[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47938-47939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12187]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[GDO Docket No. EA-469-A]


Application for Renewal of Authorization To Export Electric 
Energy; Puget Sound Energy, Inc.

AGENCY: Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Puget Sound Energy, Inc. (PSE or the Applicant) 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 5, 2024.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janessa Zucchetto, (240) 474-8226, 
[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) 
under Delegation Order No. S1-DEL-S3-2023 and Redelegation Order No. 
S3-DEL-GD1-2023.
    On May 3, 2019, DOE issued Order No. EA-469 authorizing PSE to 
transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada for a term of 
five (5) years. On April 5, 2024, PSE filed an Application (Application 
or App.) for renewal of its export authority for a ten-year term or for 
such other period as DOE deems appropriate. App. at 1, 5.
    According to the Application, ``PSE is a public utility within the 
meaning of the FPA and is incorporated in the State of Washington.'' 
Id. at 2. The Applicant states it ``provides electric and natural gas 
services in a service territory covering approximately 6,000 square 
miles in the Puget Sound region[.]'' Id. PSE states that its retail and 
wholesale business includes ``the generation, purchase, transmission, 
distribution, and sale of electric energy[.]'' Id. Additionally, the 
Applicant represents that it ``owns or controls a number of generation 
resources that are physically located in, or pseudo-tied into, the PSE 
BAA that are designated as participating resources in the [Energy 
Imbalance Market]'' administered by the California Independent System 
Operator Corporation. Id. at 3. The Applicant

[[Page 47939]]

represents that it is ``authorized to sell energy, capacity, and 
ancillary services at market-based rates, and operates its transmission 
system pursuant to an Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) on file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission[.]'' Id. at 2 (citation 
omitted). PSE asserts that its ``proposed exports of electric energy 
will neither jeopardize the sufficiency of the electric supply nor the 
reliability of the transmission grid[.]'' 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 App at 
Exhibit C.
    Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to be heard in this 
proceeding should file a comment or protest to the Application at the 
email address provided previously. Protests should be filed in 
accordance with Rule 211 of 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 the previously provided email 
address in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 CFR 385.214).
    Comments and other filings concerning PSE's Application should be 
clearly marked with GDO Docket No. EA-469-A. Additional copies are to 
be provided directly to Jason Kuzma, Puget Sound Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 
97034, Bellevue, WA 98009-9734, [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-0 or by emailing [email protected].
    Signing Authority: This document of the Department of Energy was 
signed on May 29, 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 May 30, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-12187 Filed 6-3-24; 8:45 am]
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