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###### Department of Energy

          - [OE Docket No. EA-196-E]

# AGENCY:

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

# ACTION:

Notice of Application.

# SUMMARY:

ALLETE, Inc., d/b/a Minnesota Power (Applicant or Minnesota Power) has applied to renew its authority 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 9, 2018.

# ADDRESSES:

                        Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for more information should be addressed to: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Mail Code: OE-20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0350. Because of delays in handling conventional mail, it is recommended that documents be transmitted by overnight mail, by electronic mail to                         *Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov,*                         or by facsimile to 202-586-8008.                    

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Exports of electricity from the United States to a foreign country are regulated by the Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7151(b), 7172(f)) and require authorization under section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)).

On June 10, 2013, DOE issued Order No. EA-196-D to Minnesota Power, which authorized the Applicant to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada as a power marketer for a five-year term using existing international transmission facilities. That authority expires on June 4, 2018. On April 23, 2018, Minnesota Power filed an application with DOE for renewal of the export authority contained in Order No. EA-196 for an additional five-year term.

In its application, Minnesota Power states that it owns electric generation and transmission facilities and sells and distributes electricity within its northern Minnesota service territory. The electric energy that Minnesota Power proposes to export to Canada would be surplus energy purchased from third parties such as electric utilities and Federal power marketing agencies pursuant to voluntary agreements. The existing international transmission facilities to be utilized by Shell Energy have previously been authorized by Presidential Permits issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended, and are appropriate for open access transmission by third parties.

*Procedural Matters:*                     Any person desiring to be heard in this proceeding should file a comment or protest to the application at the address provided above. Protests should be filed in accordance with Rule 211 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211). Any person desiring to become a party to these proceedings should file a motion to intervene at the above address in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 CFR 385.214). Five copies of such comments, protests, or motions to intervene should be sent to the address provided above on or before the date listed above.                

Comments and other filings concerning Minnesota Power's application to export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. EA-196-E. An additional copy is to be provided directly to Christopher D. Anderson, ALLETE, Inc., 30 West Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802.

A final decision will be made on this application after the environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to DOE's National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021) and after a determination is made by DOE that the proposed action will not have an adverse impact on the sufficiency of supply or reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system.

                    Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, for public inspection and copying at the address provided above, by accessing the program website at                     *http://energy.gov/​node/​11845,*                     or by emailing Angela Troy at                     *Angela.Troy@hq.doe.gov.*

Issued in Washington, DC, on May 31, 2018.

Brian Mills,

Electricity Policy Analyst, Office of Electricity. 

[FR Doc. 2018-12264 Filed 6-6-18; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P