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###### Department of Energy

          - [GDO Docket No. EA-342-C]

# AGENCY:

Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy.

# ACTION:

Notice of application.

# SUMMARY:

Royal Bank of Canada (the Applicant or RBC) 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 September 29, 2023.

# ADDRESSES:

                        Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for more information should be addressed by electronic mail to                         *Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov.*

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Christina Gomer, (240) 474-2403,                         *Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov.*

# 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 September 4, 2008, DOE issued Order No. EA-342, authorizing RBC to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada as a power marketer. Such authority was renewed in 2013 (EA-342-A) and 2018 (EA-342-B). On June 12, 2023, RBC filed an application                           ( print page 59884)                        with DOE (Application or App.) for renewal of its export authority for an additional five-year term. App. at 1.                

                    In its Application, RBC states that “[n]either RBC nor any of its affiliates (collectively, the `RBC Companies') owns, operates or controls any electric power transmission or distribution facilities in the United States.”                     *Id.*                     at 2. RBC also states that “the RBC Companies also do not own, operate or control any electric generation assets.”                     *Id.*                     RBC represents that it “will purchase the power to be exported from electric facilities, federal power marketing agencies, qualifying cogeneration, small power production facilities and exempt wholesale generators, as those terms are defined in the FPA, and other public utilities.”                     *Id.*                     at 4. RBC contends that “[a]ny power purchased by RBC for export will be surplus to the needs of those entities selling power to RBC” and thus, “RBC's exports will not impair the sufficiency of electric supply within the United States, nor will the transmissions impede or tend to impede the coordination in the public interest of U.S. transmission facilities.”                     *Id.*

                    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 D.                

*Procedural Matters:*                     Any person desiring to be heard in this proceeding should file a comment or protest to the Application at                     *Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov.*                     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                     *Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov*                     in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 CFR 385.214).                

                    Comments and other filings concerning RBC's Application should be clearly marked with GDO Docket No. EA-342-C. Additional copies are to be provided directly to Laura Mul, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10281,                     *Laura.Mul@rbc.com.*

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                     *Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov.*

*Signing Authority:*                     This document of the Department of Energy was signed on August 24, 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 August 25, 2023.

Treena V. Garrett,

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.

[FR Doc. 2023-18727 Filed 8-29-23; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P