[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24172-24173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11580]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. PL98-5-000 through -007]


Inquiry Concerning the Commission's Policy on Independent System 
Operators; Notice of Regional Conferences

April 27, 1998.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) will convene 
seven public conferences of one day or less to discuss regional factors 
relevant to our policy concerning Independent System Operators (ISOs). 
The conferences will be held between May 28 and June 8, 1998.

I. Introduction

    In Order Nos. 888 and 889 and their progeny,\1\ the Commission 
established fundamental principles of non-discriminatory open access 
transmission services and encouraged, but did not require, the 
formation of ISOs. On March 13, 199, the Commission initiated an 
Inquiry Concerning the Commission's Policy on ISOs in Docket No. PL98-
5-000. A two-day public conference was held at the Commission's 
headquarters in Washington, D.C. on April 15-16, 1998. The Commission 
received input on a range of ISO issues from 40 speakers participating 
on seven topical panels. Approximately 400 individuals attended the 
conference on each day, while numerous others observed the proceedings 
electronically. By design, this first conference addressed the 
Commission's general ISO policies.
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    \1\ See Promoting Wholesale Completion Through Open Access 
Nondiscriminatory Transmission Services by Public Utilities; and 
Recovery of Stranded Costs by Public Utilities and Transmitting 
Utilities, Order No. 888, 61 Fed. Reg. 21,540 (1996). FERC Stats, & 
Regs. para. 31,036 (1996), order on reh'g, Order No. 888-A, 62 Fed 
Reg. 12,274 (1997), FERC Stats. & Regs. para. 31,048 (1997), order 
on reh'g, Order No. 888-B, 81 FERC para. 61,248 (1997), order on 
reh'g, Order No. 888-C, 82 FERC para. 61,046 (1998). Open-Access 
Same-Time Information System and Standards of Conduct, Order No. 
889, 61 Fed. Reg. 21,737 (1996), FERC Stats. & Regs. para. 31,035 
(1996), order on reh'g, Order No. 889-A, 62 Fed. Reg. 12,484 (1997), 
FERC Stats. & Regs. para. 31,049 (1997), order on reh'g, Order No. 
889-B, 81 FERC para. 61,253 (1997).
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    To comprehensively examine ISO issues, the Commission believes it 
is important to provide an adequate forum to explore regional factors 
that should be taken into account in the Commission's consideration of 
its ISO policy. For this reason, the Commission will hold seven 
regional conference between May 28 and June 8, 1998.
    The Commission intends each regional conference to examine specific 
regional characteristics and institutional factors that bear upon the 
formation, governance, design and functions of ISOs or other types of 
organizations formed to administer the electric transmission grid on a 
regional basis. It wishes to examine whether the incorporation of such 
considerations into the Commission's policy on ISOs will foster more 
rapid ISO formation. The Commission also wishes to examine whether 
regional factors present barriers to the formation of ISOs, including 
ISOs of appropriate size, scope and membership as may be necessary to 
promote competition and reliability in bulk power markets and to 
support state initiatives providing for retain customer choice and 
direct access, and, if so, what actions can be undertaken to remove or 
reduce such barriers.

II. Regional Conferences

    The Commission will hold seven regional conferences as described 
below. A single Commissioner will preside at each conference. The 
Commissioner will be accompanied by a Commission staff member who will 
help direct questions to the panelists. Starting and ending times will 
be announced in a subsequent order.

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                                                                 City and conference                            
       Presiding commissioner            Conference date               location                 Docket No.      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comm. Massey.......................  May 28, 1998..........  Phoenix, AR, Hyatt Regency   PL98-5-001            
                                                              Phoenix, 122 North Second                         
                                                              Street, Phoenix, AR 85004,                        
                                                              (602) 252-1234.                                   

