[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20374-20375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8078]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. EA-98-M]


Application To Export Electric Energy; WSPP Inc.

AGENCY: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Application.

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SUMMARY: WSPP Inc. (WSPP) has applied, on behalf of ten of its members, 
to renew the authority of those members to transmit electric energy 
from the United States to Canada, pursuant to section 202(e) of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA). The WSPP application also requested new export 
authority for two other members to transmit electric energy from the 
United States to Canada.

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on 
or before April 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene should be 
addressed to: Christopher Lawrence, Office of Electricity Delivery and 
Energy Reliability, Mail Code: OE-20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0350. Because of delays 
in handling conventional mail, it is recommended that documents be 
transmitted by overnight mail, by electronic mail to 
[email protected], or by facsimile to 202-586-8008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 
at 202-586-5260, or by email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exports of electricity from the United 
States to a foreign country are regulated by the Department of Energy 
(DOE) pursuant to sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7151(b), 7172(f)) and require 
authorization under section 202(e) of the FPA (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)).
    On September 5, 1996, DOE authorized 42 members of the WSPP to 
export electric energy to Canada (Order No. EA-98-C). Over time, the 
specific members authorized to export has changed through the addition 
or deletion of various members in several subsequent proceedings in the 
EA-98 docket. Current Order No. EA-98-L was issued on May 6, 2009, and 
authorizes 13 WSPP member companies individually to transmit electric 
energy to Canada. That Order will expire on April 25, 2012.
    The international transmission facilities authorized for use by 
those exporters are owned by the Bonneville Power Administration, also 
a WSPP member. The facilities consist of two 500-kV transmission lines 
and one 230-kV transmission line that interconnect with facilities of 
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, and one 230-kV transmission 
line that interconnects with West Kootenay Power, Limited. The 
construction, operation, maintenance, and connection of these 
international transmission facilities was previously authorized by 
Presidential Permits PP-10, PP-46, and PP-36, respectively.
    WSPP filed an application with DOE on February 24, 2012, which was 
subsequently amended, on behalf of the following member companies for 
renewal of their export authority contained in Order No. EA-98-L: 
Avista Corporation, Edison Mission Marketing and Trading, Inc., Idaho 
Power Company, Northern States Power Company, PacifiCorp, Portland 
General Electric Company, Powerex Corporation, Public Service Company 
of Colorado, Puget Sound Energy, and TransCanada Energy Sales Ltd. The 
application, as amended, also requested new export authority for the 
following two members: BP Energy Company and Twin Eagle Resource 
Management, LLC.
    WSPP also requested that DOE expedite the processing of its 
application in order to avoid any lapse in the export authority for 
some of its members. Accordingly, DOE has shortened the public comment 
period to 15 days.
    Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to be heard in this 
proceeding should file a comment or protest to the application at the 
address provided above. Protests should be filed in accordance with 
Rule 211 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Rules of 
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211). Any person desiring to become 
a party to these proceedings should file a motion to intervene at the 
above address in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (385.214). Five copies 
of such comments, protests, or motions to intervene should be sent to 
the address provided above on or before the date listed above.
    Comments on the WSPP application to export electric energy to 
Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. EA-98-M. An 
additional copy is to be filed directly with Arnold B. Podgorsky, 
General Counsel to WSPP and Patrick L. Morand, Associate, Wright & 
Talisman, P.C., 1200 G Street NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005-
3802. A final decision will be made on this application after the 
environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to DOE's National 
Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021) and 
after a determination is made by DOE that the proposed action will not 
have an adverse impact on the reliability of the U.S. electric power 
supply system.
    Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, 
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above, by 
accessing the program Web site at http://energy.gov/

[[Page 20375]]

node/11845 or by emailing Angela Troy at [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 29, 2012.
Brian Mills,
Director, Permitting and Siting, Office of Electricity Delivery and 
Energy Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2012-8078 Filed 4-3-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P