[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 51 (Thursday, March 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18624-18625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05413]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[GDO Docket No. PP-502]


Application for Presidential Permit; Caribbean Transmission 
Development Co., LLC

AGENCY: Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Caribbean Transmission Development Co., LLC (the Applicant or 
CTDC) has filed an application requesting a new Presidential permit to 
allow for the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of 
facilities for transmission of electric energy at the international 
border between the United States Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Puerto 
Rico) and the Dominican Republic.

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on 
or before April 15, 2024.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Gomer, (240) 474-2403, 
[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 by the Secretary of Energy pursuant to 
Executive Order (E.O.) 10485, as amended by E.O. 12038. On April 10, 
2023, the authority to issue such permits was delegated to the DOE's 
Grid Deployment Office by Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-S3-2023 and 
Redelegation Order No. S3-DEL-GD1-2023.
    On September 14, 2023, CTDC filed an application (Application or 
App.) with the Department of Energy (DOE) for a Presidential Permit to 
construct a bi-directional 320-kV, high voltage direct current (HVDC) 
subsea transmission line (Project Hostos) to connect the westernmost 
part of Puerto Rico to the easternmost part of the Dominican 
Republic.\1\
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    \1\ On September 26, November 20, and November 27, 2023, CTDC 
also filed revisions to its Application in response to DOE feedback 
on its September filing. The references to the Application in this 
notice reflect the latest revisions submitted by CTDC.
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    CTDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atabey Capital, LLC and is 
headquartered in Dorado, Puerto Rico. App. at 4. CTDC's proposed 
Project Hostos would include a subsea transmission cable system 
consisting of ``two crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) HVDC cable runs, 
each rated at a voltage on +/-320 kV'' that will be ``separately laid, 
spanning approximately 91 miles (147 kilometers), depending on which 
route alternative is selected.'' Id. at 6. The prospective project 
landfall (transition from nearshore to onshore) is proposed at the 
municipality of Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico. Id. at 9. From the landfall 
location, the onshore cable route in Puerto Rico would consist of two 
segments. Id. at 6. The ``from landfall to converter station'' segment 
would consist of ``two XLPE HVDC cable runs, each rated at a voltage of 
+/-320 kV,'' and the ``from converter station to point of 
interconnection'' segment would consist of ``two parallel three-phase 
XLPE HVDC cable runs,

[[Page 18625]]

each rated at 230 kV[.]'' Id. at 7. CTDC's Project Hostos does not 
incorporate any overhead transmission lines in Puerto Rico. Id. at 6.
    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 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 CTDC's Application should be 
clearly marked with Docket No. PP-502. Additional copies are to be 
provided directly to Tirso Selman, Project Director, Caribbean 
Transmission Development Co., LLC, [email protected].
    Before a Presidential permit may be issued, DOE must determine that 
the proposed action is in the public interest. In making that 
determination, DOE will consider the environmental impacts of the 
proposed action (i.e., granting the Presidential permit, with any 
conditions and limitations, or denying the permit), which will be 
analyzed, disclosed, and available for public review, pursuant to DOE's 
National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 
1021); determine the Applicant's 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 DOE may also consider 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.
    CTDC's Application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically at 
www.energy.gov/gdo/pending-applications-0 or by emailing 
[email protected].
    Signing Authority: This document of the Department of Energy was 
signed on March 8, 2024, 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 March 11, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-05413 Filed 3-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P