[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11539-11540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5657]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-54-000]


Midwestern Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Application

March 4, 2003.
    On February 24, 2003, Midwestern Gas Transmission Company 
(Midwestern), P.O. Box 542500, Omaha, Nebraska 68154-8500, filed in 
Docket No. CP03-54-000, an application pursuant to Section 7(b) of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA), as amended, and part 157 of the regulations of 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission), for 
authorization to abandon a natural gas compressor unit and appurtenant 
facilities located at Compressor Station No. 2110, in Pike County, 
Indiana, all as more fully set forth in the application which is on 
file with the Commission and open to public inspection. This filing is 
available for review at the Commission or may be viewed on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``FERRIS'' link. 
Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket 
number field to access the document. For assistance, please contact 
FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll-free at (866) 
208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
    Midwestern states that it proposes to abandon in place a 1,100 
horsepower Solar Saturn turbine and appurtenant facilities located at 
Compressor Station No. 2110, in Pike County, Indiana (Unit 2110-B). 
Compressor Station No. 2110 is located on Midwestern's mainline, which 
extends from Sumner County, Tennessee to Will County, Illinois.
    Midwestern states that Unit 2110-B was originally installed in 
1979, was certified in Docket No. CP73-244, and on December 21,2000, 
Midwestern filed a petition for exemption pursuant to Section 
7(c)(1)(B) of the NGA. Midwestern states that the petition requested 
authority to inactivate Unit 2110-B on a temporary basis for a period 
of 18 to 24 months and that the petition was noticed on January 4, 
2001. Midwestern states also that the petition explained that Unit 
2110-B was expensive to operate and difficult to maintain due to its 
age (over 20 years). According to Midwestern, Unit 2110-B's capacity 
accounts for approximately 1.6% of the total horsepower on the 
Midwestern system and that abandonment of Unit 2110-B would reduce the 
capacity by approximately 4 MMcf/d, less than 1% of Midwestern's total 
throughput capacity. Midwestern states that the abandonment of this 
natural gas compressor unit will not affect current services on 
Midwestern's system. According to Midwestern, its current firm 
commitments across the affected pipeline segment totals 518 MMcf/d. 
With Unit 2110-B operating, Midwestern's mainline has a certified 
capacity of 678 MMcf/d but over the past two years the average 
throughput of the Midwestern system has been 296 MMcf/d. For the past 
three months, Midwestern states that the average throughput has been 
318 MMcf/d. A Commission order granting the petition for exemption was 
issued on February 23, 2001.
    Since the Commission's February 23, 2001 order, Midwestern states 
that it has determined that Unit 2110-B is not required to meet the 
firm service commitments of its existing customers and that current 
market conditions and volumetric requirements through Compressor 
Station No. 2110 do not show a need for Unit 2110-B.
    Midwestern states that Unit 2110-B is one of five natural gas 
compressor units located at Compressor Station No. 2110 and that there 
are no changes required to the four remaining natural gas compressor 
units or station facilities to meet the current service demands at this 
location on Midwestern's system. According to Midwestern, Unit 2110-B 
will be deactivated by removal of valving and associated piping and at 
such time that the retired natural gas compressor unit and any related 
appurtenant facilities are dismantled and removed, there is not 
expected to be any adverse effect on the environment. These facilities 
are located above ground, on previously disturbed ground, entirely 
within the boundaries of the Compressor Station No. 2110 site and no 
ground disturbance is foreseen in the abandonment of this natural gas 
compressor unit.
    Any questions concerning this application may be directed to 
Raymond D. Neppl, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Market 
Services, Midwestern Gas Transmission Company, P.O. Box 542500, Omaha, 
Nebraska 68154-8500, at (402) 492-7428.
    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 for this project should file with 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene 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) by the comment date below. 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 other 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 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

[[Page 11540]]

to this 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 in the protest.
    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 under the ``e-Filing'' link. 
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings.
    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 Commission order approving or denying a 
certificate will be issued.
    Comment Date: March 24, 2003.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-5657 Filed 3-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P