[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 163 (Friday, August 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 51692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18377]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. EA-414-A]


Application To Export Electric Energy; Roctop Investments Inc.

AGENCY: Office of Electricity, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Roctop Investments Inc. (Applicant or Roctop) has applied for 
renewal of its authorization to transmit electric energy from the 
United States to Canada pursuant to the Federal Power Act (FPA).

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on 
or before September 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for 
more information should be addressed by electronic mail to 
[email protected], or by facsimile to (202) 586-8008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy (DOE) regulates 
exports of electricity from the United States to a foreign country, 
pursuant to sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7151(b) and 42 U.S.C. 7172(f)). Such 
exports require authorization under section 202(e) of the FPA (16 
U.S.C. 824a(e)).
    On September 29, 2015, DOE issued Order EA-414, which authorized 
Roctop to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada for 
a five-year term using existing international transmission facilities 
appropriate for open access. This authorization expires on September 
29, 2020. On July 29, 2020, Roctop filed an application with DOE 
(Application or App.) for renewal of the export authorization contained 
in Order No. EA-414.
    Roctop states that it ``is a Canadian company, created under a 
Canadian Federal Charter, with its principal place of business in 
Lefaivre, Ontario.'' App. at 2. Roctop adds that it ``does not have any 
affiliates or upstream owners that possess any ownership interest or 
have involvement in any other company that is a traditional utility or 
that owns, operates, or controls any electric generation, transmission, 
or distribution facilities.'' Id.
    Roctop further states that it ``will purchase power to be exported 
from a variety of sources such as power marketers, independent power 
producers, or U.S. electric utilities and federal power marketing 
entities as those terms are defined in Sections 3(22) and 3(19) of the 
FPA.'' App. at 3. Roctop contends that ``such power is surplus to the 
system of the generator and, therefore, the electric power that Roctop 
will export on either a firm or interruptible basis will not impair the 
sufficiency of the electric power supply within the U.S.'' Id. at 3-4.
    Roctop states that its exports ``will not exceed the export limits 
for the [permitted] facilities, or otherwise cause a violation of the 
terms and conditions'' that apply to the use of those facilities.'' 
App. at 5. Roctop also contends that its export activity will not 
impede or tend to impede the coordinated use of transmission facilities 
under the FPA because it ``has no electric power supply system on which 
the proposed exports could have a reliability, fuel use system or 
stability impact.'' See id. at 3.
    The existing international transmission facilities to be utilized 
by the Applicant have previously been authorized by Presidential 
permits issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended, and are 
appropriate for open access transmission by third parties.
    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 Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Any person desiring to become 
a party to this proceeding should file a motion to intervene at the 
above address in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 CFR 385.214).
    Comments and other filings concerning Roctop's application to 
export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE 
Docket No. EA-414-A. Additional copies are to be provided directly to 
Ruta Kalvaitis Sku[ccaron]as, 1875 K St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 
20006; [email protected] and Vincent Thellen, 139 Du Domaine 
Road, Lefaivre, (ON) Canada K0B 1J0; [email protected].
    A final decision will be made on the Application after the 
environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to DOE's National 
Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021) and 
after DOE determines that the proposed action will not have an adverse 
impact on the sufficiency of supply or reliability of the U.S. electric 
power supply system.
    Copies of the Application will be made available, upon request, by 
accessing the program website at http://energy.gov/node/11845, or by 
emailing Matthew Aronoff at [email protected].

    Signed in Washington, DC, on August 17, 2020.
Christopher Lawrence,
Management and Program Analyst, Transmission Permitting and Technical 
Assistance, Office of Electricity.
[FR Doc. 2020-18377 Filed 8-20-20; 8:45 am]
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