[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16728-16729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8373]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-21-001]
Northern Border Pipeline Company; Notice of Amendment
March 31, 1999.#
Take notice that on March 25, 1999, Northern Border Pipeline
Company (Northern Border), 1111 South 103rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska
68124-1000, filed in Docket No. CP99-21-001, an amendment to its
pending application in Docket No. CP99-21-000, for a certificate of
public convenience and necessity, pursuant to Section 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations, to
construct and operate pipeline and compression facilities, all as more
fully set forth in the amendment which is on file with the Commission
and open to public inspection. This filing may be viewed on the
Internet at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222
for assistance).
Specifically, Northern Border seeks to: (1) replace the compressor
wheel and uprate the 6,500 HP electric drive compressor at Compressor
Station No. 14 to a 13,000 HP electric drive compressor; (2) replace
the compressor wheel and internals and uprate the 12,000 HP electric
drive compressor at Compressor Station No. 17 to a 15,000 HP electric
drive compressor; (3) install and operate a 13,000 HP electric drive
compressor at Compressor Station Site No. 18; (4) construct and operate
approximately 34.4 miles of 36-inch pipeline from Manhattan, Illinois
to North Hayden, Indiana; (5) construct and operate a new meter
station; and (6) other appurtenant facilities. Northern Border also
withdraws its request to install compression at Compressor Station Nos.
2, 4, and 16 and will not make the previously proposed cooling
modifications. Further, Northern Border withdraws its request for
permission and approval to abandon and remove certain compression
facilities. The change in facility configuration was prompted when two
of the original project shippers, El Paso Energy Marketing Company and
Minnesota Corn Processors, obtained firm capacity via capacity release
subsequent to the filing of Docket No. CP99-21-000. Northern Border
states that the estimated cost of the proposed facilities is $125.7
million. The proposed in-service date of the facilities is November 1,
2000.
Northern Border proposes to maintain its cost of service ratemaking
methodology and roll-in to Rate Schedule T-1 (Northern Border's Part
284 firm transportation rate schedule) the cost of the new facilities
with its existing system costs. Northern Border maintains that the
aggregation of the proposed costs with existing facility costs will
result in an increase in the unit cost under Rate Schedule T-1 that is
less than the 5 percent presumption in the Commission's Pricing Policy
for New and Existing Facilities Constructed by Interstate Natural Gas
Pipelines (68 FERC para. 61,140 (1994)). Northern Border also asserts
that its proposal will offer system-wide benefits to existing and
prospective shippers.
Northern Border also requests a one-time waiver of Subsection 4.83
of Rate Schedule T-1 in Northern Border's FERC Gas Tariff, First
Revised Volume No. 1, which details the calculation of
[[Page 16729]]
an average monthly rate base. Instead of calculating the average
monthly rate base using the beginning and end-of-month balances as is
currently in the tariff, Northern Border seeks to use a daily weighted
average balance for the in-service month of a the proposed facilities.
Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with
reference to said application should on or before April 21, 1999, 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 385.211 and 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. The Commission's rules require that protestors
provide copies of their protests to the party or parties directly
involved. Any person wishing to become a party in any proceeding herein
must file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's
rules.
A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service
list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive
copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by every one of the
intervenors. An intervenor can file for rehearing of any Commission
order and can petition for court review of any such order. However, an
intervenor must submit copies of comments or any other filing it makes
with the Commission to every other intervenor in the proceeding, as
well as 14 copies with the Commission.
A person does not have to intervene, however, in order to have
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit two copies of
comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Commenters will be placed
on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of
environmental documents and will be able to participate in meetings
associated with the Commission's environmental review process.
Commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on
all other parties. However, commenters will not receive copies of all
documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission and will
not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal the Commission's final
order to a federal court.
The Commission will consider all comments and concerns equally,
whether filed by commenters or those requesting intervenor status.
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 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 permission and
approval for the proposed abandonments and a grant of the certificate
are required by the public convenience and necessity. If a motion for
leave to intervene is timely filed, or if the Commission on its own
motion believes that 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 Northern Border to appear or to be
represented at the hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-8373 Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M