[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 188 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50482-50483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24718]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. RM95-9-000]


Order Granting Request for Extension of Time for Commencing Phase 
1 Oasis Operations and Complying with Standards of Conduct

Issued September 20, 1996.
    Open Access Same-time Information System (OASIS) and Standards of 
Conduct.

Introduction

    As discussed below, we will grant a request from the How Working 
Group for a two-step extension of time of the implementation schedule 
for compliance with the Phase 1 OASIS requirements and Standards of 
Conduct (from November 1, 1996), with OASIS operations to begin on a 
test basis starting on December 2, 1996, and with full commercial 
operations and compliance with the Standards of Conduct to begin by 
January 3, 1997.

Background

    In Order No. 889, we promulgated regulations that require 
transmission providers to establish and operate OASIS sites and to 
comply with Standards of Conduct. The regulations require, among other 
matters, the posting on an OASIS of transmission-related information 
and the separation of transmission operation functions and generation 
marketing functions.\1\ Order No. 889 requires OASIS sites, in 
conformance with the regulations, to be in operation by November 1, 
1996.
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    \1\ See Open Access Same-Time Information System and Standards 
of Conduct, Final Rule, Order No. 889, FERC Stats. & Regs. para. 
31,037, 61 Fed. Reg. 21,737 (1996), reh'g pending.
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    On September 9, 1996, the How Working Group,\2\ on behalf of the 
electric industry, filed a letter presenting the above-mentioned 
request for a two-month, two-step time extension to comply with the 
Commission's requirements established in Order No. 889. The How Working 
Group's letter delineates the industry's progress in developing Phase 1 
OASIS nodes and in meeting the Commission's November 1, 1996 deadline 
for compliance. The letter concludes that, despite best efforts, 
industry members require additional time to meet the Commission's Phase 
1 OASIS requirements.\3\
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    \2\ The How Working Group is an industry-led group, with the 
participation of diverse industry and customer representatives, 
working to reach consensus on OASIS-related issues.
    \3\ We issued a notice given interested persons an opportunity 
(until September 16, 1996) to file comments in response to the How 
Working Group's letter.
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    On September 10, 1996, Siemens Power Systems Control (Siemens) and

[[Page 50483]]

ISSC, Inc. (ISSC) filed a letter stating that they expect to be ready 
to meet and/or exceed the Commission's Phase 1 OASIS requirements by 
November 1, 1996. They explain that they do not believe that any 
further delay in the OASIS compliance schedule is required or would be 
beneficial to the electric industry at large or to ``solution 
providers'' such as themselves.
    On September 13, 1996, Public Service Company of New Mexico filed 
an answer in support of the How Working Group's request for a time 
extension. On September 16, 1996, Electric Clearinghouse Inc. (Electric 
Clearinghouse) and Enron Power Marketing, Inc. (Enron) filed comments 
supporting the request of the How Working Group for a two-step time 
extension, so long as the Commission does not delay implementation of 
the Standards of Conduct that, they claim, are not dependent on 
implementation of the OASIS for compliance.
    On that same date, comments supporting the How Working Group's 
request for a time extension were filed by Centerior Energy 
Corporation, El Paso Electric Company, Jacksonville Electric Authority, 
Public Service Company of Colorado, Salt River Project Agricultural 
Improvement and Power District, and Tuscon Electric Power Company. 
These comments describe problems that have arisen in meeting the 
Commission's November 1, 1996 deadline and urge that we grant the How 
Working Group's request. Additionally, on September 17, 1996, a group 
of eight utilities \4\ filed an answer in support of the How Working 
Group's request. This group offers the Commission's September 10, 1996 
order issuing a revised Standards and Protocols document \5\ as a 
reason why a short time extension is appropriate.
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    \4\ This group is comprised of Associated Electric Cooperative, 
Inc., Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Boston Edison Company, 
Central Vermont Public Service Corporation, Montaup Electric 
Company, Vermont Electric Power Company, Virginia Electric and Power 
Company, and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.
    \5\ See Open Access Same-Time Information System and Standards 
of Conduct, Order Issuing Revised OASIS Standards and Protocols 
Document, 76 FERC para. __, ____ (1996).
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    Also on September 17, 1996, comments were filed by Power System 
Engineering Inc. (PSE), a participant in the How Working Group. PSE 
supports a staged implementation schedule, as advanced by the How 
Working Group, but advocates additional stages, with operational OASIS 
test nodes publicly available on the Internet for all regions on 
November 1, 1996, followed by the incremental posting of transmission 
paths on successive dates, leading to full commercial implementation by 
January 3, 1997.\6\
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    \6\ On this same date, Edison Electric Institutes also filed a 
letter supporting the How Working Group's request for an extension.
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Discussion

    After a review of the How Working Group's request and related 
comments, we agree that the How Working Group's suggested two-step 
modification to the timetable contained in Order No. 889 is 
appropriate. At the time that we issued Order No. 889, we did so with 
the knowledge that the schedule contained therein, for the development 
and implementation of a new information system, was ambitious. In our 
view, the How Working Group, and the industry at large, appear to be 
making best efforts to comply with these new requirements, but need 
additional time to complete their work.
    While we do not believe that a longer extension would be warranted, 
we will grant the How Working Group's request for a two-step, two-month 
extension, with test operations to begin by December 2, 1996, and with 
full commercial operations to begin by January 3, 1997. We will not 
adopt the suggested alternative approach advocate by PSE, as it appears 
both vague and too complicated.
    While we are pleased to learn that Siemens/ISSC will be ready to 
meet the Commission's OASIS requirements by November 1, 1996, we are 
persuaded by the How Working Group's letter and the responses to that 
letter that other affected entities may need more time to complete 
their preparations, and we are making our decision on this basis.
    Under the How Working Group's proposal, all required OASIS nodes 
will be operational and available for public access on or before 
December 2, 1996. After that time, users will be able to access and 
download all required OASIS information and will be able to submit 
electronic forms and upload data, as required by the OASIS Standards 
and Protocols. However, all user interactions initially will be on a 
test basis only, with no transmission service reservations being 
executed on the OASIS and no OASIS transactions being binding on any 
party. This testing period will allow providers and users to develop 
and test their capabilities to use the system. We find this proposal 
acceptable and approve it. Our time extension for commercial operations 
until January 3, 1997 is based on the availability of the OASIS on a 
test basis, as outlined by the How Working Group's proposal, starting 
on December 2, 1996.
    Notwithstanding the objections of Electric Clearinghouse and Enron, 
we also will extend the compliance date for the Standards of Conduct 
until January 3, 1997 because OASIS implementation is essential to 
compliance with the required separation for functions. In light of this 
extension of time, transmission providers need not comply with section 
37.4(c) of our regulations, Maintenance of Written Procedures, until 
January 3, 1997, at which time they must file written procedures 
detailing their actions to implement the Standards of Conduct.
    The Commission orders: The request of the How Working Group for a 
two-month, two-step extension of time before transmission providers are 
required to commence full commercial Phase 1 OASIS operations and 
comply with the Standards of Conduct is hereby granted, as discussed in 
the body of this order.

    By the Commission.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-24718 Filed 9-25-96; 8:45 am]
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