[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20978-20979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10327]



[[Page 20978]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-153-000]


Tuscarora Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Application

April 20, 2001.
    Take notice that on April 12, 2001, Tuscarora Gas Transmission 
Company (Tuscarora), 1575 Delucchi Lane, Suite 225, Reno, Nevada 89520-
3057, filed in Docket No. CP01-153-000 an abbreviated application 
pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), as amended, and the 
Commission's Rules and Regulations, for a certificate of public 
convenience and necessity authorizing Tuscarora to construct, install, 
own, operate and maintain facilities in order to provide up to 95,912 
decatherms per day (Dth/d) of firm transportation service to four 
expansion shippers, all as more fully set forth in the application 
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. The 
filing may be viewed at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 
202-208-2222 for assistance).
    Tuscarora states that, in January 2000 and September 2000, it held 
open seasons to determine the market need for additional capacity on 
its system. It is indicated that the open seasons established that 
95,912 dt of new capacity will be required to meet the needs of 
existing and new shippers by the 2002-2003 winter heating seasons. To 
meet those requirements, Tuscarora states that it proposes to construct 
and operate a 14.2 mile pipeline (1,000 psig maximum allowable 
operating pressure) commencing at a new interconnect at Tuscarora's 
existing mainline at approximately milepost (MP) 226.5, and terminating 
at the Paiute Interconnect Meter Station, with an additional pipeline 
extension leading to the Washoe Energy Facility, a proposed merchant 
power generation facility to be constructed by Duke Energy North 
America, L.L.C. approximately 3.5 miles northwest of Wadsworth, Nevada, 
in Washoe County, Nevada.
    In addition, Tuscarora states that it has also proposed to 
construct and operate: (1) One new mainline/isolation valve at MP 0 on 
the Wadsworth lateral (near MP 226.5 on the Tuscarora mainline) 
(Wadsworth Tap); (2) two new meter stations and associated valves 
located near: (i) MP 10.5 on the Wadsworth Lateral (Paiute 
Interconnect), and (ii) the terminus (MP 14.2) of the Wadsworth Lateral 
(Washoe Meter Station); (3) three new gas-fired compressor stations 
located in Modoc and Lassen Counties, California; and (4) appurtenant 
facilities that are reasonably necessary to construct, maintain and 
operate the 2002 Expansion Project as more fully described in the 
application.
    Tuscarora states that the proposed facilities will be designed to 
transport additional firm transportation service for the account of the 
four Expansion Shippers,\1\ which include two Local Distribution 
Companies (LDCs) and two electric generating facilities. Tuscarora 
indicates that the Expansion Shippers have executed binding agreements 
with Tuscarora for long-term firm transportation service rendered 
pursuant to Tuscarora's existing Rate Schedule FT rates in effect from 
time to time.\2\
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    \1\ Sierra Pacific Power Company; Southwest Gas Corporation; 
Duke Energy North America, L.L.C. (DENA); and, Morgan Stanley 
Capital Group Inc.
    \2\ The volumes per day (Dth/d) for Sierra Pacific Power Company 
is 11,412 (reflects a total contracted capacity of 17,073 Dth/d and 
includes three increments of capacity) with an in-service date of 
11/1/02; for Southwest Gas Corporation is 24,500 with an in-service 
date of 11/1/02; for Duke Energy North America, L.L.C. is 40,000 
with an in-service date of 2/1/03; and for Morgan Stanley Capital 
Group Inc. is 20,000 with an in-service date of 12/1/02.
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    Tuscarora states that it will commence installation of the 
facilities in or about April 2002 to meet the first of its expansion 
shippers' in-service dates of November 1, 2002. Tuscarora states that 
the urgent need for the 2002 Expansion Project is driven by the 
tremendous growth in gas demand in Northern Nevada and California. 
Tuscarora states that the two local distribution companies that are 
participating in this project are experiencing significant increases in 
their residential customer bases, resulting from extremely rapid growth 
in the communities they serve. Tuscarora also states that this project 
is further supported by two power generators that are constructing new 
electric generating facilities to meet the significant growth in 
electric power demand in the region.
    Tuscarora states that the proposed facilities will cost 
approximately $57.8 million and that approximately 30 percent of the 
required capital for the expansion will be furnished by the Partners 
\3\ as equity, and that 70 percent will be financed with debt, which 
will consist of bank debt during the construction period.
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    \3\ Partners refers to Tuscarora Gas Pipeline Company, TC 
Tuscarora Intermediate Limited Partnership, and TCPL Tuscarora 
Limited.
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    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Terry Wolverton, Tuscarora Gas Transmission Company, 1575 Delucchi 
Lane, Suite 225, P.O. Box 30057, Reno, Nevada 89520-3057, call (775) 
834-4292, or fax (775) 834-3886.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings should on or before May 11, 2001, 
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 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 NGA (18 CFR 
157.10). A person obtaining party 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 all other 
parties. A party must submit 14 copies of filings made with the 
Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every party in 
the proceeding.
    Only parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of 
Commission orders in the proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene, however, in order to 
have comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing 
with the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original 
and two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to the 
project. The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved with the protest.
    Environmental commenters will be placed on the Commission's 
environmental mailing list, will receive copies of the 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 may issue a preliminary determination on non-
environmental issues prior to the completion of its review of the 
environmental aspects of the project.

[[Page 20979]]

This preliminary determination typically considers such issues as the 
need for the project and its economic effect on existing customers of 
the applicant, on other pipelines in the area, and on landowners and 
communities. For example, the Commission considers the extent to which 
the applicant may need to exercise eminent domain to obtain rights-of-
way for the proposed project and balances that against the non-
environmental benefits to be provided by the project. Therefore, if a 
person has comments on community and landowner impacts from the 
proposal, it is important either to file comments or to intervene as 
early in the process as possible.
    Also, 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 website at 
http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.
    If the Commission decides to set the application for a formal 
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, the Commission will issue 
another notice describing that process. At the end of the Commission's 
review process, a final order approving or denying a certificate will 
be issued.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-10327 Filed 4-25-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M