Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 13, 2001 / Notices 31909

DOCKET#MG00–6,007, DOMINION

TRANSMISSION, INC.

OTHER#SMG00–6,008, DOMINION

TRANSMISSION, INC.

CAG–15.

DOCKET#OR00–3,000, COLONIAL

PIPELINE COMPANY

OTHER#SOR95–9,000, COLONIAL

PIPELINE COMPANY

Consent Agenda—Energy Projects—Hydro

CAH–1.

DOCKET#P–2436,139, CONSUMERS

ENERGY COMPANY

CAH–2.

DOCKET#P–6879,027, SOUTHEASTERN

HYDRO-POWER, INC.

OTHER#SP–6879,026, SOUTHEASTERN

HYDRO-POWER, INC.

CAH–3.

OMITTED

CAH–4.

DOCKET#P–5,045, PPL MONTANA, LLC,

CONFEDERATED SALISH AND

KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE

FLATHEAD RESERVATION

Consent Agenda—Energy Projects—

Certificates

CAC–1.

DOCKET#CP00–68,000, QUESTAR

PIPELINE COMPANY

OTHER#SCP00–68,001, QUESTAR

PIPELINE COMPANY

CAC–2.

DOCKET#CP98–131,004, VECTOR

PIPELINE L.P.

CAC–3.

DOCKET#CP01–179,000, GEORGIA

STRAIGHT CROSSING PIPELINE LP

CAC–4.

DOCKET#CP96–206,001,

TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE

CORPORATION

OTHER#SCP96–207,001, WILLIAMS GAS

PROCESSING—GULF COAST

COMPANY, L.P.

CAC–5.

DOCKET#CP01–66,000, EGAN HUB

PARTNERS, L.P.

CAC–6.

DOCKET#CP00–48,003, TENNESSEE GAS

PIPELINE COMPANY

OTHER#S CP00–48,004, TENNESSEE GAS

PIPELINE COMPANY

ENERGY PROJECTS—HYDRO AGENDA

H–1.

RESERVED

ENERGY PROJECTS—CERTIFICATES

AGENDA

C–1.

RESERVED

MARKETS, TARIFFS AND RATES—

ELECTRIC AGENDA

E–1.

RESERVED

MARKETS, TARIFFS AND RATES—GAS

AGENDA

G–1.

RESERVED

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 01–14951 Filed 6–8–01; 5:08 pm]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

Intent To Relieve Path 15 Transmission

Constraints

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Request for Statements of

Interest.

SUMMARY: The National Energy Policy

Report announced on May 17, 2001,

recommended that the President direct

the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to

authorize the Western Area Power

Administration (Western) to explore

relieving the ‘‘Path 15’’ bottleneck

through transmission expansion. The

Path 15 bottleneck refers to transmission

system constraints which severely limit

the flow of electric power over the

existing north-south transmission lines

located in central California. These

existing lines are owned and operated

by Pacific Gas and Electric Company

(PG&E).

On May 28, 2001, the Secretary

directed the Administrator of Western to

complete its planning to relieve Path 15

constraints, and determine whether

outside parties are interested in helping

finance and co-own the necessary

system additions, including

transmission lines. The level of interest

will be a factor in the decision by the

Secretary whether or not to build the

system additions necessary to relieve

the constraints. If the system additions

are built under this process, Western

will be a project manager for the

construction efforts.

In this notice, Western is requesting

Statements of Interest from parties

interested in helping finance and coown the system additions.

DATES: To be assured of consideration,

all Statements of Interest should be

received at Western’s Sierra Nevada

Regional Office by July 13, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The Statements of Interest

should be mailed to: Mr. Howard

Hirahara, Acting Regional Manager,

Sierra Nevada Region, Western Area

Power Administration, 114 Parkshore

Drive, Folsom, CA 95630–4710.

Statements of Interest may also be faxed

to (916) 985–1934 or e-mailed to

path15@wapa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further information concerning the

Statements of Interest, contact: Mr.

