[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 190 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51088-51089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24974]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. EA-124]


Application to Export Electric Energy; Public Service Company of 
New Mexico

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

AGENCY: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), a regulated public 
utility, has submitted an application to export electric energy to 
Mexico pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.

DATES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene must be submitted on 
or before October 14, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene should be 
addressed as follows: Office of Coal & Electricity (FE-52), Office of 
Fuels Programs, Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585 (FAX 202-287-5736).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Russell (Program Office) 202-
586-9624 or Michael Skinker (Program Attorney) 202-586-6667.

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. 
Sec. 824a(e)).
    On September 24, 1996, PNM filed an application with the Office of 
Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) for authorization 
to export electric energy to the Comision Federal de Electricidad 
(CFE), the Mexican national electric utility, pursuant to section 
202(e) of the FPA. Specifically, PNM has proposed to engage in open-
ended transactions to transmit and exchange wholesale electric energy 
under terms and contracts to be negotiated in the future.
    PNM asserts that a series of State regulatory actions have left the 
utility with 170 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity that could be 
dedicated for the sale in the wholesale market. PNM further asserts 
that it will schedule all power consistent with the reliability 
criteria, standards, and guides of the North American Electric 
Reliability Council and the Western Systems Coordinating Council.
    The electric energy PNM proposes to sell to CFE would be delivered 
to Mexico using El Paso Electric Company's (EPE) 115-kilovolt (kV) line 
at Ascarate, Texas, and EPE's 115-kV line at Diablo, New Mexico. The 
construction and operation of these international transmission lines 
was

[[Page 51089]]

previously authorized by Presidential Permit numbers PP-48 and PP-92, 
respectively.

Procedural Matters

    Any persons desiring to be heard or to protest this application 
should file a petition to intervene or protest at the address provided 
above in accordance with Secs. 385.211 or 385.214 of the Rules of 
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of 
such petitions and protests should be filed with the DOE on or before 
the date listed above. Additional copies are to be filed directly with: 
John T. Stough, Jr., Long, Aldridge & Norman, 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20004 (Facsimile 202- 624-1298) AND 
Patrick T. Ortiz, Secretary and General Counsel, Public Service Company 
of New Mexico, Alvarado Square, Albuquerque, NM 87158 (Facsimile 505-
241-2368).
    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 (NEPA), 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.


    Issued in Washington, DC on September 25, 1996.
Anthony J. Como,
Director, Office of Coal & Electricity, Office of Fuels Programs, 
Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 96-24974 Filed 9-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P