[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48652-48653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17188]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. PP-334-1]


Application To Amend Presidential Permit; Energia Sierra Juarez 
U.S. Transmission, LLC

AGENCY: Office of Electricity, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Energia Sierra Juarez U.S. Transmission, LLC (the Applicant or 
ESJ) has filed an application to amend Presidential Permit No. PP-334-
1. ESJ is requesting the amendment to increase the rate of electric 
transmission of the previously permitted facilities.

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on 
or before September 9, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments or motions to intervene should be addressed to 
Christopher Lawrence, [email protected] OE-20, 1000 
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20585

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 
at (202) 586-5260 or by email to [email protected], or 
James Ralph (Attorney-Adviser) at (240) 474-1140 or by email to 
[email protected].

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 May 18, 2022, ESJ filed an application with the Office of 
Electricity of the Department of Energy (DOE), as required by 
regulations at 10 CFR 205.320 et seq., requesting that DOE amend 
Presidential Permit No. PP-334 to increase the rate of transmission 
over ESJ's operating electric power generation tie line (ESJ Tie Line).
    On August 31, 2012, DOE issued Presidential Permit No. PP-334, 
authorizing ESJ to construct, operate, maintain, and connect the ESJ 
Project

[[Page 48653]]

(Project). As described in PP-334, the Project is a double-circuit 230-
kV electric transmission line originating at San Diego Gas and Electric 
Company's planned East County (ECO) Substation in San Diego County, 
interconnecting with the Imperial Valley-Miguel segment of the 
Southwest Powerlink, extending approximately 0.65 miles southward, 
crossing the U.S.-Mexico border near Jacumba, California. At the 
border, the ESJ Tie Line transitions to a generation tie line 
constructed and operated by Energia Sierra Juarez, S. de R. L. de C.V. 
(ESJ Mexico), a Mexican affiliate of ESJ, which extends approximately 1 
mile farther south to an interconnection point for a wind generating 
facility in Mexico (ESJ Wind Project) owned and operated by ESJ Mexico.
    The ESJ Tie Line commenced commercial operation in June of 2015, 
and ESJ has been operating the ESJ Tie Line in accordance with PP-334 
since that time to transmit power from the initial phase of the ESJ 
Wind Project generating facilities in Mexico to the electric grid in 
California at the ECO Substation. The ESJ Tie Line has the thermal 
capacity to transmit up to 1250 megawatts (MW of electricity, 
corresponding to the total potential generating capacity of the ESJ 
Wind Project. The ESJ Wind Project was to be developed in several 
phases. At the time PP-334 was issued in 2012, the California 
Independent System Operator (CAISO) had completed a generation 
interconnection study only for the first 400 MW of generation from the 
ESJ Wind Project. As a result, PP-334 included a provision limiting the 
maximum non-simultaneous rate of transmission over the ESJ Tie Line to 
400 MW.
    Article 4 of PP-334 stated that ESJ may apply for a modification to 
the permit to increase the authorized rate of transmission at such time 
as CAISO completes interconnection studies for power generated by the 
ESJ Wind Project greater than 400 MW.
    In accordance with Article 4 of PP-334, ESJ is now requesting a 
modification to the permit to increase the maximum authorized rate of 
transmission over the ESJ Tie Line to 700 MW based on the CAISO 
interconnection study for Cimarron Wind, which is expected to add 
another 300 MW of generation. The proposed increase in the rate of 
transmission requires no physical modifications to the ESJ Tie Line.
    Procedural Matters: Any person may comment on this application by 
filing such comment at the address provided above. Each comment should 
be clearly marked with OE Docket No. PP-334-1. Consideration of 
comments is limited to those addressing the subject of the proposed 
amendment. 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 comments and motions to intervene also 
should be filed directly with: Emily C. Shults, Senior Vice President--
Development, Energia Sierra Juarez U.S., LLC, 488 8th Avenue, San 
Diego, CA 92101, [email protected], and
    Eric J. Murdock, Partner, Hunter Andrews Kurth LLP, N 2200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20037, [email protected].
    Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, DOE must 
determine that the proposed action is in the public interest. In making 
that determination, DOE may 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), determine 
the proposed project's impact on electric reliability by ascertaining 
whether the proposed project would adversely affect the operation of 
the U.S. electric power supply system under normal and contingency 
conditions, and weigh any other factors that it may also deem relevant 
to the public interest. DOE also must obtain the favorable 
recommendation of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense 
before taking final action on a Presidential permit application.
    This application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically at 
https://www.energy.gov/oe/pending-applications.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on August 5, 2022.
Christopher Lawrence,
Management and Program Analyst, Electricity Delivery Division, Office 
of Electricity.
[FR Doc. 2022-17188 Filed 8-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P