[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 190 (Friday, September 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58525-58526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24996]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP98-540-003]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; Notice of Amendment

September 25, 2000.
    Take notice that on September 20, 2000, Transcontinental Gas Pipe 
Line Corporation (Transco), P.O. Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251, filed 
in Docket No. CP98-540-003 a request to amend, pursuant to section 7(c) 
of the Natural Gas Act, a certificate of public convenience and 
necessity issued in the referenced proceeding on April 26, 2000.\1\ In 
the amendment, Transco requests authorization to (a) phase the 
construction of the MarketLink project to satisfy phased in-service 
dates requested by the project shippers, and (b) redesign the recourse 
rate based on phased construction of the project, 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).
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    \1\ 91 FERC para. 61,102 (2000).
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    Transco states that the name, address, and telephone number of the 
person to whom correspondence and communication concerning this 
application should be addressed is:

Virginia C. Levenback, Senior Counsel, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Corporation, Post Office Box 1396 (77056-6106), Houston, Texas 77251-
1396, (713) 215-2810.

    Transco states that it is not proposing in its amendment to change 
the overall facilities certificated by the Commission in this 
proceeding, only to phase that construction. Transco proposes to 
construct and operate the following certificated facilities in Phase 1 
of its MarketLink project:
    (1) 12.46 miles of 36-inch diameter pipeline loop between milepost 
(MP) 161.29 in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania and MP 173.75 in Clinton 
County, Pennsylvania (Haneyville Loop);
    (2) 4.17 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline between MP 25.20 and MP 
29.37 in Warren County, New Jersey (Clinton Loop);
    (3) 5.46 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline loop between MP 1802.73 
in Middlesex County, New Jersey and MP 1808.19 in Union County, New 
Jersey (Woodbridge Loop);
    (4) The installation of one new 15,000 horsepower (hp), turbine-
driven compressor unit and impeller replacements on three existing 
turbine-driven compressor units at Transco's existing Compressor 
Station 517, located at MP 115.18 in Columbia County, Pennsylvania;
    (5) The installation of one 15,000 horsepower (hp), electric motor-
driven compressor unit and impeller replacements on two existing 7,000 
hp electric motor-driven compressor units at Transco's existing 
Compressor Station 205, located at MP 1773.30 in Mercer County, New 
Jersey;
    (6) Modification of inlet/outlet headers at existing Compressor 
Station 200 at MP 1722.24 in Chester County, Pennsylvania to provide 
flow control under certain operating conditions on Transco's Trenton-
Woodbury Line; and
    (7) Modifications to reduce pressure in Transco's 42-inch Mainline 
E from 800 psig to 638 psig at Transco's existing Linden Regulator 
Station, located at MP 1808.19 in Union County, New Jersey.
    Transco states that the construction of the Phase I facilities will 
create an additional 166,000 dts/d of firm transportation capacity by a 
proposed in-service date of November 1, 2001.
    Transco states that it has executed firm service agreements under 
Rate Schedule FT for Phase I MarketLink service commencing on November 
1, 2001 with the following shippers: Aquila Energy Marketing 
Corporation (25,000 dts/d); Consolidated Edison Energy, as Agent for 
Consolidated Edison of New York, Inc. (30,000 dts/d); ConEdison Energy 
(10,000 dts/d); St. Lawrence Cement Co., L.L.C. (1,000 dts/d); and 
Williams Energy Marketing & Trading Company (100,000 dts/d).
    Transco also states that it proposes to construct and operate the 
following certificated facilities in Phase II of the MarketLink 
project:
    (1) 4.90 miles of 36-inch diameter pipeline loop between MP 173.75 
and MP 178.65 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania (Haneyville Loop);
    (2) 4.44 miles of 42-inch diameter loop between MP 138.30 and MP 
142.74 in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania; and 1.79 miles of 36-inch 
diameter pipeline loop between MP 142.74 and MP 144.53 in Lycoming 
County, Pennsylvania (Williamsport Loop);
    (3) 7.0 miles of 42-inch diameter between MP 39.28 and milepost 
115.18 in Columbia County, Pennsylvania (Benton Loop);
    (4) 6.98 miles of 42-inch diameter loop between MP 18.22 in 
Hunterton County, New Jersey and MP 25.20 in Warren County, New Jersey 
(Clinton Loop);
    (5) 7.1 miles of 36-inch diameter loop between MP 18.96 and MP 
26.06 in Burlington County, New Jersey (Bordentown Loop); and
    (6) The replacement of an existing 6.3 miles of 12-inch diameter 
pipeline loop between MP 30.53 and MP 36.83 in Burlington County, New 
Jersey, with a 36-inch diameter pipeline loop. The 12-inch pipeline 
segment will be removed and the 36-inch replacement pipeline will be 
installed in the same trench (Mt. Laurel Replacement).
    Transco states that the construction of Phase 2 facilities will 
create an additional 130,000 dts/d of firm transportation capacity by a 
proposed in-service date of November 1,2002.
    Transco also states that it has firm service agreements under Rate 
Schedule FT for Phase 2 MarketLink service with the following shippers: 
PPL EnergyPlus, LLC (30,000dts/d); and Virginia Power Energy Marketing 
(100,000 dts/d).
    Transco states that it will file subsequent amendments to construct 
additional phases of the project as shippers finalize their own 
arrangements and as their precedent agreements are converted to firm 
service agreements. Transco states that such filing will match the 
certificated facilities to be constructed to serve that phase of the 
market and will establish a revised recourse rate. Transco anticipates 
that all MarketLink facilities certificated by the Commission in its 
April 26, 2000 order will be constructed and placed in service by 
November 1, 2004.
    Transco states that the estimated costs of the proposed Phase I 
facilities is

[[Page 58526]]

$123.3 million and that the estimated costs of the proposed Phase II 
facilities is $119.6 million. Transco states that the initial recourse 
rate for Phase I MarketLink service is a separately stated incremental 
monthly reservation rate of $11.9394 per dt. According to Transco, the 
initial recourse rate will be revised to $12.7346 per dt after the 
Phase II facilities are constructed and placed in service. Such revised 
recourse rate will then apply to Phase I and II MarketLink service 
until subsequent phases of the MarketLink project are placed in 
service. Transco states that the proposed recourse rates are based upon 
a straight-fixed variable rate design.
    Transco further states that the MarketLink shippers will also be 
charged fuel retention, electric power, and other applicable surcharges 
applicable under Transco's Rate Schedule FT, as approved by the 
Commission from time to time. The electric power unit rate and fuel 
retention will be the generally applicable levels under Rate Schedule 
FT for Transco's Rate Zone 6.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said Application should on or before October 16, 2000, 
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
NW., 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 385.211 or 18 CFR 385.214) 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 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.
    A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service 
list maintained by the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents issued by the Commission, filed by the applicant, or filed by 
all other intervenors. An intervenor can file for rehearing of any 
Commission order and can petition for court review of any such order. 
However, and 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 Secretary of the Commission. Commenters will be placed on 
the Commission's environmental mailing listing, 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 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 intervener status.
    Take further notice that pursuant to the authority contained in and 
subject to the Jurisdiction conferred upon the 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 petition 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 abandonment 
is required by the public convenience and necessity. If a petition 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 Transco to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-24996 Filed 9-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M