69752 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 224 / Monday, November 20, 2000 / Notices

Dated: October 16, 2000.

Robert B. Pirie, Jr.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations

And Environment).

Dated: November 14, 2000.

J.L. Roth,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison

Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–29650 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. EA–101–B]

Application to Export Electric Energy;

Avista Corporation

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Application.

SUMMARY: Avista Corporation (Avista,

formerly The Washington Water Power

Company) has applied to amend its

authority to transmit electric energy

from the United States to Canada

pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal

Power Act.

DATES: Comments, protests or requests

to intervene must be submitted on or

before December 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or

requests to intervene should be

addressed as follows: Office of Coal &

Power Im/Ex (FE–27), Office of Fossil

Energy, U.S. Department of Energy,

1000 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20585–0350 (FAX 202–

287–5736).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rosalind Carter (Program Office) 202–

586–7983 or Michael Skinker (Program

Attorney) 202–586–6667.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exports of

electricity from the United States to a

foreign country are regulated and

require authorization under section

202(e) of the Federal Power Act (FPA).

On October 17, 1994, the Office of

Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of

Energy (DOE) issued Order EA–101

authorizing Avista to export through

Bonneville Power Administration’s

(BPA) Nelway, Washington,

international transmission facilities

(Presidential Permit PP–36) up to 100

MW of firm capacity and associated

energy to West Kootenay Power, for the

months of November, December,

January and February. On May 12, 1995,

Avista applied to DOE to amend the

export authorization issued in Order

EA–101 to: (1) Increase the export limit

to 400 MW; (2) authorize exports for all

months of the calendar year; (3) remove

the expiration date; and (4) add BPA

facilities authorized by Presidential

Permit’s PP–10 and PP–46 to the list of

facilities that Avista may use for export.

On October 23, 1995, FE issued the

requested amendment in Order EA–

101–A. On September 25, 2000, Avista

filed an application with FE to amend

Order EA–101–A to increase the

authorized export limit from 400 MW to

1000 MW.

Procedural Matters

Any person desiring to become a

party to this proceeding or to be heard

by filing comments or protests to this

application should file a petition to

intervene, comment or protest at the

address provided above in accordance

with §§ 385.211 or 385.214 of the

FERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedures

(18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen

copies of each petition and protest

should be filed with the DOE on or

before the date listed above.

Comments on the Avista request to

export to Canada should be clearly

marked with Docket EA–101–B.

Additional copies are to be filed directly

with Mr. Robert J. Lafferty, Manager,

Electric Resources, Avista Corporation,

P.O. Box 3727, Spokane, Washington

99220–3727 and R. Blair Strong, Paine,

Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke and Miller, 717

W. Sprague, Suite 1200, Spokane, WA

99201–3505.

A final decision will be made on this

application after DOE determines

whether the proposed action would

impair the sufficiency of electric supply

within the United States or would

impede or tend to impede the

coordination in the public interest of

facilities as required by Section 202(e)

of FPA.

DOE notes that the circumstances

described in this application are

virtually identical to those for which

export authority had previously been

granted in FE Order EA–101.

Consequently, DOE believes that it has

adequately satisfied its responsibilities

under the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 through the

documentation of a categorical

exclusion in the FE Docket EA–101–A

proceeding.

Copies of this application will be

made available, upon request, for public

inspection and copying at the address

provided above or by accessing the

Fossil Energy Home Page at http://

www.fe.doe.gov. Upon reaching the

Fossil Energy Home page, select

‘‘Regulatory Programs,’’ then

‘‘Electricity Regulation,’’ and then

‘‘Pending Proceedings’’ from the options

menus.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on November

14, 2000.

Anthony J. Como,

Deputy Director, Electric Power Regulation,

Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex, Office of Coal

& Power Systems, Office of Fossil Energy.

[FR Doc. 00–29596 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. EA–193–A]

Application to Export Electric Energy;

Energy Atlantic, LLC

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Application.

SUMMARY: Energy Atlantic, LLC (Energy

Atlantic) has applied for renewal of its

authority to transmit electric energy

from the United States to Canada

pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal

Power Act.

DATES: Comments, protests or requests

to intervene must be submitted on or

before December 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or

requests to intervene should be

addressed as follows: Office of Coal &

Power Im/Ex (FE–27), Office of Fossil

Energy, U.S. Department of Energy,

1000 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20585–0350 (FAX 202–

287–5736).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Xavier Puslowski (Program Office) 202–

586–4708 or Michael Skinker (Program

Attorney) 202–586–2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

November 24, 1998, the Office of Fossil

Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy

(DOE) issued Order No. EA–193

authorizing Energy Atlantic to transmit

electric energy from the United States to

Canada as a power marketer using the

international electric transmission

facilities owned and operated by Joint

Owners of the Highgate Project, Inc.,

Maine Electric Power Company, Maine

Public Service Company, and Vermont

Electric Transmission Company. That

two-year authorization will expire on

November 24, 2000.

On October 27, 2000, Energy Atlantic

filed an application with FE for renewal

of the export authority contained in

Order No. EA–193 for a term of five

years.

Procedural Matters

Any person desiring to become a

party to this proceeding or to be heard

by filing comments or protests to this

application should file a petition to

intervene, comment or protest at the

address provided above in accordance

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 224 / Monday, November 20, 2000 / Notices 69753

with §§ 385.211 or 385.214 of the

FERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedures

(18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen

copies of each petition and protest

should be filed with the DOE on or

before the date listed above.

Comments on the Energy Atlantic

request to export to Canada should be

clearly marked with Docket EA–193–A.

