# Presentation: 166730

## FERC and Transmission Siting

- Robert J. Cupina
- Deputy Director
- Office of Energy Projects
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

**Western Electricity Coordinating Council**
**Annual Meeting**
**April 20, 2006**

## FERCHelping Markets Work

- FERCHelping Markets Work

**Competitive**
**Market**
**FERC**

## FERC’sHydropower Projects

- FERC’sHydropower Projects

## FERC’s HydroTransmission Lines

| Transmission Line Capacity | Number of Transmission Lines |
| --- | --- |
| ≥ 230 kV | 82 |
| 60 – 229 kV | 300 |
| < 60 kV | 1216 |

**5,800 miles of primary transmission line**

## FERC certificatesU.S. interstate natural gas pipelines

**Source:  Based on Platts PowerMap**

- FERC certificatesU.S. interstate natural gas pipelines

## Existing LNGImport Terminals

## Existing Gas StorageFacilities

- Existing Gas StorageFacilities

**Source:  Based on Platts PowerMap.**

## Siting Infrastructure:Lessons Learned

- Early staff involvement
- Proactively identity issues and alternative siting
- Develop advocates not adversaries
- Expertise to provide a sound record
- Recommendations based on technical analysis

## Energy Policy Actof 2005

- EPAct 2005 provides for federal siting of interstate electric transmission facilities (§1221) by amending the FPA (§216)
- -  Designation of National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (§216(a))
- -  Construction Permit (§216(b))
- -  Coordination of Federal Authorizations for Transmission Facilities (§216(h))

## EPAct 2005Electric Transmission Corridors  

- Conduct study within one year of electric transmission congestion
- Every three years thereafter
- Issue report based on study
- Designate any geographic area that experiences congestion as a “National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor”

## EPAct 2005Construction Permit  

- FERC can authorize construction of transmission facilities in a corridor if:
- A state has no authority to either site facilities or consider interstate benefits, or
- A state, with authority to site, either does not act within one year or conditions approval such that there is either no reduction in congestion or is not economically feasible

## EPAct 2005Construction Permit  

- Application to be filed with FERC
- Filing requirements to be issued
- Comments will be received
- Rights-of-way
- Right of eminent domain
- Acquired right-of-way used exclusively for electric transmission facilities
- Compensation

## EPAct 2005Coordination of Federal Authorizations  

- Lead agency for permit coordination and environmental review
- Must issue regulations within 18 months
- Must enter into an MOU with other agencies within one year
- Provide a pre-filing mechanism
- All permit decisions and environmental reviews shall be completed within one year
- Failure to act within deadlines may be appealed to the President
- DOE delegation to FERC likely

## Major Pipeline Projects Certificated (MMcf/d) 2000 to Present

- Major Pipeline Projects Certificated (MMcf/d) *2000 to Present*

- 42.5 BCF/D Total
- 8,537 Miles

**Transco (204,236,323)**

**Southern (336,330)**

**Kern River**
**(135,886)**

**6**

**North**
**Baja**
**(500)**

**Tuscarora**
**(96)**

**Northwest**
**(162,113)**

**Kern River (282)**

**TETCO**
**(250)**

**Northwest**
**(224)**

**NFS/DTI (150)**

**Georgia**
**Straits (96)**

**SCG Pipeline (190)**

**1**

**2**

**3**

**4**

**Northwest**
**(191)**

**East Tennessee (510)**

**Tennessee (320)**

**TETCO (197)**

**Greenbrier (584)**

**El Paso (230,320,620)**

**WBI**
**(80)**

**ANR**
**(194,750,210,220,**
**107,143,168)**

**17**

**TETCO**
**(223)**

**Cove Point**
**(445)**

**Ocean Express**
**(842)**

**14**

**Cheyenne**
**Plains (560,170)**

**16**

** ****13. CIG (282,92)**
** ****14. CIG (85,133,118,105)**
** ****15. TransColorado (125,300)**
** ****16. WIC (120,116,675,350)**
** ****17. El Paso (140) **
** ****18. Rendezvous (300) **
** ****19. Entrega (1,500)  **

**8**

**Calypso (832)**

**Discovery (150)**

**Transwestern (150,375)**

**5**

**Trunkline(1,500)**

**Cheniere Sabine (2,600)**

**Trunkline (200)**

**Questar (272,102) **

**6**

**Petal (700,600)**

**Horizon**
**(380)**

**GTN**
**(207)**

**Otay Mesa (110)**

**Florida Gas (239,270)**

**East Tennessee (170)**

**7**

** ****1. Algonquin (285)**
** ****2. Islander East (285)**
** ****3. Iroquois (230,85)**
** ****4. Columbia (135,270) **
** ****5. Algonquin (140) **
** ****6. Transcontinental (105)**
** ****7. Transcontinental (130)**
** ****8. Tennessee (200)  **
** ****9. Maritimes (80,360)**
**10. Algonquin (301)**
**11. Tennessee (500)**
**12. Mill River (800)**

**8**

**Millenium (700)**

**9**

**10**

**Northern **
**Border**
**(544,130)**

**Independence**
** ****(916)**

**Trans**
**Union **
**(430)**

**Southern Trails (120)**

**Gulfstream**
**(1,130)**

**11**

**Guardian**
**(750)**

**Trailblazer**
**(324)**

**13**

**15**

**El Paso (502)**

**Center **
**Point (113)**

**Vista del Sol (1,100)**

**Golden Pass (2,000)**

**12**

**18**

**19**

**San Patricio **
**(1,000)**

**Dominion South (200)**

**Columbia (172)**

**East Tennessee (86)**

**Tennessee (400,200)**

**Cheniere Corpus Christi (2,600)**

**East Tennessee (235)**

**Midwestern**
**(120)**

*FERC*

*Office of Energy Projects*

## Major ElectricTransmission Lines2000 to Present

- Sources:  NERC Summer and Winter Assessments, WECC Existing Generation and Significant Additions and Changes to System Facilities Reports and FERC’s Transmission Database

**Since January 1, 2000, 11 interstate transmission lines have been built or are near completion totaling 461 miles.**

- Major ElectricTransmission Lines*2000 to Present*

## Related Proceedings

- Transmission Investment Pricing Reform
- RM06-04
- NOPR issued November 18, 2005
- Comments due January 11, 2006
- 109 comments filed
- Final rule due in one year (August 2006)
- DOE’s National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor Study
- NOI issued February 2, 2006
- Conference held March 29, 2006

## Issues forElectric Transmission

- Clear Regulatory Path
- Contract Commitment
- Pricing Incentives/Cost Allocation
- Market Response - Timing

## What Will MakeThis Work

- FERC staff involvement as early as possible
- Develop a pre-filing process
- Start with two points and work the route
- Voluntary agency enlistment
- Rational Siting Process
- One federal lead agency, one record for decisions, one avenue of appeal