[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 192 (Thursday, October 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57350-57351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-23210]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. RP07-139-000, RP08-479-000, RP08-487-000 (not 
consolidated)]


Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, Saltville Gas Storage Company, 
LLC, East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC; Notice of Technical Conference

September 26, 2008.
    On January 19, 2007, Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC (Algonquin) 
filed proposed changes to its tariff sheets concerning, among other 
things, a net present value (NPV) allocation methodology for available 
capacity that considered probability of default as one of its factors. 
On February 16, 2007, the Commission accepted and suspended the 
proposed tariff changes, subject to refund and conditions.\1\ On July 
19, 2007, the Commission accepted Algonquin's compliance filing subject 
to certain modifications.\2\ On September 19, 2007, the Commission 
granted a request for rehearing for further consideration.
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    \1\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 118 FERC ]61,123.
    \2\ Id., 120 FERC ]61,072.
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    On August 1, 2008, in Docket No. RP08-479-000, Saltville Gas 
Storage Company, LLC (Saltville) and, in Docket No. RP08-487-000, East 
Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC (East Tennessee) filed proposed changes to 
their respective tariffs concerning, among other things, a NPV 
allocation methodology for available capacity that considered 
probability of default as one of its factors. On August 29, 2008, the 
Commission accepted and suspended the proposed tariff changes of both 
Saltville\3\ and East Tennessee,\4\ subject to refund and conditions, 
and the outcome of a technical conference. In both orders, the 
Commission directed its Staff to convene a technical conference to 
address the proposed services and terms and conditions, and to report 
the results of the technical conference to the Commission within 120 
days.
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    \3\ Saltville Gas Storage Company LLC, 124 FERC ]61,209.
    \4\ East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC, 124 FERC ]61,210.
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    On September 24, 2008 the Commission staff sent data requests to 
Algonquin, Saltville, and East Tennessee requesting information about 
the companies' credit practices, default history, and proposed use of a 
probability of default factor in determining NPV of bids for available 
capacity. Responses to the data requests are due on October 6, 2008.
    Take notice that a technical conference to discuss issues raised by 
the filings of Algonquin, Saltville, and East Tennessee will be held on 
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 9:30 am (EST), in a room to be 
designated at the offices of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    The parties to all three proceedings should be prepared to discuss 
the issues raised by the filings, in particular issues concerning the 
probability of default factor. Parties should also be prepared to 
discuss companies' responses to the data requests including their 
current methodologies for allocating capacity, what, if any 
deficiencies may exist with these methodologies, and how the proposed 
probability of default factor addresses the deficiencies. The parties 
should also be prepared to discuss the need for a probability of 
default factor for both creditworthy and non-creditworthy customers, 
whether the proposed use of a probability of default factor 
unreasonably limits the pool of qualified potential bidders for 
available capacity, and the merits of not separating the probability of 
default assessment from the NPV bid.
    The Commission's conferences are accessible under section 508 of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations please 
send an e-mail to [email protected] or call toll free 1-866-208-
3372 (voice) or 202-208-1659 (TTY), or send a FAX to 202-208-2106 with 
the required accommodations.
    All parties and staff are permitted to attend. For further 
information please

[[Page 57351]]

contact Vince Mareino at (202) 502-6167 or [email protected].

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-23210 Filed 10-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P