[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 239 (Friday, December 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80085-80086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27250]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. EA-487]


Application to Export Electric Energy; Mercuria Energy America, 
LLC.

AGENCY: Office of Electricity, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Mercuria Energy America, LLC. (Applicant or MEA) 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 January 11, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for

[[Page 80086]]

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 December 1, 2020, MEA filed an application with DOE (Application 
or App.) to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada 
for a term of five years. MEA states that it ``is a direct, wholly-
owned subsidiary of Mercuria Energy Company, LLC (MEC), a Delaware 
limited liability company having its principal place of business in 
Houston, Texas.'' App. at 1. MEA represents that it does not ``own, 
operate or control electric transmission or distribution facilities in 
the United States over which the export of wholesale electricity could 
have reliability, fuel use, or system stability impact,'' and that it 
has no ``affiliation with any entity that owns, operates, or controls 
electric transmission or distribution facilities in the United States 
over which the export of wholesale electricity could have a 
reliability, fuel use, or system stability impact.'' Id. at 3.
    MEA further states that it ``will buy and sell wholesale 
electricity in the wholesale electricity in the wholesale electricity 
markets within the United States, and will export electricity 
transmitted across international transmission facilities to be utilized 
by Presidential permits issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as 
amended.'' App. at 2. MEA contends that its exports ``will not impair 
or tend to impede the sufficiency of electricity supplies in the United 
States or the regional coordination of electric utility planning or 
operations.'' Id. at 4.
    MEA states that its exports ``will be purchased from other 
suppliers (i.e. generators, electric utilities, and other power 
marketers) voluntarily, and therefore will be surplus to the needs of 
the selling entities.'' App. at 3-4.
    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 MEA's application to export 
electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. 
EA-487. Additional copies are to be provided directly to Chloe 
Cromarty, 20 E. Greenway Plaza, Suite 650, Houston, Texas 77046, 
[email protected]; and Mark Greenberg, 20 E. Greenway Plaza, Suite 
650, Houston, Texas 77046, [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 December 7, 2020.
Christopher Lawrence,
Management and Program Analyst, Energy Resilience Division,Office of 
Electricity.
[FR Doc. 2020-27250 Filed 12-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P