[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58751-58752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23694]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 35

[Docket No. RM01-12-000]


Remedying Undue Discrimination Through Open Access Transmission 
Service and Standard Electricity Market Design

September 10, 2002.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice revising public comment schedule and announcing 
technical conferences.

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SUMMARY: On July 31, 2002, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NOPR) in the

[[Page 58752]]

above-captioned docket, proposing to amend its regulations to remedy 
undue discrimination through open access transmission service and 
standard electricity market design, (67 FR 55452, August 29, 2002). The 
Commission is extending the time for parties to file comments on the 
proposed rule, providing parties an opportunity to file reply comments 
and convening a series of technical conferences to address several 
specific issues identified in the NOPR.

DATES: Comments should be filed on or before November 15, 2002.
    Reply comments should be filed on or before December 20, 2002.
    A series of conferences will be convened on: October 2, 2002, 
October 3, 2002 and December 11, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Office of the Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Withnell (Legal Information), 
Office of General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8287.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice Revising Public Comment Schedule and Announcing Technical 
Conferences

    In the six weeks since the Commission issued its Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NOPR) in the above-captioned docket, Commission members and 
staff have participated in numerous meetings and conferences throughout 
the country to discuss the proposed rule. These meetings have been a 
valuable source of information about the response of the general 
public, and specifically the electric utility industry, to the proposed 
Standard Market Design rule and the issues that the Commission must 
address going forward.
    1. Various entities have asserted that the 75-day comment period 
provided in the NOPR does not allow enough time for the public to 
review the NOPR and provide the detailed comments that the Commission 
requested therein. Several parties also have expressed their wish to 
provide reply comments in order to develop an on-the-record dialogue 
about the NOPR's proposals.
    2. We will grant an extension of time to permit all interested 
parties to file comments on the NOPR by November 15, 2002. In addition, 
we will allow all interested parties to file reply comments on or 
before December 20, 2002. All comments should include an executive 
summary that should not exceed ten pages.
    3. In addition, Commission staff will convene a series of technical 
conferences this fall to address several specific issues identified in 
the NOPR. The Commission also will reserve a week in January 2003 for 
any further technical conferences necessary to explore remaining areas 
of concern identified during our continued outreach and through the 
comment process.
    4. The fall conference schedule will be as follows:
    [sbull] October 2, 2002: Essential elements of a standard market 
monitoring plan. Please refer to the Notice issued in this docket on 
August 28, 2002 for further details.
    [sbull] October 3, 2002: Standard software to support electric grid 
and market operations under Standard Market Design. Please refer to the 
Notice issued in this docket on August 22, 2002 for further details.
    [sbull] December 11, 2002: This conference will address liability 
and indemnification provisions in the Standard Market Design Tariff, as 
specified in paragraph 389 of the NOPR.
    5. Each conference will be held from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 5 
p.m., at the offices of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Washington, DC. The conferences are open to the 
public, and registration is not required. Members of the Commission may 
attend and participate in the discussions. Further details about each 
conference will be provided in supplemental notices.
    2. Transcripts of the conference will be immediately available from 
Ace Reporting Company (202-347-3700 or 1-800-336-6646), for a fee. They 
will be available for the public on the Commission's FERRIS system two 
weeks after the conference. Additionally, Capitol Connection offers the 
opportunity for remote listening and viewing of the conference. It is 
available for a fee, live over the Internet, via C-Band Satellite. 
Persons interested in receiving the broadcast, or who need information 
on making arrangements should contact David Reininger or Julia Morelli 
at the Capitol Connection (703-993-3100) as soon as possible or visit 
the Capitol Connection website at http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu 
and click on ``FERC.''

    By direction of the Commission.
Magalie R. Saler,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-23694 Filed 9-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P