[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51726-51727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20210]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. 15-190-LNG]
Change In Control: Rio Grande LNG, LLC; Rio Grande LNG Train 4,
LLC; and Rio Grande LNG Train 5, LLC
AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of change in control.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) of
the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of a Statement
and Notice of Change in Control (Notice) filed by Rio Grande LNG, LLC,
Rio Grande LNG Train 4, LLC (RGLNG 4), and Rio Grande LNG Train 5, LLC
(collectively, the Rio Grande Entities) on October 1, 2025. The Notice
describes a change in RGLNG 4's upstream ownership. The Notice was
filed under the Natural Gas Act, and in accordance with DOE's
regulations and DOE's Procedures for Changes in Control Affecting
Applications and Authorizations to Import or Export Natural Gas (CIC
Procedures).
DATES: Protests, motions to intervene, or notices of intervention, as
applicable, and written comments are to be filed as detailed in the
Public Comment Procedures section no later than 4:30 p.m., Eastern
time, December 3, 2025.
ADDRESSES:
Electronic Filing by email (Strongly encouraged):
[email protected].
Postal Mail, Hand Delivery, or Private Delivery Services (e.g.,
FedEx, UPS, etc.)
U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of Regulation, Analysis,
and Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management,
Forrestal Building,
[[Page 51727]]
Room 3E-056, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585.
Due to potential delays in DOE's receipt and processing of mail
sent through the U.S. Postal Service, we encourage respondents to
submit filings electronically to ensure timely receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Wade or Peri Ulrey, U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34),
Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of Resource
Sustainability, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management,
Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4749 or (202) 586-7893,
[email protected] or [email protected].
Irene V. Norville, U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76), Office of the
Assistant General Counsel for Energy Delivery and Resilience, Forrestal
Building, Room 6D-033, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20585, (240) 702-5679, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Summary of Change in Control
RGLNG 4 states that, pursuant to a transaction that closed on
September 9, 2025 (Transaction), its upstream ownership has changed.
RGLNG 4 states that, prior to the Transaction, it was an indirect,
wholly-owned subsidiary of NextDecade LNG, LLC (NextDecade LNG). RGLNG
4 states that it will own the fourth liquefaction train (Train 4) at
the Rio Grande LNG Terminal.
According the RGLNG 4, as a result of the Transaction, GIP V
Velocity Aggregator T4, L.P. (GIP V Velocity), a limited partnership
managed by a controlled affiliate of Global Infrastructure Management,
LLC, and Global LNG North America Corp., a subsidiary of TotalEnergies
SE, acquired 50 percent and 10 percent membership interests,
respectively, in Rio Grande LNG Train 4 Intermediate Holdings, LLC
(RGIH 4), which, in turn, indirectly owns 100 percent of RGLNG 4.\1\
RGLNG 4 states that, following consummation of the Transaction,
NextDecade LNG remains the owner of 40 percent membership interest in
RGIH 4, and its economic interest may increase to 60 percent (with GIP
V Velocity's economic interest decreasing to 30%) upon GIP V Velocity's
achievement of certain returns on its investment from Train 4. RGLNG 4
further states that NextDecade LNG will continue to be responsible for
operations and maintenance at the Rio Grande LNG Terminal for the
benefit of the Rio Grande Entities.
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\1\ Due to the foreign economic interests resulting from the
Transaction, RGLNG 4's change in control may require the approval of
the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
DOE expresses no opinion regarding the need for review by CFIUS.
Additional information may be obtained at: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius.
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Charts illustrating the ownership structure of RGLNG 4 before and
after the Transaction are attached as appendices A and Appendix B to
the Notice, posted on the DOE website at www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/RGLNG%204%20CIC.pdf.
DOE Evaluation
DOE will review the Notice in accordance with its CIC
Procedures.\2\ Consistent with the CIC Procedures, this notice
addresses Rio Grande Entities' existing authorization to export LNG to
countries with which the United States has not entered into a free
trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural
gas and with which trade is not prohibited by United States law or
policy (non-FTA countries), granted in DOE/FECM Order No. 4492, as
amended.\3\ If no interested person protests the change in control and
DOE takes no action on its own motion, the proposed change in control
will be deemed granted 30 days after publication in the Federal
Register. If one or more protests are submitted, DOE will review any
motions to intervene, protests, and answers, and will issue a
determination as to whether the proposed change in control has been
demonstrated to render the underlying authorizations inconsistent with
the public interest.
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\2\ 79 FR 65541 (Nov. 5, 2014).
\3\ RGLNG 4's Notice also applies to the company's existing
authorization to export LNG to FTA countries in the same docket. DOE
will respond to that portion of the filing separately pursuant to
the CIC Procedures, 79 FR 65542.
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Public Comment Procedures
Interested persons will be provided 15 days from the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register to move to
intervene, protest, and answer Rio Grande Entities' Notice.\4\
Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and written
comments are invited in response to this notice only as to the change
in control described in the Notice. All protests, comments, motions to
intervene, or notices of intervention must meet the requirements
specified by DOE's regulations in 10 CFR part 590, including the
service requirements.
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\4\ Intervention, if granted, would constitute intervention only
in the change in control portion of these proceedings, as described
herein.
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Filings may be submitted using one of the following methods:
(1) Submitting the filing electronically at [email protected];
(2) Mailing the filing to the Office of Regulation, Analysis, and
Engagement at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section; or
(3) Hand delivering the filing to the Office of Regulation,
Analysis, and Engagement at the address listed in the ADDRESSES
section.
For administrative efficiency, DOE prefers filings to be filed
electronically. All filings must include a reference to ``Docket No.
15-190-LNG'' in the title line, or ``Rio Grande LNG Train 4 Change in
Control'' in the title line. Filings must be submitted in English to be
considered.\5\
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\5\ Executive Order 14224 of March 1, 2025, Designating English
as the Official Language of the United States, 90 FR 11363 (Mar. 6,
2025).
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For electronic submissions: Please include all related documents
and attachments (e.g., exhibits) in the original email correspondence.
Please do not include any active hyperlinks or password protection in
any of the documents or attachments related to the filing. All
electronic filings submitted to DOE must follow these guidelines to
ensure that all documents are filed in a timely manner.
The Notice, and any filed protests, motions to intervene, notices
of intervention, and comments will be available electronically on the
DOE website at www.energy.gov/fecm/regulation.
Signed in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2025.
Amy R. Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement, Office of
Resource Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2025-20210 Filed 11-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P