[[Page 24173]]

                                                                                                                
Comm. Massey.......................  May 29, 1998..........  Kansas City, MO, Embassy     PL98-5-002            
                                                              Suites, 7640 N.W. Tiffany                         
                                                              Springs Parkway, Kansas                           
                                                              City, MO 64153, (816) 891-                        
                                                              7788.                                             
Comm. Hebert.......................  June 1, 1998..........  New Orleans, LA, Doubletree  PL98-5-003            
                                                              Inn, 300 Canal Street, New                        
                                                              Orleans, LA 70130, (504)                          
                                                              581-1300.                                         
Comm. Bailey.......................  June 4, 1998..........  Indianapolis, IN, Adams      PL98-5-004            
                                                              Mark, 2544 Executive                              
                                                              Drive, Indianapolis, IN,                          
                                                              (317) 248-2481.                                   
Chr. Hoecker.......................  June 5, 1998..........  Portland, OR, Sheraton       PL98-5-005            
                                                              Portland, Airport Hotel,                          
                                                              8235 N.E. Airport Way,                            
                                                              Portland, OR 97220, (503)                         
                                                              281-2500.                                         
Comm. Bailey.......................  June 8, 1998..........  Richmond, Va, Richmond       PL98-5-006            
                                                              Airport, Holiday Inn, 5203                        
                                                              Williamsburg Road,                                
                                                              Richmond, VA 23150, (804)                         
                                                              222-6450.                                         
Comm. Breathitt....................  June 8, 1998..........  Orlando, FL, Marriott        PL98-5-007            
                                                              Orlando Airport, 7499                             
                                                              Augusta National Dr.,                             
                                                              Orlando, FL 32822, (407)                          
                                                              851-9000.                                         
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    All conferences will be open to the general public. No pre-
registration is required. No food service is provided as part of these 
conferences. Requests for hotel accommodations should be directed to 
the hotels identified above for each conference or to other hotels in 
the area.

III. Participation in Conference

    at this time, the Commission does not envision the use of topical 
panels at each of the regional conferences. However, we may group 
speakers expressing interests in common or similar issues on a single 
panel. Potential participants may wish to examine the extensive list of 
questions and topics appended to the Commission's initial order in this 
proceeding to become familiar with the scope of the Commission's 
interests.
    Persons wishing to speak at one of the conferences must submit a 
request to make a statement in the applicable subdocket in Docket No. 
PL98-5-000. The first page of the request should clearly specify the 
name, title and organization (if any) of the person desiring to speak, 
the party or parties the speaker represents, and the city for which 
participation is requested. The request must also include a brief 
synopsis (not to exceed three pages) of the regional issue or issues 
that each speaker wishes to address. The synopsis for each speaker 
should begin on a separate page.\2\ All requests must be filed (with an 
original and fourteen copies) with the Office of the Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 
20426, on or before May 8, 1998. The Commission may also contact 
industry experts to participate in each conference. The Commission will 
issue a further notice listing the speakers and panels for each 
conference.
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    \2\ A party may submit requests to speak for more than one 
speaker or for more than one city. However, requests should be 
organized by city and should clearly identify the region-specific 
issues that the speaker will address.
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    In addition, all interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments (not to exceed 10 pages) addressing topics to be discussed at 
the regional conferences on or before June 25, 1998. Comments must be 
filed (with an original and fourteen copies) with the Office of the 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426. Comments should pertain directly to the 
characteristics or institutional factors associated with a particular 
region and should be captioned with one of the particular subdocket(s) 
identified above. Comments of a general nature concerning regional 
issues should be submitted in Docket No. PL98-5-000.\3\ Comments in all 
subdockets as well as the lead docket will be considered in the 
Commission's examination of its ISO policies. All comments will be 
placed in the Commission's public files and will be available for 
inspection or copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room during 
normal business hours. Comments are also accessible via the 
Commission's Records Information Management System (RIMS) on the 
Commission's Internet web site at  http://www.ferc.fed.us.
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    \3\ This order does not extend the May 1, 1998 deadline in 
Docket No. PL98-5-000 for written comments that do not concern 
region-specific issues.
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    The Commission does not intend to broadcast the regional 
conferences. However, the Commission will arrange for a court reporter 
to transcribe the proceedings in each city. Persons interested in 
receiving a copy of one or more of the regional conference transcripts 
for a fee should contact Ace-Federal Reporters, Inc., at 202-347-3700.
    For further information concerning requests to speak at one of the 
regional conferences, contact:

E. Allen Mosher, Office of Electric Power Regulation, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, 
Voice: 202-208-0889, Fax: 202-208-0960, E-mail; 
[email protected]
Brian Gish, Office of General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, Voice: 202-
208-0996, Fax: 202-208-006, E-mail; [email protected]

    For further information concerning conference logistics, contact: 
Wanda V. Washington, Office of Executive Director and Chief Financial 
Officer, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., 
Washington, D.C. 20426, Voice: 202-208-1460, Fax: 202-208-0819, E-mail; 
[email protected]
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-11580 Filed 4-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M