[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 474-475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-231]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket Nos. EA-167, EA-168, EA-169, EA-170 and EA-171]


Applications to Export Electric Energy; USGen Power Services, 
Commonwealth Edison Company, Energetix, and British Columbia Power 
Exchange Corporation

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of applications.

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SUMMARY: USGen, a power marketer, has submitted applications to export 
electric energy to Mexico and Canada pursuant to section 202(e) of the 
Federal Power Act. Commonwealth Edison, a FERC regulated public 
utility, Energetix, a power marketer, and British Columbia Power 
Exchange, a power marketer, have submitted applications to export 
electric energy to Canada.

DATES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene must be submitted on 
or before February 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene should be 
addressed as follows: Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex (FE-27), Office of 
Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20585-0350 (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. 
824a(e)).
    The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) 
has received an application from the following company for 
authorization to export electric energy to Mexico, pursuant to section 
202(e) of the FPA:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Application                      
              Applicant                    date          Docket No.     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
USGen Power Services, L.P. (USGen)...    12/15/97   EA-167              
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FE has also received applications from the following companies for 
authorization to export electric energy to Canada, pursuant to section 
202(e) of the FPA:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Application                      
              Applicant                    date          Docket No.     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
USGen................................    12/15/97   EA-168              
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd)..    12/18/97   EA-169              
Energetix, Inc. (Energetix)..........    12/19/97   EA-170              
British Columbia Power Exchange          12/23/97   EA-171              
 Corporation (Powerex).                                                 
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In Docket EA-167, USGen, a power marketer that does not own, 
operate or control any electric power generation, transmission or 
distribution facilities, proposes to transmit to Mexico electric energy 
that is surplus to the needs of the entity selling the power. USGen 
would arrange for the exported energy to be transmitted to Mexico over 
the international facilities owned by the San Diego Gas and Electric 
Company, El Paso Electric Company, Central Power and Light Company, and 
Comision Federal de Electricidad, the national electric utility of 
Mexico.
    In Dockets EA-168, EA-169, EA-170, and EA-171, USGen, ComEd, 
Energetix, and Powerex, each propose to transmit to Canada electric 
energy that is surplus to its system or the entity selling the power.
    Each of the exporters would arrange for the exported energy to be 
transmitted to Canada over the international facilities owned by Basin 
Electric Power Cooperative, Bonneville Power Administration, Citizens 
Utilities, Detroit Edison Company, Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative, 
Joint Owners of the Highgate Project, Maine Electric Power Company, 
Maine Public Service Company, Minnesota Power and Light Company, 
Minnkota Power Cooperative, New York Power Authority, Niagara Mohawk 
Power Corporation, Northern States Power, and Vermont Electric 
Transmission Company. Each of the transmission facilities, as more 
fully described in the applications, has previously been authorized by 
a Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as 
amended.

Procedural Matters

    Any persons desiring to become a party to these proceedings or to 
be heard by filing comments or protests to these applications 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 USGen's request to export to Mexico should be clearly 
marked with Docket EA-167. Comments on USGen's request to export to 
Canada should be clearly marked with Docket EA-168. Additional copies 
are to be filed directly with Sanford L. Hartman, Esq., Assistant 
General Counsel, U.S. Generating Company, 7500 Old Georgetown Road, 
Suite 1300, Bethesda, MD 20814-6161.
    Comments on ComEd's request to export to Canada should be clearly 
marked with Docket EA-169. Additional copies are to be filed with Peter 
Thornton, Esq., Senior Counsel, Commonwealth Edison Company, 125 South 
Clark Street, Room 1535, Chicago, IL 60603 and Thomas L. Blackburn, 
Esq., Bruder, Gentile & Marcoux, L.L.P., 1100 New York Avenue, NW, 
Suite 510 East, Washington, DC 20005-3934.
    Comments on Energetix's application to export to Canada should be 
clearly marked with Docket EA-170. Additional copies are to be filed 
directly with Karen E. Georgenson, Esq., Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & 
Doyle LLP, Suite 700, One Thomas Circle, Washington, DC 20005-5802 and 
Byron Fransworth, Jr., Director of Electric Operations, Energetix, 
Inc., 89 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14649.
    Comments on Powerex's application to export to Canada should be 
clearly marked with Docket EA-171. Additional copies are to be filed 
directly with Douglas Little, Manager, Trade Policy & Regulation, 
British Columbia Power Exchange Corporation, 666 Burrard Street, Suite 
2210, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 2X8 and Paul W. Fox, 
Esq., Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P., 111 Congress Avenue, Suite 2300, 
Austin, TX 78701.
    A final decision will be made on these applications after the 
environmental

[[Page 475]]

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 December 31, 1997.
Anthony J. Como,
Manager, Electric Power Regulation, Office of Coal and Power Im/Ex, 
Office of Coal and Power Systems, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 98-231 Filed 1-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P