According to 
Granite State, this resubmitted filing reflects a change in the nature 
of the service to be provided by such facility from winter baseload to 
peakshaving.
    Granite State further states that the LNG facility is necessary to 
replace Northern Utilities' volumes currently flowing using capacity 
leased on the Portland Pipe Line Corporation's oil line that has been 
converted to natural gas use. According to Granite State, the lease is 
set to expire on April 30, 1998, and Granite State proposes an in-
service date of November 1, 1998 for the proposed LNG facility, the 
first day of the first heating season after the lease expires.
    Granite State states that Northern Utilities has contracted for 
transportation service on the Portland Natural Gas Transmission System 
(PNGTS) which also has a proposed in-service date of November 1, 1998. 
However, Granite State maintains that the LNG facility may be necessary 
for winter baseload service for Northern Utilities if PNGTS is not in 
service by that date. After PNGTS is in service, the LNG facility would 
provide peakshaving service to Northern Utilities.
    According to information contained in the application, once the LNG 
facility is functioning as a peakshaver it would be operated in a 
fashion that would allow deliverability from the facility to increase 
by almost 150%. Accordingly, Granite State's resubmitted filing 
contains a revised precedent agreement

[[Page 36046]]

with Northern Utilities which provides for a maximum daily 
deliverability from the LNG facility of 54,640 Dth per day prior to 
PNGTS, and 134,000 Dth per day thereafter. Although not explicitly 
stated by Granite State in its proposal, based upon the volumetric 
determinants contained in Exhibit P of the application, these maximum 
withdrawal levels would translate to a 52-day service prior to PNGTS, 
and 12-13 days of service afterwards.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before July 23, 1996 file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20426, 
a motion to intervene or a protest in accordance with the requirements 
of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). 
All protests filed with the Commission will be considered by it in 
determining the appropriate action to be taken but will not serve to 
make the protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to 
become a party to a proceeding or to participate as a party in any 
hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
Commission's Rules.
    Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in 
and subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission by Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act and 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a hearing will be 
held without further notice before the Commission or its designee on 
this application if no motion to intervene is filed within the time 
required herein, if the Commission on its own review of the matter 
finds that a grant of the certificate is required by the public 
convenience and necessity. If a motion for leave to intervene is timely 
filed, or if the Commission on its own motion believes that a formal 
hearing is required, further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for Granite State to appear or be represented at 
the hearing.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-17410 Filed 7-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M