[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 240 (Tuesday, December 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69066-69067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33149]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-94-000]


Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Application

December 9, 1998.
    Take notice that on December 1, 1998, Florida Gas Transmission 
Company (FGT), 1400 Smith Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in the 
above docket an application pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas 
Act for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for 
authorization to: (I) construct, own, and operate certain pipeline 
facilities and additional compression on FGT's system (Phase IV 
Expansion), (II) allow FGT to roll-in the costs associated with the 
proposed Phase IV Expansion with FGT's Phase III System in any NGA 
Section 4 rate proceeding which becomes effective following the in-
service date of the Phase IV Expansion, and (iii) authorize certain 
accounting treatment related to certain of the proposed facilities, all 
as more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection.
    FGT proposes to construct, own, and operate approximately 205 miles 
of various diameter pipelines, additional compression totaling 48,570 
horsepower, four new delivery points including three new measurement 
stations, and various other miscellaneous facilities in the States of 
Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida as listed below:

Pipeline Additions

    (1) West Leg Extension: Approximately 113.6 miles of 30-inch and 
26-inch lines, starting at the intersection of the existing West Leg 
and the existing St. Petersburg/Sarasota Connector in Hillsborough 
County, Florida, traversing through Polk, Hardee, DeSoto, and Charlotte 
Counties, Florida, and ending at the proposed Florida Power and Light 
Company (FPL) Ft. Myers Measurement Station in Lee County, Florida. The 
first segment will consist of 75.6 miles of 30-inch line and the second 
segment will consist of 38.0 miles of 26-inch line.
    (2) Mainline Looping: Approximately 9.3 miles of 36-inch line, 
starting near mile post 152.7 in George County, Mississippi and ending 
near mile post 162.0 in Greene County, Mississippi. Approximately 5.5 
miles of 30-inch line, starting near mile post 515.3 in Suwannee 
County, Florida and ending near mile post 520.8 in Columbia County, 
Florida.
    Approximately 14.0 miles of 30-inch line, starting near mile post 
548.1 and ending near mile post 562.1, all in Bradford County, Florida. 
Approximately 6.0 miles of 30-inch line, starting near mile post 607.9 
and ending near mile post 613.9, all in Marion County, Florida.
    (3) Tampa South Lateral Extension: Extension of the existing 6-inch 
Tampa South Lateral by constructing approximately 5.62 miles of 4-inch 
line, starting at mile post 16.0 and ending at the proposed National 
Gypsum Measurement Station, all in Hillsborough County, Florida.
    (4) Sarasota Lateral Loop Extension: Extension of the existing 8-
inch Sarasota Lateral Loop by constructing approximately 4.09 miles of 
12-inch line, starting near mile post 69.5 and ending near mile post 
73.6, all in Manatee County, Florida.
    (5) Lake Wales Lateral Loop Extension: Extension of the existing 6-
inch Lake Wales Lateral Loop by constructing approximately 0.9 miles of 
6-inch line in Polk County, Florida, which will loop a portion of the 
existing 3-inch Lake Wales Lateral, starting at milepost 2.5 and ending 
near milepost 3.4, at the inlet side of the existing Citrus World Plant 
delivery point.
    (6) New Lateral Construction: The New Smyrna Beach Lateral which 
will consist of approximately 45.8 miles of 16-inch line, starting near 
mile post 646.8 on FGT's existing 24-inch and 26-inch mainlines, 
traversing Lake and Seminole, Counties and ending at the proposed Duke 
Energy Measurement Station in Volusia County, Florida.
    (7) Compressor Station Additions: A new 10,350 horsepower 
compressor unit (to be referred to as Compressor Station No. 12A) at 
its existing Compressor Station No. 12 in Santa Rosa County, Florida. A 
new 10,350 horsepower compressor unit (to be referred to as Compressor 
Station No. 13A) at its existing Compressor Station No. 13 in 
Washington County, Florida. A new 10,350 horsepower compressor unit (to 
be referred to as Compressor Station No. 14A) at its existing 
Compressor Station No. 14 in Gadsden County, Florida. A new Compressor 
station (to be referred to as Compressor Station No. 24), consisting of 
one 10,350 horsepower unit, on the existing 30-inch mainline in 
Gilchrist County, Florida. A new 7,170 horsepower compressor unit at 
its existing Compressor Station No. 26 in Citrus County, Florida.
    (8) Delivery Points/Measurement Stations: A new measurement station 
near Ft. Myers, to be used as FGT's delivery point to FPL, located at 
the terminus of the proposed West Leg Extension in Lee County, Florida. 
A new measurement station which will be used as FGT's delivery point to 
National Gypsum and located at the terminus of the proposed Tampa South 
Lateral in Hillsborough County, Florida. A new measurement station 
which will be used as FGT's delivery point to Duke Energy New Smyrna 
Beach Power Company. Ltd., L.L.P., located at the terminus of the 
proposed New Smyrna Beach Lateral in Volusia County, Florida. A new 
tap, electronic flow measurement and approximately 100 feet of 4-inch 
tie-in line on the proposed West Leg Extension near mile post 111.7 in 
Lee County, Florida to connect to PGS at PGS' Ft. Myers Measurement 
Station which will be built by PGS. The costs to construct the meter 
stations, taps and tie-in will be reimbursed by the respective 
customers.
    (9) Other Miscellaneous Facilities: A crossover from the proposed 
West Leg Extension, near mile post 28.3, to the existing 20-inch 
Agricola Lateral, near

