[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 187 (Friday, September 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 60450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21192]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. EA-370-B]


Application to Export Electric Energy; Vitol Inc.

AGENCY: Office of Electricity, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Vitol Inc. (Applicant or Vitol) has applied for authorization 
to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant 
to the Federal Power Act.

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on 
or before October 26, 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 Federal Power 
Act (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)).
    On August 25, 2020, Vitol filed an application with DOE 
(Application or App.) to transmit electric energy from the United 
States to Canada for a term of five years. Vitol states that it ``is a 
Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Houston, 
Texas'' and that it ``is a wholly-owned, direct subsidiary of Vitol US 
Holding Co.'' App. at 2. Vitol adds that it ``does not own any electric 
generation or transmission facilities, nor does it hold a franchise or 
service territory for the transmission, distribution, or sale of 
electric power.'' Id. at 4.
    Vitol further states that it ``has purchased, or will purchase, the 
power that may be exported to Canada from wholesale generators, 
electric utilities, and federal power marketing agencies.'' App. at 4. 
Vitol contends that any power it purchases for export would be 
``surplus to the needs of the selling entities'' and that ``the 
proposed exports will not impair or tend to impede the sufficiency of 
electric power supplies in the United States or the regional 
coordination of electric utility planning or operations.'' Id. at 5.
    Vitol also ``agrees to abide by the export limits . . . of any 
[approved] transmission facilities over which Vitol exports electric 
power to Canada,'' and states that ``[t]he controls that are inherent 
in any transaction that complies with all [reliability] requirements 
and the export limits imposed by the Department on the international 
transmission facilities are sufficient to ensure that exports by Vitol 
would not impede or tend to impede the coordinated use of transmission 
facilities'' under the Federal Power Act. App. at 6.
    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 Vitol's application to export 
electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. 
EA-370-B. Additional copies are to be provided directly to Robert 
Viola, 2925 Richmond Avenue, 11th Floor, Houston, TX 77098; 
[email protected]; Daniel E. Frank, 700 Sixth St. NW, Suite 700, 
Washington, DC 20001; sutherland.com">danielfrank@eversheds-sutherland.com; Martha M. 
Hopkins, 700 Sixth St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001; 
sutherland.com">martyhopkins@eversheds-sutherland.com.
    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 September 21, 2020.
Christopher Lawrence,
Management and Program Analyst, Transmission Permitting and Technical 
Assistance, Office of Electricity.
[FR Doc. 2020-21192 Filed 9-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P