[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 155 (Friday, August 12, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 47093-47094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15980]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 35

[Docket No. RM05-4-001--Order No. 661]


Interconnection for Wind Energy

Issued August 5, 2005.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Order granting delay of effective date and extending compliance 
date.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is 
delaying the effective date of the Final Rule on Interconnection for 
Wind Energy, Order No. 661, 60 days from the current effective date 
(August 15, 2005) to October 14, 2005. The Commission is also extending 
the date by which public utilities must adopt the Appendix G included 
in the Final Rule to November 14, 2005.

DATES: The effective date for the rule published at 70 FR 34993 on June 
16, 2005 is delayed until October 14, 2005.
    Compliance Date: The date by which public utilities must adopt 
Appendix G is extended to November 14, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffery S. Dennis (Legal Information), 
Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. (202) 502-6027.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Before Commissioners: Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman; Nora Mead 
Brownell, and Suedeen G. Kelly.

Order Granting Extension of Effective Date and Extending Compliance 
Date

    1. On August 4, 2005, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) 
and the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) filed a 
request for extension of the effective date of the Commission's Final 
Rule, issued June 2, 2005 in this docket.\1\ AWEA and NERC state that 
they have initiated discussions to address the low voltage ride-through 
provisions of the Commission's Final

[[Page 47094]]

Rule. They request a 60-day extension of the effective date of the 
Final Rule to October 14, 2005.
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    \1\ Interconnection for Wind Energy, Order No. 661, 70 FR 34993 
(June 16, 2005), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,186 (2005) (Final Rule), 
reh'g pending.
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    2. For good cause shown, the Commission will extend the effective 
date of the Final Rule 60 days from the current effective date (August 
15, 2005) to October 14, 2005. Additionally, we will extend to November 
15, 2005, the date by which all public utilities that own, control, or 
operate transmission facilities in interstate commerce are to adopt the 
Final Rule Appendix G as amendments to the Large Generator 
Interconnection Procedures and Large Generator Interconnection 
Agreements (LGIAs) in their Open Access Transmission Tariffs.\2\ The 
transition period adopted in the Final Rule (which states that the low 
voltage ride-through, reactive power and supervisory control and data 
acquisition (SCADA) provisions apply only to LGIAs signed, filed with 
the Commission in executed form, or filed as non-conforming agreements, 
on or after January 1, 2006, or the date six months after publication 
of the Final Rule in the Federal Register) remains unchanged.
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    \2\ This extension also satisfies the request for extension 
submitted by Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. 
on August 4, 2005.
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    3. NERC and AWEA state that they will file a report with the 
Commission on or before September 14, 2005, describing the final 
results of their discussions and any recommended revisions to the low 
voltage ride-through provisions in the Final Rule. The Commission 
accepts this commitment, and will take any such recommended revisions 
submitted on or before September 14, 2005 into consideration as it 
considers the requests for rehearing filed in this proceeding. 
Additionally, the Commission will consider any supplemental comments 
related to the low voltage ride-through provisions of the Final Rule 
that are filed on or before September 14, 2005. However, the Commission 
will not consider comments that simply rehash prior arguments.
    The Commission orders:
    (A) The effective date of the Final Rule on Interconnection for 
Wind Energy is hereby extended to October 14, 2005, as discussed in the 
body of this order.
    (B) The date by which all public utilities that own, control, or 
operate transmission facilities in interstate commerce are to adopt the 
Final Rule Appendix G as amendments to the Large Generator 
Interconnection Procedures and Large Generator Interconnection 
Agreements in their Open Access Transmission Tariffs is hereby extended 
to November 14, 2005, as discussed in the body of this order.
    (C) The Secretary shall promptly publish a copy of this order in 
the Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-15980 Filed 8-11-05; 8:45 am]
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