[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 196 (Thursday, October 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58320-58321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25620]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket Nos. PP-66-2 and PP-82-3]


Application To Amend Presidential Permits; Vermont Electric Power 
Company, Inc.

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Vermont Electric Power Company, Inc. (VELCO) has applied to 
amend Presidential Permit PP-66 to change way the subject facilities 
are authorized to operate. VELCO also has applied to amend Presidential 
Permit PP-82 to change the names of the owners of the interconnection 
facilities and to increase the amount of power imports allowed over 
these facilities.

DATES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene must be submitted on 
or before November 10, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene should be 
addressed as follows: Office of Coal & Power Import/Export (FE-27), 
Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0350 (FAX 202-318-7761).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jerry Pell (Program Office) 202-
586-3362, [email protected], or Michael Skinker (Program Attorney) 
202-586-2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The construction, operation, maintenance, 
and connection of facilities at the international border of the United 
States for the transmission of electric energy between the United 
States and a foreign country is prohibited in the absence of a 
Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 10485, as 
amended by EO 12038. Upon issuance of such a Presidential permit, no 
material change may be made in the way the facilities are operated 
unless

[[Page 58321]]

such change has been approved by the Department of Energy (DOE).
    On June 21, 1979, DOE issued Presidential Permit PP-66 to Citizens 
Utilities Company (now Citizens Communications Company; ``Citizens'') 
for one 120,000-volt (120-kV) electric transmission line that crosses 
the United States border with Canada near Derby Line, Vermont, and 
interconnects with similar transmission facilities in Canada owned by 
Hydro Quebec. On August 21, 2003, Citizens and VELCO (collectively, the 
``Applicants'') jointly filed an application with DOE to transfer 
Presidential Permit PP-66 from Citizens to VELCO. VELCO is a Vermont 
corporation comprised of several electric utilities operating in 
Vermont (as further described in the application). VELCO currently owns 
and operates most of the bulk transmission facilities in Vermont, other 
than those currently owned by Citizens.
    VELCO has proposed to purchase from Citizens transmission 
facilities in northern Vermont, including the international 
transmission facilities authorized by Presidential Permit PP-66. Notice 
of the VELCO and Citizens' application to transfer PP-66 appeared in 
the Federal Register on September 2, 2003, (68 FR 52187) and that 
matter is still pending.
    On September 3, 2003, VELCO applied to amend Presidential Permit 
PP-66 to authorize a change in the operation of the facilities (``Derby 
Interconnection Facilities'') as part of VELCO's Northern Loop Project. 
VELCO claims that the ``Northern Loop Project'' would improve the 
reliability of VELCO's bulk transmission system in northern Vermont and 
that the requested change will reduce peak imports over the Derby 
Interconnection Facilities from TransEnergie in the Canadian Province 
of Quebec. In that same application, VELCO also requested that 
Presidential Permit PP-82 be amended to change the names of the 
companies that comprise the Joint Owners of the Highgate Project (the 
permit holder) and to increase the allowable level of imports over the 
PP-82 facilities to 250 MW.
    In its application, VELCO states that the effect of the Northern 
Loop Project would be to shift load supplied in Northwestern Vermont 
from the PP-66 facilities to the PP-82 facilities. This would result in 
a decrease in electricity imports from Canada over the PP-66 facilities 
and an increase in imports over the PP-82 facilities.
    In its application, VELCO states that implementation of the 
Northern Loop Project may require the following physical modifications:
    [sbull] Replacement of the existing 48-kilovolt (kV) transmission 
line between VELCO's Irasburg Substation and the so-called ``Mosher's 
Tap'' with a new, double-circuit 115 kV/48 kV line;
    [sbull] Connection of this line's 115-kV circuit to one circuit of 
the existing Mosher's Tap-Highgate Substation line, now operated at 120 
kV but to be operated thereafter at 115 kV;
    [sbull] Connection of this 115-kV circuit at Highgate Substation to 
VELCO's existing 115-kV line from Georgia to Highgate via a new bus 
constructed at the Highgate Substation;
    [sbull] Consolidation of VELCO's and Citizens' now-separate 
substations in Highgate, a project that may also connect the Highgate 
Interconnection Facilities (north of the converter terminal) to the 
120-kV bus in Highgate Substation (the ``Highgate Tap''); and,
    [sbull] Related improvements to VELCO's St. Johnsbury, Irasburg and 
St. Albans Substations.

Procedural Matters

    Any person desiring to become a party to this proceeding or to be 
heard by filing comments or protests to this application should file a 
petition to intervene, comment or protest at the address provided above 
in accordance with Sec. Sec.  385.211 or 385.214 of the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 
385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each petition and protest should 
be filed with DOE on or before the date listed above.
    Comments on VELCO's application to amend the Presidential Permit 
PP-66 for the Derby Interconnection Facilities should be clearly marked 
with Docket PP-66-2. Comments on VELCO's application to amend 
Presidential Permit PP-82 should be clearly marked with Docket PP-82-3. 
Additional copies are to be filed directly with L. Russell Mitten, 
Esq., V.P., General Counsel, Citizens Communications Company, 3 High 
Ridge Park, Stamford, CT 06905; Mr. Gary Parker, V.P., Director of 
Planning, Engineering, Construction and Transmission, Vermont Electric 
Power Company, Inc., 366 Pinnacle Ridge Road, Rutland, VT 05701; AND 
Kenneth G. Hurwitz, Esq., Haynes and Boone, LLP, 550 11th Street, NW., 
Suite 650, Washington, DC 20004-1314; and John H. Marshall, Esq., Downs 
Rachlin Martin PLLC, 90 Prospect Street, P.O. Box 99, St. Johnsbury, VT 
05819-0099.
    Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, DOE must 
determine that the proposed action will not adversely impact on the 
reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system. In addition, DOE 
must consider the environmental impacts of the proposed action (i.e., 
granting the Presidential permit with any conditions and limitations, 
or denying it) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969. DOE also must obtain the concurrence of the Secretary of State 
and the Secretary of Defense before taking final action on a 
Presidential permit application.
    Copies of these applications will be made available, upon request, 
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above or by 
accessing the Electricity Regulation home page at http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/electricityregulation/. Select ``Pending 
Proceedings'' from the options menu.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 3, 2003.
Anthony J. Como,
Deputy Director, Electric Power Regulation, Office of Coal & Power 
Import/Export, Office of Coal & Power Systems, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 03-25620 Filed 10-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P