[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 2146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-788]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP00-64-000]


CNG Transmission Corporation; Notice of Application

January 7, 2000.
    Take notice that on December 29, 1999, CNG Transmission Corporation 
(CNG), 445 West Main Street, Clarksburg, West Virginia 26301, filed in 
Docket No. CP00-64-000 an application pursuant to Sections 7(c) and 
7(b) of the Natural Gas Act for a certificate of public convenience and 
necessity to construct and operate certain pipeline and compression 
facilities located in Pennsylvania and New York and approval to abandon 
a segment of a pipeline located in Pennsylvania, all as more fully set 
forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open 
to public inspection. This filing may be viewed on the web at http://
www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call (202) 208-2222 for assistance).
    CNG requests authorization to construct and operate facilities in 
order to substitute its own transportation capacity for market area 
service entitlements that CNG currently holds on Tennessee Gas Pipeline 
Company (Tennessee) pursuant to Contract No. 3919. Specifically, CNG 
requests authorization to: (1) Construct 13 miles of 30-inch pipeline, 
known as TL 474x2, to loop CNG's existing pipeline in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania; (2) install 4.450 horsepower (hp) of additional 
compression at Punxsutawney Station in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania; 
(3) install 2,400 hp of additional compression at Ardell Station in Elk 
County, Pennsylvania; (4) install 6,400 hp of compression at a new 
station, Little Greenlick Relay Station, in Potter County, 
Pennsylvania; (5) install 7,000 hp of compression at a new station 
site, Brookman Corners Station, in Montgomery County, New York; and (6) 
construct 800 feet of 30-inch pipeline, known as the Connector Line 
(TL-510), between TL-474x2 and LN-26 and LN-380 in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania.
    CNG estimates the cost of the proposed project to be $63.5 million 
and will be financed through funds on hand or funds obtained from CNG's 
parent, Consolidated Natural Gas Company.
    CNG also requests permission to abandon in place 12.9 miles of 12-
inch pipeline in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania known as LN-9 and 
physically remove 700 feet of that line.
    CNG states that as part of CNG's Order No. 636 restructuring 
settlement, CNG agreed to assign its upstream capacity on Tennessee 
from the production area to a Zone 3 transfer point, while retaining 
the capacity from the transfer point to delivery points interconnecting 
with CNG in Tennessee Zones 4 and 5. It is stated that as part of their 
conversion from firm sales to firm transportation service, CNG's 
converting sales service customers received assignment of CNG's 
capacity on Tennessee from the Gulf to Physical points in Zones 3 and 
to the transfer point, which is referred to as south Webster. It is 
further stated that under Tennessee's Contract No. 3919, dated October 
1, 1993, CNG retained firm transportation capacity on Tennessee from 
South Webster downstream to the Zone 4 and Zone 5 delivery points to 
facilitate dispatching and no-notice service to CNG's customers.
    CNG states that in order for Tennessee to preserve revenue 
neutrality, the upstream contract that feeds the CNG/Tennessee Contract 
No. 3919 must match exactly the maximum daily quantity of the 
downstream contract. It is stated that if a mismatch occurs, any such 
quantities on Contract No. 3919 will be priced to CNG at Tennessee's 
maximum tariff rates for FT-A services. Therefore, as CNG's assignees 
have elected to turn back upstream Tennessee capacity, CNG's costs 
would necessarily go up unless CNG chooses to turn back a like quantity 
of service downstream of South Webster.
    It is stated that CNG and its customers have determined that CNG 
must take action to prevent the precipitous cost increase to its 
customers that would result from renewing the downstream Tennessee 
contract without corresponding upstream renewals. Therefore, in Docket 
No. CP00-64-000, CNG proposes to build facilities to enable it to serve 
its existing market without having to rely on Tennessee for the 
traditional looping service provided under this contract. Thus, CNG 
maintains that its customers will avoid the anticipated Tennessee cost 
increase that will result if CNG renews the contract at Tennessee's 
maximum rates.
    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to Sean 
R. Sleigh, Manager of Certificates at (304) 623-8462, CNG Transmission 
Corporation, 445 West Main Street, Clarksburg, West Virginia 26301.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before January 28, 2000, 
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
NE, Washington, DC 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 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.
    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 and permission and approval for 
the proposed abandonment are 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 the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for CNG to appeal or be represented at the 
hearing.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-788 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M