[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 32182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14598]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[(OE Docket No. PP-82-5)]


Application To Amend Presidential Permit; Vermont Electric Power 
Company, Inc., as Agent for the Joint Owners of the Highgate 
Interconnection Facilities

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

ACTION: Notice of Application.

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SUMMARY: Vermont Electric Power Company, Inc. (``VELCO''), as 
operating-and-management agent for the Joint Owners of the Highgate 
Transmission Interconnection Facilities (the ``Highgate Joint Owners'') 
filed an application to amend PP-82, issued on May 14, 1985 and amended 
on March 1, 1994, September 3, 2003, February 7, 2005 and again on May 
3, 2016. VELCO requested that DOE reflect changes in ownership of the 
Highgate Transmission Facility.

DATES: Comments or motions to intervene must be submitted on or before 
August 11, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments or motions to intervene should be addressed as 
follows: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20), 
U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 
at 202-586-5260, or by email to [email protected], or 
Rishi Garg (Program Attorney) at 202-586-0258.

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 (E.O.) 10485, as 
amended by E.O. 12038.
    On April 11, 2017, VELCO filed an application with DOE, as required 
by 10 CFR 205.322, requesting DOE amend PP-82-4 to reflect a change in 
the names and ownership interests and authorize, under Article 10 of 
PP-82 the transfer of the Highgate Transmission Facility so that 
Vermont Transco, LLC (Transco) will acquire 94.73% of the ownership 
interest in the facility from the current Joint Highgate Owners. The 
remaining 5.27% of the ownership would be acquired by the Stowe 
Electric Department (Stowe). Transco and Stowe would then be the Joint 
Highgate Owners. On June 14, 2017, VELCO informed DOE that Burlington 
Electric Department will remain a joint owner with 7.7% interest. Based 
on this modification, Transco would then have 87.03% of the ownership 
interest.
    The international transmission facilities authorized by 
Presidential Permit No. PP-82, as amended, include a back-to-back 
converter station in Highgate, VT and a 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission 
line extending approximately 7.5 miles from the converter station to 
the U.S.-Canada border in Franklin, VT. VELCO does not propose to make 
any physical changes to the Highgate Facilities but rather asks the 
Department to amend the permit to reflect the change in ownership of 
the project.
    Procedural Matters: Any person may comment on this application by 
filing such comment at the address provided above. Any person seeking 
to become a party to this proceeding must file a motion to intervene at 
the address provided above in accordance with Rule 214 of FERC's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Two copies of each comment 
or motion to intervene should be filed with DOE on or before the date 
listed above.
    Additional copies of such motions to intervene also should be filed 
directly with: Mr. Colin Owyang, Vice President, General Counsel & 
Corporate Secretary, Vermont Electric Power Company, Inc., 366 Pinnacle 
Ridge Road, Rutland, VT 05701, [email protected] AND John H. Marshall, 
Esq., Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC, 90 Prospect Street, P.O. Box 99, St. 
Johnsbury, VT 05819-0099, [email protected].
    Before a Presidential permit may be granted or amended, DOE must 
determine that the proposed action will not adversely impact 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 or amendment, with any conditions and 
limitations, or denying the permit) 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 this application will be made available, upon request, 
for public inspection and copying at the address provided above. In 
addition, the application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically 
at http://energy.gov/oe/services/electricity-policy-coordination-and-implementation/international-electricity-regulatio-2. Upon reaching the 
home page, select ``Pending Applications.''

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 2017.
Christopher A. Lawrence,
Electricity Policy Analyst, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 
Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2017-14598 Filed 7-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P