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[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18898-18899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10092]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP92-633-001]

Public Service Company of Colorado; Notice of Request for 
Clarification or Amendment to Blanket Certificate

April 10, 1998.
    Take notice that on April 2, 1998, Public Service Company of 
Colorado (PSCo), 1225 17th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202, filed in 
Docket No. CP92-633-001, pursuant to Rules 212 and Section 284.224 of 
the Commission's Rules and Regulations, a request for clarification of, 
or in the alternative, an application to amend the blanket certificate 
issued to PSCo in Docket No. CP92-633-000 by order issued October 8, 
1992 (Order).\1\ By its request for amendment, PSCo requests that the 
Commission either (1) clarify that PSCo's existing blanket certificate 
authorization permits PSCo to provide service using facilities located 
on any portion of its system in the state of Colorado, or (2) amend 
PSCo's existing blanket certificate authorization to permit PSCo to 
provide service on any portion of its system in the state of Colorado.
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    \1\ 61 FERC para.62,012 (1992).
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    PSCo states that the Commission, by its Order, issued PSCo a 
Section 284.224 certificate in order to continue to provide service to 
the customers of Western Gas Supply Corporation (WestGas), a subsidiary 
of PSCo which held this type of certificate when a merger between PSCo 
and WestGas occurred. PSCo's blanket certificate application requested 
that the authorization pertain ``to service through the former WestGas 
Hinshaw facilities and not PSCo's distribution facilities.''
    On December 23, 1997, PSCo filed an application with the Colorado 
Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for authority to construct and 
operate the Front Range Pipeline in order to provide additional 
capacity on its system in Colorado. Responding to discovery

[[Page 18899]]

requests in the CPUC proceeding, PSCo determined that, in providing 
transportation under the blanket certificate, two points on its system 
that were not part of the former WestGas facilities may have been used 
from time to time. On March 9, 1998, KN Wattenberg filed a complaint 
against PSCo and others which alleges, inter alia, that the 1992 
Certificate is limited to the former WestGas Hinshaw facilities. 
However, PSCo believes the Commission authorized it to engage in 
Section 311-type transactions without limitation to any specific 
portions of its system.
    Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, PSCo has restructured 
the current Section 311-type transactions involving the two points such 
that only former WestGas facilities are now used in providing the 
service. Since the demand by shippers for such service is expected to 
exceed PSCo's capacity to transport gas through only these facilities, 
PSCo urges the Commission to act promptly to remove the current 
uncertainty.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before May 1, 1998, file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., 
Washington, D.C. 20426, a motion to intervene or a protest in 
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 and 385.211) 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 jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy 
Regulatory 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 application if no motion to intervene is filed within the time 
required herein, if the Commission on its own review of the matter 
finds that the application should be approved. If a motion for leave to 
intervene is timely filed, or if the Commission on its motion believes 
that a formal hearing is required, further notice of such hearing will 
be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for PSCo to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-10092 Filed 4-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
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