Additional copies are to be filed directly

with Michael E. Small, Wendy N. Reed,

Wright & Talisman, P.C., 1200 G Street,

NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005

and Calvin D. Deschene, Director,

Energy Atlantic, L.L.C., PO Box 1148,

Presque Isle, Maine 04769.

DOE notes that the circumstances

described in this application are

virtually identical to those for which

export authority had previously been

granted in FE Order No. EA–193.

Consequently, DOE believes that it has

adequately satisfied its responsibilities

under the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 through the

documentation of a categorical

exclusion in the FE Docket EA–193

proceeding.

Copies of this application will be

made available, upon request, for public

inspection and copying at the address

provided above or by accessing the

Fossil Energy Home Page at http://

www.fe.doe.gov. Upon reaching the

Fossil Energy Home page, select

‘‘Electricity,’’ from the Regulatory Info

menu, and then ‘‘Pending Proceedings’’

from the options menus.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on November

14, 2000.

Anthony Como,

Deputy Director, Electric Power Regulation,

Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex, Office of Coal

& Power Systems, Office of Fossil Energy.

[FR Doc. 00–29595 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Interstate Electric Transmission

System; Electric Reliability Issues;

Notice of Inquiry

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) is seeking comments on whether

to initiate, pursuant to section 403 of the

DOE Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7173),

a rulemaking for final action to the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

(FERC) to impose mandatory electric

reliability standards. This is the initial

step in a process in which DOE intends

to examine electric reliability issues and

proposals, and the extent of Federal

authority under existing law, given the

transition to restructured, more

competitive electricity markets. Based

on the results of that examination, DOE

will consider the issuance of a proposed

rulemaking. Any proposed rulemaking

would seek to promote and ensure the

long-term reliability of the interstate

electric transmission system. DOE is

seeking responses to particular

questions posed below, and welcomes

any other comments or proposals

pertinent to an electric reliability

rulemaking.

DATES: Written comments are to be filed

at the address listed below no later than

4:30 p.m., eastern time January 4, 2001.

DOE is requesting a signed original, a

computer diskette (WordPerfect or

Microsoft Word) and 3 copies of the

written comments. Comments can also

be filed electronically by e-mail to:

policy.energy@hq.doe.gov, noting

‘‘Electric Reliability Comments’’ in the

subject line.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be submitted to: Office of Policy, Office

of Economic, Electricity and Natural Gas

Analysis, PO–21, Attention: Electric

Reliability Comments, U.S. Department

of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 7H–

034, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

John J. Conti, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Policy, Office of

Economic, Electricity and Natural Gas

Analysis, Forrestal Building, PO–21,

1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586–

4767, e-mail: john.conti@hq.doe.gov, or

Lot Cooke, Esq., U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Forrestal Building, GC–76, 1000

Independence Ave., SW., Washington,

D.C. 20585, (202) 586–0503, e-mail:

lot.cooke@hq.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1998

Final Report of the Secretary of Energy

Advisory Board’s Task Force on Electric

System Reliability noted:

* * * the electricity industry is in a

transition from a highly regulated industry

dominated by monopoly utilities to an

industry that will rely, in large part, upon

competitive commercial markets at both the

wholesale and retail levels. The industry is

unbundling, and the old institutions for

reliability are no longer sufficient. We are

already in the middle of our journey toward

a restructured electricity industry. However,

the new policies and institutions needed to

assure electric reliability are not yet in place.

Until such policies and institutions are in

place, substantial parts of North America will

be exposed to unacceptable risks.

The complete report is available at

http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab.

The events of the last two summers

have borne out the Task Force’s

warnings. During the Summer of 1999 a

number of regions of the country

experienced blackouts and brownouts.

Utilities located in other areas narrowly

avoided major reliability-related

problems. This past summer the

California Independent System Operator

declared a record number of ‘‘Stage 2’’

electricity emergencies and was often on

the brink of having to implement rolling

blackouts. Some businesses were forced

to temporarily shut down operations

and millions of people were left to

wonder whether the lights would be on

when they returned home from work in

the evening.

The Report of the Secretary of Energy

Advisory Board’s Task Force, and a

report prepared by the Department of

Energy’s Power Outage Study Team

(available at http://

www.policy.energy.gov/), offered

recommendations on actions that could

be taken to improve the reliability of the

electric grid. Some of these

recommendations focused on efforts to

improve the adequacy of our electricity

supply to ensure that it keeps pace with

demand for power. Other

recommendations attempted to address

some potential problems associated

with the security of the integrated bulk

power grid. Both reports recommended

that all users of the bulk power system

be subject to mandatory reliability rules.

The electric utility industry, through

a tradition of voluntary self-regulation

and cooperation, has historically

performed admirably in maintaining

reliability. That self-regulation was

accomplished under the auspices of the

North American Electric Reliability

Council (NERC). NERC was established

in 1968 as a voluntary membership

organization. NERC develops standards,

guidelines, and criteria for ensuring and

evaluating the electricity system’s

security and adequacy. NERC operates

through ten regional councils and has

been largely successful in maintaining a

high degree of transmission grid

reliability. The reliability councils have

functioned without formal enforcement

powers, relying on voluntary

compliance.

However, in a highly competitive

electricity market, voluntary selfregulation of reliability issues may not

be sufficient. Utilities are under

increasing pressures to cut costs and

maximize the economic value of the

electric transmission grid, to the

possible detriment of electric reliability.

In addition, in a competitive

environment industry participants may

use reliability concerns as a pretext for

anti-competitive behavior.

NERC and other interested parties

have stated that the establishment and

enforcement of mandatory reliability