Howard Hirahara, Acting Regional

Manager, Sierra Nevada Region,

Western Area Power Administration,

114 Parkshore Drive, Folsom, CA

95630–4710, telephone (916) 353–4416.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It was

recognized in the 1980s that, under

certain power system conditions, the

flow of electric power over Path 15

could be severely limited. Western, the

Transmission Agency of Northern

California (TANC), and PG&E studied

the possibility of constructing system

additions to relieve Path 15 constraints

as part of the planning effort for the

California-Oregon Transmission Project

(COTP.) The COTP was authorized by

the Energy and Water Development

Appropriation Act, 1985, Public Law

98–360, 98 Stat. 403, 416, (1984). In

1988, Western released a final Federal

environmental impact statement (EIS),

and TANC released a final

environmental impact review under

California law, on the transmission

facilities needed for the COTP. The plan

included system additions, known as

the Los Ban ̃ os-Gates Transmission

Project, to relieve the Path 15

bottleneck. At that time, the Los

Ban ̃ os—Gates Transmission Project

would have consisted of 84 miles of

new 500-kilovolt (kV) AC transmission

line, realignment of the existing Los

Ban ̃ os-Midway No. 2 500-kV

transmission line into Gates Substation,

modification of the Los Ban ̃ os and Gates

Substations to accommodate new

equipment at several existing

substations, and reconductoring of

portions of the Gates-Arco-Midway 230-

kV Transmission Line. It was

subsequently determined in the Final

EIS that the timing and need for the

project were uncertain and if its

construction was deferred it would be

necessary to make minor modifications

to the transmission system south of

Tesla Substation to accommodate the

increased power transfer demands that

would be placed on the system. The

COTP was built and placed in service in

March 1993. For a variety of reasons, the

Los Ban ̃ os-Gates Transmission Project

was not built.

Given the current energy problems in

California, including the bankruptcy of

the PG&E, the Secretary has now

directed Western to complete its

planning for the transmission project

and to determine whether outside

parties are interested in helping to

finance and co-own the system

additions. Western has general authority

under the Department of Energy

31910 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 13, 2001 / Notices

Organization Act to construct, operate,

and maintain transmission lines and

attendant facilities. Western has projectspecific authority under the Energy and

Water Development Appropriation Act,

1985, supra, to construct or participate

in the construction of system additions

in the Los Ban ̃ os-Gates area to relieve

the Path 15 bottleneck.

Western’s initial step is to identify all

entities interested in participating in the

financing and co-ownership of Path 15

system additions. For this initial step,

interested parties should assume that

the system additions would be very

similar to those proposed in 1988 for the

Los Ban ̃ os—Gates Transmission Project.

Western estimates that the cost of the

Project today would be approximately

$200–300 million. Those entities should

submit Statements of Interest including

the following:

1. Name of requesting entity and

experience in financing electric utility

transmission projects.

2. Name, telephone number, facsimile

number, and e-mail address of

management contact.

3. Name, telephone number, facsimile

number, and e-mail address of technical

contact.

4. Amount of financing they are

willing to contribute to the project.

5. Amount and type of ownership

rights they seek.

6. Description of non-monetary

contributions they are willing to offer to

the project.

7. Description of the proposed

participation in sufficient detail to

enable Western to evaluate the proposal.

8. Amounts and types of transmission

rights they wish to purchase.

Western then will analyze the

Statements of Interest. The level of

interest will be a factor in the decision

by the Secretary whether or not to build

the system additions necessary to

relieve the Path 15 constraints.

In accordance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1980, 44 U.S.C. 3501–

3520, Western has received approval

from the Office of Management and

Budget for the collection of this

information under control number

1910–1200.

Western will prepare the necessary

environmental and feasibility studies

and review easement and land

acquisition issues related to the project.

Western will review the 1988 COTP EIS

and 1991 Supplement Analysis to

determine what further action must be

taken to comply with National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and

other environmental laws and

regulations.

Dated: June 2, 2001.

