[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 7 (Friday, January 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1442-1443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-594]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket Nos. EA-135 and EA-136]


Applications to Export Electric Energy; Newco US, L.P.

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Newco US, L.P. (Newco), a limited partnership, has submitted 
an application to export electric energy to Mexico and Canada pursuant 
to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.

DATES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene must be submitted on 
or before February 10, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene should be 
addressed as follows: Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex (FE-52), Office of 
Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20585 (FAX 202-287-5736).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Xavier Puslowski (Program Office) 202-
586-4708 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. 
824a(e)).
    On November 29, 1996, Newco filed two applications with the Office 
of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) for 
authorization to export electric energy to Mexico (Docket EA-135) and 
Canada (Docket EA-136), as a power marketer, pursuant to section 202(e) 
of the FPA.\1\ Specifically, Newco has proposed to transmit to Mexico 
and Canada electric energy purchased from electric utilities and 
federal power marketing agencies.
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    \1\ Newco is a limited partnership in which Westcoast Power 
Marketing, Inc. and Coastal Gas Services Company each owns 
indirectly a 49.5% limited partnership interest, and Newco US, Inc. 
owns a 1% general partnership interest.
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    Newco would arrange for the exported energy to be transmitted to 
Mexico over one or more of the following international transmission or 
subtransmission lines for which Presidential permits (PP) have been 
previously issued:

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                                                                                            Presidential permit 
               Owner                           Location                   Voltage                   No.         
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San Diego Gas & Elect..............  Miguel, CA.................  230 KV                  PP-68                 
                                     Imperial Valley, CA........  230 KV                  PP-79                 
El Paso Electric...................  Diablo, NM.................  115 KV                  PP-92                 
                                     Ascarate, TX...............  115 KV                  PP-48                 
Central Power and Light............  Brownsville, TX............  138 KV                  PP-94                 
                                                                  69 KV                   PP-94                 
Comision Federal de Electricidad...  Eagle Pass, TX.............  138 KV                  PP-50                 
                                     Laredo, TX.................  138 KV                  PP-57                 
                                     Falcon Dam, TX.............  138 KV                  PP-57                 
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    Newco would arrange for the exported energy to be transmitted to 
Canada over one or more of the following international transmission or 
subtransmission lines for which Presidential permits (PP) have been 
previously issued:

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                                                                                            Presidential permit 
               Owner                           Location                   Voltage                   No.         
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Basin Electric.....................  Tioga, ND..................  230-kV                  PP-64                 
Bonneville Power Administration....  Blaine, WA.................  2-500-kV                PP-10                 
                                     Nelway, WA.................  230-kV                  PP-36                 
                                     Nelway, WA.................  230-kV                  PP-46                 
Citizens Utilities.................  Derby Line, VT.............  120-kV                  PP-66                 
Detroit Edison.....................  St. Clair, MI..............  345-kV                  PP-38                 
                                     Maryville, MI..............  230-kV                  PP-21                 
                                     Detroit, MI................  230-kV                  PP-21                 
                                     St. Clair, MI..............  345-kV                  PP-58                 
Eastern Maine Elect. Coop..........  Calais, ME.................  69-kV                   PP-32                 
Joint Owners of Highgate Project...  Highgate, VT...............  345-kV \2\              PP-82                 
Maine Electric Power Co............  Houlton, ME................  345-kV                  PP-43                 
Maine Public Service Co............  Limestone, ME..............  69-kV                   PP-12                 
                                     Fort Fairfield, ME.........  69-kV                   PP-12                 
                                     Aroostook County, ME.......  138-kV                  PP-29                 
                                     Madawaska, ME..............  2-69-kV                 PP-29                 
Minnesota Power and Light Co.......  International Falls, MN....  115-kV                  PP-78                 

[[Page 1443]]

                                                                                                                
Minnkota Power.....................  Roseau County, MN..........  230-kV                  PP-61                 
New York Power Authority...........  Massena, NY................  765-kV                  PP-56                 
                                     Massena, NY................  2-230-kV                PP-25                 
                                     Niagara Falls, NY..........  2-345-kV                PP-74                 
                                     Devils Hole, NY............  230-kV                  PP-30                 
Niagara Mohawk Power Corp..........  Devils Hole, NY............  230-kV                  PP-31                 
Northern States Power..............  Red River, ND..............  230-kV                  PP-45                 
                                     Roseau County, MN..........  500-kV                  PP-63                 
Vermont Electric Transmission Co...  Norton, VT.................   450-kV DC  PP-76                 
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\2\ These facilities were constructed at 345-kV but operated at 120-kV.                                         

    As noted above, Newco proposes to export electricity to Mexico over 
lines owned and operated by the El Paso Electric Company (EPE) and 
permitted under Presidential Permits Nos. PP-48, as amended, and PP-92. 
On October 29, 1996, the Secretary of Energy signed Delegation Order 
No. 0204-163 which delegated and assigned to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC) authority to carry out such functions 
vested in the Secretary to regulate access to, and the rates, terms and 
conditions for, transmission services over the facilities of EPE. This 
authority was delegated to FERC for the sole purpose of authorizing 
FERC to take any actions necessary to effectuate open access 
transmission over the United States portion of EPE's electric 
transmission lines connecting the Diablo and Ascarate substations in 
the United States with the Insurgentes and Riverena substations in 
Mexico. Notice and a copy of the Delegation Order were published in the 
Federal Register on November 1, 1996, at 61 FR 56525.

PROCEDURAL MATTERS: Any persons 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 Secs. 385.211 or 385.214 
of the FERC's 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. Comments on Newco's 
request to export to Mexico should be clearly marked with Docket EA-
135. Comments on Newco's request to export to Canada should be clearly 
marked with Docket EA-136. Additional copies are to be filed directly 
with: Jeffrey D. Watkiss; Sarah G. Novosel, Bracewell and Patterson, 
L.L.P., 2000 K St., NW, Suite 500; Washington, DC 20006, Fax: (202) 
223-1225 and Peter Leier, Westcoast Power Marketing, Inc., 421-7th 
Avenue, SW., Suite 1100, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 728 4K9 and Laurence 
C. Mosher, Jr., Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P., 1301 McKinney, Suite 
5100, Houston, TX 77010-3095, Fax (713) 651-5246).
    A final decision will be made on these applications 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 actions will not adversely impact on the 
reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system.
    Copies of these applications will be made available, upon request, 
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above.

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 2, 1997.
Anthony J. Como,
Manager, Electric Power Regulation, Office of Coal & Power Systems, 
Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 97-594 Filed 1-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P