[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15170-15171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8071]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-249-004]


Portland Natural Gas Transmission System; Notice of Amendment

March 25, 1997.
    Take notice that on March 18, 1997, Portland Natural Gas 
Transmission System (PNGTS), 300 Friberg Parkway, Westborough, 
Massachusetts 01581-5039, filed in Docket No. CP96-249-004 an amendment 
pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act. This amendment 
reflects the effect of the Joint Facilities Application of Maritimes & 
Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. (Maritimes) and PNGTS, initially filed with 
the Commission on February 10, 1997, and completed on March 18, 1997 in 
Docket No. CP97-238-000 (Joint Facilities Application) \1\ on PNGTS's 
March 14, 1996, Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and 
Necessity in Docket No. CP96-249-000, as amended in Docket No. CP96-
249-003.
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    \1\ See Notice of Application for Docket No. CP97-238-000 issued 
on March 21, 1997.
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    Prior to the March 18, 1997 submission in the Joint Facilities 
Application, two public conferences at the Commission were held and 
four letters from the Office of Pipeline Regulation (OPR) were issued 
requesting the information required to

[[Page 15171]]

constitute a complete filing. However, certain information which is 
needed to complete the processing of the Joint Facilities Application 
remains to be filed.\2\ Complete and accurate filing of that 
information on the schedule stated in the joint applicants' March 18, 
1997, filing is essential for the expeditious processing of the PNGTS 
project applications.
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    \2\ See the March 21, 1997, OPR Director's letter to the joint 
applicants.
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    The Joint Facilities Application filed by Maritimes and PNGTS 
requests authorization to construct and operate approximately 99.8 
miles of jointly-owned 30-inch O.D. pipeline and appurtenant facilities 
to accommodate natural gas volumes that would otherwise be transported 
through the same area by separate pipeline facilities. The Joint 
Facilities Application proposes joint facilities from Dracut, 
Massachusetts to Westbrook, Maine.
    The instant amendment filed by PNGTS addresses the effects of the 
Joint Facilities Application on the cost of facilities and rates 
previously proposed by PNGTS. PNGTS states that it will file amendments 
to its tariff to reflect the Commission's directives with respect to 
Gas Industry Standards Board standards two to five months prior to 
placing its tariff into effect.
    Based on its Case No. 2 proposed in Docket No. CP96-249-000, PNGTS 
states that its revised cost, after allocating its share of the joint 
facilities, is approximately $302.9 million. The rates proposed by 
PNGTS have been revised to reflect PNGTS's allocated estimated cost of 
the joint facilities described in the Joint Facilities Application. 
PNGTS states that its rates will be levelized for an initial 20-year 
period and are based on the assumption that 80 percent of the cost of 
the facilities will be recovered through depreciation during the 
levelization period. PNGTS states that it will use a straight fixed-
variable rate design for its firm service, and rates are based on a 
winter-day capacity design of 178,000 MMBTu per day. PNGTS does not 
propose to change the service offerings described in Docket No. CP96-
249-003 which included firm transportation service (FT), interruptible 
transportation service (IT), and the possibility of negotiated rates. 
PNGTS states that winter period and off-peak services are available 
under the FT rate schedule.
    PNGTS requests a supplemental preliminary determination no later 
than May 31, 1997, and a final certificate no later than August 31, 
1997, in order to meet an in-service date of November 1, 1998.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said Amendment should, on or before April 15, 1997, file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, 
Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene or a protest in accordance 
with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 or 385.214) and the regulations under the 
Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). All protests filed with the Commission 
will be considered by it in determining the appropriate action to be 
taken but will not serve to make the protestants parties to the 
proceeding.
    Any person wishing to become a party to a proceeding or to 
participate as a party in any hearing therein must file a motion to 
intervene in accordance with the Commission's rules. Take further 
notice that pursuant to the authority contained in and subject to the 
jurisdiction conferred upon the Commission by Sections 7 and 15 of the 
Natural Gas Act and the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a 
hearing will be held without further notice before the Commission or 
its designee on this Amendment if no petition to intervene is filed 
within the time required herein, if the Commission on its own review of 
the matter finds that a grant of the Amendment is required by the 
public convenience and necessity. If a petition for leave to intervene 
is timely filed, or if the Commission, on its own motion, believes that 
a formal hearing is required, further notice of such hearing will be 
duly given.
    Under the procedures herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for PNGTS to appear or be represented at the 
hearing. Anyone who has already filed a motion to intervene in Docket 
Nos. CP96-249-000 or CP96-249-003 need not file again with the 
Commission.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-8071 Filed 3-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M