[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5796-5797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2655]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP98-196-000]


North Shore Gas Company; Notice of Application

January 29, 1998.
    Take notice that on January 23, 1998, North Shore Gas Company 
(North Shore), 130 East Randolph Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601, filed 
in Docket No. CP98-196-000 an application pursuant to Section 7(f) of 
the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for a service area determination, a finding 
that North Shore qualifies as a local distribution company for purposes 
of Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) and for a waiver of 
the Commission's regulatory requirements, including reporting and 
accounting requirements ordinarily applicable to natural gas companies 
under the NGA and NGPA, all as more fully set forth in the application 
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection.
    North Shore states that it is a local distribution company 
operating a service area for the sale and distribution of natural gas 
to 140,000 customers for residential, commercial and industrial use in 
Lake and Cook Counties, Illinois. North Shore further states that its 
natural gas distribution system consists of 2,100 miles of gas 
distribution mains.
    North Shore states that it requests a service area determination 
consisting of an area that is, in essence, a right-of-way from ANR 
Pipeline Company's (ANR) facilities in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, that 
would extend 10.4 miles to the Illinois border and approximately 
another two miles in North Shore's service territory in Lake County, 
Illinois.
    North Shore maintains that it will not provide service to customers 
in the requested service area in Wisconsin, nor will it serve any 
customers in Illinois outside of its current service territory. It is 
stated that the requested service area determination would allow 
facilities to be put in place to reinforce and increase the reliability 
of North Shore's gas distribution markets in the northern portion of 
its service territory and to establish a direct interconnection with 
ANR.
    North Shore states that in connection with this proposal, North 
Shore and ANR have an agreement whereupon North Shore will be able to 
sell to ANR the gas transmission main and appurtenant interconnection 
facilities after five years of operation. North Shore maintains that 
during the period

[[Page 5797]]

prior to any sale of the facilities, ANR will have no direct 
operational control of the facilities, nor will ANR be permitted to use 
the facilities; the facilities will be used only by North Shore for 
delivery of natural gas to serve its retail sales and transportation 
customers in its service territory in Illinois. North Shore further 
maintains that under the agreement with ANR, if North Shore elects to 
sell the gas main and facilities, ANR has advised that, at that time, 
it will seek to certificate the facilities as part of its interstate 
system pursuant to Section 7 of the NGA.
    North Shore also requests a determination by the Commission that it 
qualifies as a local distribution company for purposes of Section 311 
of the NGPA, which would ensure that North Shore has access to the 
transportation of gas by interstate pipelines under Section 311 of the 
NGPA.
    In addition, North Shore requests a waiver of all reporting and 
accounting requirements and rules and regulations which are normally 
applicable to natural gas companies under the NGA and NGPA. North Shore 
states that it is comprehensively regulated by the Illinois Commerce 
Commission; therefore, there is no need to impose federal regulation 
that is duplicative of the requirements already imposed on North Shore 
by the Illinois Commerce Commission.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before February 19, 1998, 
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 protest 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 that procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for North Shore to appear or be represented at 
the hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-2655 Filed 2-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M