[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52548-52549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18419]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-121-000]


National Grid LNG LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time

    Take notice that on August 16, 2022, National Grid LNG LLC 
(National Grid) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) grant an extension of time (2022 Extension of Time 
Request), until June 1, 2023, to complete construction of, and place 
into service, its Fields Point Liquefaction Project located in 
Providence, RI as authorized in the October 17, 2018 Order Issuing 
Certificate (Certificate Order).\1\ Ordering Paragraph B(1) of the 
Certificate Order required National Grid to complete the construction 
of the proposed Fields Point Liquefaction Project facilities \2\ and 
make them available for service within three years from issuance, or by 
October 17, 2021.\3\
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    \1\ National Grid LNG LLC, 165 FERC ] 61,031 (2018) (Certificate 
Order).
    \2\ The Fields Point Liquefaction Project consists of the 
construction of one (1) new 20 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) 
gas pretreatment and liquefaction system to convert natural gas 
delivered by pipeline into liquefied natural gas (LNG). The 
liquefaction facility is designed to enable National Gas to provide 
up to 20,600 dekatherms per day (Dth/day) liquefaction service at 
its existing LNG storage facility located in Providence, RI.
    \3\ Id. at ordering para. (B)(1).
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    On December 8, 2020 National Grid filed a request for an extension 
of time for an additional twelve months to complete construction and 
place into service the authorized construction at the LNG storage 
facility at Fields Point. National Grid was granted a one-year 
extension of time, until and including October 17, 2022, to complete 
abandonment activities authorized in the above referenced docket.
    National Grid states that the Project was on-schedule to be placed 
in service before October 17, 2022, however, National Grid had to 
suspend the testing and commissioning process on May 23, 2022, due to 
objections from the PPL Corporation-owned LDC regarding odorant levels 
in the tail gas flowing into the LDC system on that date. National Grid 
states that despite diligent efforts to design, engineer and procure 
all of the components for the mercaptan removal system, supply chain 
delays have occurred. National Grid states that potential supply 
shortfall could lead to further delays in completing the testing to 
begin service until the following Spring. For that reason and 
dependence upon meteorological conditions during the Fall months, 
National Grid requests an extension to June 1, 2023 for the date to 
place the facilities in service.
    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on National Grid's 
request for an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or 
answers will be considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this request, you should, on or 
before the comment date stated below, file a motion to intervene in 
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the 
Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10).
    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural 
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order 
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\4\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\5\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\6\ The Commission will not consider arguments that re-
litigate the issuance of the certificate order, including whether the 
Commission properly found the project to be in the public convenience 
and necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for 
the certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy Act.\7\ 
At the time a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on 
certificates of public convenience and necessity are final and the 
Commission will not re-litigate their issuance.\8\ The OEP Director, or 
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that 
are uncontested.
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    \4\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \5\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \6\ Id. at P 40.
    \7\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \8\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
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    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, The Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://

[[Page 52549]]

www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number 
excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access 
the document. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to 
Commission's Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a 
National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), 
issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC 
at [email protected] or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the ``eFiling'' link 
at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and three copies of the protest or intervention to 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on September 6, 2022.

    Dated: August 22, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-18419 Filed 8-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P