Michael S. Hacskaylo,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–14874 Filed 6–12–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Western Area Power Administration

Post-2004 Resource Pool—Salt Lake

City Area Integrated Projects

AGENCY: Western Area Power

Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Allocation.

SUMMARY: The Western Area Power

Administration (Western), a Federal

power marketing agency of the

Department of Energy, announces its

Post-2004 Resource Pool—Salt Lake City

Area Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP)

Proposed Allocation of Power. This

allocation fulfills the requirements of

Subpart C—Power Marketing Initiative

of the Energy Planning and Management

Program Final Rule. The Post-2004

Resource Pool Proposed Allocation of

Power is Western’s application of

Subpart C—Power Marketing Initiative

of the Energy Planning and Management

Program Final Rule to the SLCA/IP.

DATES: All comments must be received

by the end of the comment period, to be

assured of consideration. The comment

period on the Proposed Allocation of

Power begins today and ends October

11, 2001.

ADDRESSES: All comments regarding the

Proposed Allocation of Power should be

directed to the following address: Mr.

Burt Hawkes, Power Marketing and

Contracts, CRSP Management Center,

Western Area Power Administration,

P.O. Box 11606, Salt Lake City, UT

84147–0606. Comments may also be

faxed to (801) 524–5017 or e-mailed to

POST2004SLCIP@WAPA.GOV.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Burt Hawkes, Power Marketing and

Contracts, (801) 524–3344, or Lyle

Johnson, Public Utilities Specialist,

(801) 524–5585. Written requests for

information should be sent to CRSP

Management Center, Western Area

Power Administration, P.O. Box 11606,

Salt Lake City, UT 84147–0606.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western

will also consult with the applicants

and interested parties at the combined

public information forums and

comment forums, which are planned for

Albuquerque, New Mexico; Las Vegas,

Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; and Salt

Lake City, Utah. Notification of the

location and times of the forums will be

given in a subsequent Federal Register

notice at least 30 days prior to the first

of these forums. All documentation

developed or retained by Western in

developing the Proposed Allocation of

Power will be available for inspection

and copying at the CRSP Management

Center, 150 East Social Hall Avenue,

Suite 300, Salt Lake City, Utah. After all

public comments have been thoroughly

considered, Western will prepare and

publish the Final Allocation of Power in

the Federal Register.

Western published its decision on

June 25, 1999, at 64 FR 34414, to apply

Subpart C—Power Marketing Initiative

of the Energy Planning and Management

Program Final Rule, 10 CFR part 905 to

the SLCA/IP. The Energy Planning and

Management Program (Program), which

was developed in part to implement

section 114 of the Energy Policy Act of

1992, became effective on November 20,

1995. Subpart C of the Program provides

for the establishment of project-specific

resource pools and the allocation of

power from these pools to new

preference customers. Western’s power

allocation criteria and call for

applications for power were published

in the Federal Register at 64 FR 48825,

September 8, 1999, and revised and

clarified in the Federal Register at 65

FR 11303, March 2, 2000. These

established the framework for allocating

power from the resource pool to be

established from the SLCA/IP.

Applications for power were accepted at

Western’s Colorado River Storage

Project (CRSP) Management Center until

close of business on June 8, 2000. The

Proposed Allocation of Power published

herein is the result of Western’s

decision in response to those

applications. Only comments relevant to

the proposed allocations will be

accepted during this period. A Federal

Register notice of the final allocations of

power will address the comments

received during the comment period.

I. Proposed Allocation of Power

Western will respond to the

comments received about the Proposed

Allocation of Power and publish its

final allocations after the public

comment period ends. If any

adjustments or corrections are necessary

in a recipient’s allocation, the fixed size

of the pool will cause the change to

affect the allocations of all other

recipients. Western plans to enter into

contracts with new customers after

publication of that notice.

The SLCA/IP Post-2004 Power Pool

will consist of 7 percent of the SLCA/

IP firm power resources available on

October 1, 2004. On this date, 7 percent

of the firm power resources will be

withdrawn from current customers and