[[Page 69067]]

mile post 0.0 where the two lines will cross in Polk County, Florida. 
Install a regulator at the interconnection of the existing Agricola and 
Sarasota Laterals. Re-stage its two existing 12,600 horsepower gas 
turbine-driven compressors and add a gas cooler and scrubber at 
Compressor Station No. 11A in Mobile County, Alabama. Re-stage its 
existing 12,600 horsepower gas turbine driven compressor at Compressor 
Station No. 15A in Taylor County, Florida. Construct other appurtenant 
facilities, including but not limited to regulation and separation 
facilities.
    The proposed Phase IV Expansion will add incremental mainline 
capacity to FGT's existing pipeline system of approximately 272,000 
MMBtu per day at an estimated construction cost of $350.8 million. The 
projected in-service date is May 1, 2001.
    FGT states that it conducted an open season to solicit interest and 
receive requests for transportation capacity in its proposed mainline 
expansion. As a result, eight (8) shippers have committed to firm 
transportation service for an annual average of approximately 327,000 
MMBtu per day (including turnback capacity). Such service will be 
rendered pursuant to FGT's blanket certificate under Subpart G of Part 
284 of the Commission's Regulations and Rate Schedule FTS-2 of FGT's 
Third Revised FERC Gas Tariff, Volume No. 1, subject to the receipt of 
all necessary regulatory approvals, including rolled-in rate treatment 
with Rate Schedule FTS-2 and the construction of the proposed Phase IV 
Expansion facilities. FGT states that it will conduct a supply area 
capacity allocation process in order to allocate mainline capacity and 
receipt point turnback capacity prior to the in-service date of the 
Phase IV Expansion.
    FGT requests that the Commission grant FGT rolled-in rate treatment 
of the costs associated with the Phase IV Expansion since the rate 
impact on existing FTS-2 customers of rolling in the costs is below the 
five percent (5%) threshold specified in the Commission's Statement of 
Policy, 71 FERC 61,241 (1995), for establishing a presumption in favor 
of rolled-in rates.
    FGT submitted pro forma tariff sheets for its FTS-2 service 
proposing to change defined levels of seasonal Maximum Daily 
Transportation Quantities from the current two seasonal periods of 
November through April and May through October to (1) October, (2) 
November through March, (3) April, and (4) May through September.
    FGT requests that the Commission issue a preliminary determination 
on the non-environmental aspects of its proposal by June 1, 1999, and a 
final order granting the authorizations requested herein by January 1, 
2000.
    FGT further requests it be allowed to phase-in gas deliveries to 
FPL at its Fort Myers Plant. FPL states that it needs this service to 
prepare each new generating turbine including purging of lines, test 
firing, full power testing and environmental and acceptance testing. 
FGT states that certain of the Phase IV facilities will have to be 
placed in service prior to the entire expansion, and at the time these 
certain facilities are place in service, FGT requests authorization to 
cease calculating AFUDC on those specific facilities and capture and 
defer, as a regulatory asset, depreciation and a calculated amount for 
pretax return, from the time these certain facilities are placed in 
service until the entire Phase IV Expansion is placed in service.
    Any person desiring to participate in the hearing process or to 
make any protest with reference to said application should on or before 
December 31, 1998, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, N.E., 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 358.211) and the 
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). All protests 
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 proceedings. 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.
    A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service 
list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive 
copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by every one of the 
intervenors. An intervenor can file for rehearing of any Commission 
order and can petition for court review of any such order. However, an 
intervenor must submit copies of comments or any other filing it makes 
with the Commission to every other intervenor in the proceeding, as 
well as 14 copies with the Commission.
    A person does not have to intervene, however, in order to have 
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit two copies of 
comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Commenters will be placed 
on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of 
environmental documents and will be able to participate in meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on 
all other parties, However, commenters will not receive copies of all 
documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission and will 
not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal the Commission's final 
order to a federal court.
    The Commission will consider all comments and concerns equally, 
whether filed by commenters or those requesting intervenor status.
    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 
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 believe that a formal hearing is 
required, further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for FGT to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-33149 Filed 12-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M