[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 61106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29279]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. RP00-35-000]


Viking Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Tariff Filing

November 3, 1999.
    Take notice that on October 28, 1999, Viking Gas Transmission 
Company (Viking) tendered for filing to be part of its FERC Gas Tariff, 
First Revised Volume No. 1, the tariff sheets listed on Appendix A to 
the filing, to be effective November 27, 1999.
    Viking states that the purpose of this filing is to clarify that 
the incremental rates for firm transportation service under Rate 
Schedule FT-D shall govern the pricing of capacity as it becomes 
available on Viking's system. Viking finds it necessary to make this 
filing because Viking's tariff currently does not address this issue 
expressly, and because new Commission policies provide for the pricing 
of pipeline capacity as it becomes available at the rates for 
incrementally-priced expansion projects.
    Viking states that it believes that adoption of this pricing 
mechanism will provide better price signals to the market. Shippers 
will contract for capacity as it becomes available at rates capped at 
the incremental rates so that rates found just and reasonable for the 
incremental shippers will apply to all subsequent shippers receiving 
the same service. Viking believes this will have the effect of 
``rolling-up'' the rates over time and will encourage longer term 
contracts. To implement this policy, Viking proposes to sell capacity 
that is rolled over, extended or auctioned at rates up to the Rate 
Schedule FT-D rate. Viking proposes to return to shippers who are 
paying incremental rates (i.e., any rate higher than the pre-expansion 
rate) ninety percent of any incremental revenues that result from 
making capacity available under Rate Schedule FT-D.
    In addition, to create a level playing field for sale of all 
capacity as it becomes available, Viking proposes the same incremental 
pricing for temporary release and Rate Schedule IT and AOT services. 
Specifically, Viking proposes that temporary capacity release be made 
available at up to the Rate Schedule FT-D maximum rate and that 
releasing shippers be allowed to retain any excess revenues resulting 
from releasing capacity at up to the Rate Schedule FT-D maximum rate. 
Viking further proposes to set the Rate Schedules IT and AOT maximum 
rates at a 100 percent load factor derivative of the Rate Schedule FT-D 
maximum rate on an interim basis until Viking files its next general 
rate case proceeding. Viking proposes to return to shippers ninety 
percent of all incremental revenues that result from the interim rate 
change. Because the charge for Rate Schedule LMS is set at the maximum 
rate for Rate Schedule IT service, Viking is also making an interim 
adjustment to the charge for Rate Schedule LMS so that the charge for 
Rate Schedule LMS remains correlated with the maximum rate for Rate 
Schedule IT service.
    Viling states that copies of this filing have been mailed to all of 
its jurisdictional customers and to affected state regulatory 
commissions.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to protest said filing should 
file a motion to intervene or a protest with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426, in 
accordance with section 385.214 or 385.211 of the Commission's rules 
and regulations. All such motions or protests must be filed in 
accordance with section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations. 
Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants 
parties to the proceedings. Any person wishing to become a party must 
file a motion to intervene. Copies of this filing are on file with the 
Commission and are available for public inspection in the Public 
Reference Room. This filing may be viewed on the web at http://
wwe.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222 for assistance).
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-29279 Filed 11-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M