[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41604-41605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13539]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[GDO Docket No. EA-196-F]


Application for Renewal of Authorization To Export Electric 
Energy; ALLETE, Inc., d/b/a Minnesota Power

AGENCY: Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: ALLETE, Inc. d/b/a Minnesota Power (the Applicant or Minnesota 
Power) has applied for renewed 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 July 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for 
more information should be addressed by electronic mail to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Gomer, (240) 474-2403, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Department of Energy (DOE) 
regulates electricity exports from the United States to foreign 
countries in accordance with section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act 
(FPA) (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)) and regulations thereunder (10 CFR 205.300 et 
seq.). Sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the DOE Organization Act (42 
U.S.C. 7151(b) and 7172(f)) transferred this regulatory authority, 
previously exercised by the now-defunct Federal Power Commission, to 
DOE.
    Section 202(e) of the FPA provides that an entity which seeks to 
export electricity must obtain an order from DOE authorizing that 
export. (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)). On April 10, 2023, the authority to issue 
such orders was delegated to the DOE's Grid Deployment Office (GDO) by 
Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-S3-2023 and Redelegation Order No. S3-DEL-
GD1-2023.
    On February 11, 1999, DOE issued Order No. EA-196, authorizing 
Minnesota Power to transmit electric energy from the United States to 
Canada as a power marketer. Such authority was renewed in 2001 (EA-196-
A), 2003 (EA-196-B), 2008 (EA-196-C), 2013 (EA-196-D), and 2018 (EA-
196-E). On May 2, 2023, Minnesota Power filed an application with DOE 
(Application or App.) for renewal of their export authority for an 
additional five-year term. App. at 1.
    In its Application, Minnesota Power represents that the electric 
power it intends to export, ``on either a firm or interruptible basis, 
will generally be purchased from others voluntarily and will, 
therefore, be surplus to the needs of the selling entities.'' Id. at 2. 
Minnesota Power also notes that it ``does have an obligation to serve 
native load in northeastern Minnesota. However, the exports proposed by 
Minnesota Power will not impair its ability to meet any current and 
prospective retail or wholesale power supply obligations in the United 
States.'' Id. Therefore, Minnesota Power contends that its ``proposed 
exports will

[[Page 41605]]

not impair or tend to impede the sufficiency of electric supplies in 
the United States or the regional coordination of electric utility 
planning or operations.'' Id. at 3.
    The existing international transmission facilities to be utilized 
by the Applicant have been previously authorized by Presidential 
permits issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended, and are 
appropriate for open access transmission by third parties. See Id. at 
Exhibit C.
    Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to be heard in this 
proceeding should file a comment or protest to the Application at 
[email protected]. Protests should be filed in accordance 
with Rule 211 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC's) 
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 [email protected] in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 
CFR 385.214).
    Comments and other filings concerning Minnesota Power's Application 
should be clearly marked with GDO Docket No. EA-196-F. Additional 
copies are to be provided directly to David R. Moeller, ALLETE, Inc., 
30 West Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802, [email protected].
    A final decision will be made on the requested authorization after 
the environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to DOE's 
National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 
1021) and after DOE evaluates whether the proposed action will have an 
adverse impact on the sufficiency of supply or reliability of the 
United States electric power supply system.
    Copies of this Application will be made available, upon request, by 
accessing the program website at https://www.energy.gov/gdo/pending-applications or by emailing [email protected].
    Signing Authority: This document of the Department of Energy was 
signed on June 21, 2023, by Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment 
Office, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. 
That document with the original signature and date is maintained by 
DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with 
requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE 
Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit 
the document in electronic format for publication, as an official 
document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no 
way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the 
Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on June 21, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-13539 Filed 6-26-23; 8:45 am]
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