Application To Export Electric Energy; New Brunswick Energy Marketing Corporation

AGENCY:

Office of Electricity Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION:

Notice of application.

SUMMARY:

New Brunswick Energy Marketing Corporation (Applicant or NBEMC) has applied to renew its authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to the Federal Power Act.

DATES:

Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on or before December 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for more information should be addressed to: Office of Electricity, Mail Code: OE-20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0350. Because of delays in handling conventional mail, it is recommended that documents be transmitted by overnight mail, by electronic mail to Electricity.Exports@hq.doe.gov, or by facsimile to 202-586-8008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department of Energy (DOE) regulates exports of electricity from the United States to a foreign country, pursuant to sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7151(b) and 7172(f)). Such exports require authorization under section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)).

On December 6, 2013, DOE issued Order No. EA-345-A to NBEMC, which authorized the Applicant to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada as a power marketer for a five-year term using existing international transmission facilities. That authority expires on December 5, 2018. On October 16, 2018, NBEMC filed an application with DOE for renewal of the export authority contained in Order No. EA-345-A for an additional five-year term.

In its application, the Applicant states that it “does not own any electric generation or transmission facilities and, as a power marketer, does not hold a franchise or service territory or native load obligation.” The electric energy that the Applicant proposes to export to Canada would be surplus energy purchased from third parties such as electric utilities and Federal power marketing agencies pursuant to voluntary agreements. The existing international transmission facilities to be utilized by NBEMC have previously been authorized by Presidential permits issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended, and are appropriate for open access transmission by third parties.

Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to be heard in this proceeding should file a comment or protest to the application at the address provided above. Protests should be filed in accordance with Rule 211 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Any person desiring to become a party to this proceeding should file a motion to intervene at the above address in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 CFR 385.214). Five (5) copies of such comments, protests, or motions to intervene should be sent to the address provided above on or before the date listed above.

Comments and other filings concerning NBEMC's application to export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. EA-345-B. An additional copy is to be provided directly to both Janice McNeil, New Brunswick Energy Marketing Corporation, 515 King Street, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 2040, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 5G4, and Tracey L. Bradley, Bracewell LLP, 2001 M Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036.

A final decision will be made on this application after the environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to DOE's National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021) and after DOE determines that the proposed action will not have an adverse impact on the sufficiency of supply or reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system.

Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, for public inspection and copying at the address provided above, by accessing the program website at http://energy.gov/node/11845,, or by emailing Angela Troy at Angela.Troy@hq.doe.gov.