[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 20147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9706]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-145-000]


Otay Mesa Generating Company, LLC; Notice of Application

April 13, 2001.
    Take notice that on April 6, 2001, Otay Mesa Generating Company, 
LLC (Otay Mesa), 7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 1300, Bethesda, 
Maryland 20814-6161, pursuant to section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) 
and Part 153 of the Commission's regulations, filed an application in 
Docket No. CP01-145-000, for a Presidential Permit and for authority to 
site, construct, operate, and maintain natural gas facilities, 
consisting of approximately 340 feet of 16-inch diameter pipeline, at 
the border of the United States and Mexico in San Diego County, 
California. The facilities will be used to import up to 110 MMcf per 
day of natural gas, all as more fully set forth in the application 
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. 
This filing may also be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222 for assistance). The name, address, 
and telephone/fax numbers of the applicant's representative, to whom 
correspondence and communications concerning this application should be 
addressed is: Sharon Segner, Otay Mesa Generating Company, LLC, 1100 
Louisiana, Floor 16, Houston, Texas 77002, (713) 371-6010 (Phone) or 
(713) 371-7215 (Fax).
    Otay Mesa is owned by Otay Mesa Corporation and PG&E Generating 
Energy Group, LLC. Otay Mesa states that it has proposed to construct a 
natural gas-fired electric power generating plant in San Diego County, 
California, that will be connected to its proposed border crossing 
facilities by a 1.5 mile long pipeline. Otay Mesa hopes to receive 
final approval for the power plant from the California Energy 
Commission on April 18, 2001.
    It is stated, that the border crossing facilities will be used 
solely for private transportation service to supply Otay Mesa's 
proposed electric generating plant. According to Otay Mesa, its 
California Energy Commission permit will license, for the power plant, 
interconnections with the facilities of both Transportation de Gas 
Natural de Baja California (TGN), at the United States/Mexico border, 
and San Diego Gas and Electric Company.
    The gas that is transported by TGN to Otay Mesa's border crossing 
facilities is produced in the United States (in the San Juan and 
Permian Basins) and would be transported by, among others, North Baja 
Pipeline, LLC (NBP) to the United States/Mexico border, and then 
further transported by Gasducto Bajanorte, S. de R.L. de C.V. (GBN) 
from the border to an interconnect with TGN's system near Tijuana, 
Mexico. NBP has an application pending before the Commission, in Docket 
Nos. CP01-22-000, et al., requesting authorization to construct and 
operate the required pipeline facilities. GBN received a permit to 
construct and operate the Mexican portion of the facilities from the 
Mexican Comison Reguladoro De Energia on December 15, 2000, in Docket 
No. S27-G-624-0. Otay Mesa states that it will file an application for 
Department of Energy/Office of Fossil Energy (DOE/FE) authorization to 
import up to 110 MMcf per day from Mexico or will purchase the natural 
gas on the U.S. side of the border from an entity that has such DOE/FE 
import authorization.
    Otay Mesa has not yet entered into a construction and operation 
agreement and, therefore, requests waiver of section 153.8(4) of the 
Commission's regulations which require the filing of such agreement as 
Exhibit D of the application. Otay Mesa explains that it desired to 
have its request pending before the Commission at the earliest possible 
date so that there will be no unnecessary delays in providing for the 
supply of natural gas to its proposed power plant, and states that Otay 
Mesa will submit the construction and operating agreement to the 
Commission at the earliest possible date. Otay Mesa expects to begin 
construction on the proposed border crossing facilities in late 2002 or 
early 2003 and that construction will take 30 days to complete.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before May 4, 2001, file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20426, a 
petition 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 proceeding. Any person wishing to 
become a party to a proceeding or to participate as a party in any 
hearing therein must file a petition to intervene in accordance with 
the Commission's rules. Comments, protests and interventions may be 
filed electronically via the internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's web site 
at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.
    Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in 
and subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission by Sections 3 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 certificate is required by the public 
convenience and necessity. If a petition for leave 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 provided for, unless otherwise advised, it will be 
unnecessary for Otay Mesa to appear or be represented at the hearing.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-9706 Filed 4-18-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M