[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 35062-35064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11995]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Parts 37, 161, 250, 284, and 358

[Docket No. RM01-10-000]


Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers; Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice organizing technical conference.

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SUMMARY: In Docket No. RM01-10-000, the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission proposed to promulgate new standards of conduct regulations

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that apply uniformly to natural gas pipelines and transmitting public 
utilities (jointly referred to as transmission providers) that are 
currently subject to the gas standards of conduct, 18 CFR part 161 
(2001), and the electric standards of conduct, 18 CFR part 37 (2001), 
66 FR 50919 (Oct. 5, 2001). The Commission proposed to adopt one set of 
standards of conduct to govern the relationships between regulated 
transmission providers and their energy affiliates, broadening the 
definition of an affiliate covered by the standards of conduct. The 
Commission proposed to codify the standards of conduct in a new 
Subchapter S, Part 358, delete the current standards of conduct at Part 
161 and Sec. 37.4, and make conforming changes to other regulations as 
necessary. On May 21, 2002, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
staff will hold a public conference to discuss the proposed revisions 
to the gas and electric standards of conduct. The conference will focus 
on: the definition of energy affiliate; application of the rules to the 
bundled sales function for retail native load; the independent 
functioning requirement; information disclosure rules; the posting of 
specified information, e.g., discount information.

DATES: The conference will take place on May 21, 2002, starting at 9:30 
a.m. Persons wishing to submit further comments following the 
conclusion of the conference must submit them by June 14, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The conference will be held at the Commission's offices at 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC in the Commission's meeting room. 
File written comments on the proposed rulemaking with the Office of the 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. Comments should reference Docket No. RM01-10-000. 
Comments may be filed electronically or by paper (an original and 16 
copies, with an accompanying computer diskette in the prescribed format 
requested).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Demetra E. Anas, Office of General 
Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-0178, email: ferc.gov">Demetra.Anas@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice Organizing Technical Conference

May 8, 2002.
    This notice provides additional information concerning the May 21, 
2002 technical conference to be held in this docket to discuss the 
proposed revisions to the gas and electric standards of conduct 
governing transmission providers and their energy affiliates. See April 
25, 2002 Notice of Technical Conference and Staff Analysis of the Major 
Issues Raised in the Comments. The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. 
at the Commission's offices, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC in 
the Commission's Meeting Room. All interested persons are invited to 
attend. Participants must use the First Street entrance to the building 
because of nearby construction.
    The order of the discussion at the conference will follow the 
organization of the Staff Paper that was attached to the April 25th 
Notice: (1) The definition of energy affiliate; (2) application of the 
rules to the bundled sales function for retail native load; (3) the 
independent functioning requirement; (4) information disclosure rules; 
and (5) the posting of specified information, e.g., discount 
information. Each topic will be discussed for approximately one to one 
and one-half hour.
    Those interested in participating in the discussion of particular 
topics should indicate their interest by May 15, 2002 by calling 
Demetra Anas at (202) 208-0178 or via e-mail to: demetra.anas@ferc.gov. 
This is to ensure that adequate seating is available in the Commission 
Meeting Room for those who want to participate in the discussion. We 
intend to accommodate as many speakers as time permits to participate 
in a give-and-take discussion of each of the five topics noted in the 
prior paragraph, in turn. Observers will be accommodated in the 
Commission Meeting Room on a space available basis, but there will be 
seating available in an overflow room which will have a broadcast of 
the discussion. Each request to participate must include a contact 
person, telephone number and e-mail address. In addition, each request 
should identify the specific issues the requestor is interested in 
discussing.
    Attendees who want to propose alternatives to the regulatory text 
from the April 25, 2002 Staff Paper or to the Commission's Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking should come prepared to share specific proposed 
language. Also, the participation of people familiar with the business 
operations of the transmission providers and their energy affiliates is 
particularly invited. Participants are encouraged to offer assessments 
of the quantitative impacts of the proposed rule and the benefits to be 
obtained by the proposed rule.
    Procedures to file additional comments:
    Interested persons may file additional comments on the issues 
discussed at the conference, or other matters relevant to this 
proceeding, including alternative proposals by June 14, 2002. Comments 
should include a one-page single spaced position summary. Comments may 
be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those filing 
electronically do not need to make a paper filing. For paper filings, 
the original and 14 copies of such comments should be submitted to the 
Office of the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Washington, DC, 20426 and should refer to Docket No. 
RM01-10-000.
    Comments filed via the Internet must be prepared in WordPerfect, MS 
Word, Portable Document Format, or ASCII format. To file the document, 
access the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) and clock on ``Make an 
e-filing,'' and then follow the instructions for each screen. First-
time users will have to establish a user name and password. The 
Commission will send an automatic acknowledgment to the sender's E-mail 
address upon receipt of the comments.
    User assistance for electronic filing is available at 202-208-0258 
or by E-mail to ferc.gov">efiling@ferc.gov. Comments should not be submitted to 
the e-mail address. All comments will be placed in the Commission's 
public files and will be available for inspection in the Commission's 
Public Reference Room at 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 
during regular business hours. Additionally, all comments may be 
viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via Internet through FERC's 
Homepage using the RIMS link. User assistance for RIMS is available at 
202-208-2222, or by E-mail to rimsmaster@ ferc.gov.
    Remote access to the conference:
    The Capitol Connection patrons in the Washington, DC area will 
receive notices regarding the broadcast of the conference. It also will 
be available, for a fee, live over the Internet, via C-Band Satellite, 
and via telephone conferencing. Persons interested in receiving the 
broadcast, or who need further information, should contact David 
Reininger or Julia Morelli at the Capitol Connection (703-993-3100) as 
soon as possible or visit the Capitol Connection web site at http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu and click on ``FERC.''
    In addition, National Narrowcast Network's Hearing-On-The-Line 
service covers all FERC meetings live by telephone so that interested 
persons can listen at their desks, from their homes, or from any phone, 
without special

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equipment. Billing is based on time on-line. Call (202) 966-2211 for 
further details.
    Questions about participating at the conference should be directed 
to: Demetra Anas, Office of General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, 202-208-0178. 
ferc.gov">Demetra.Anas@ferc.gov

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-11995 Filed 5-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P