[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 200 (Friday, October 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55595-55596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27765]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-8-000]
Raton Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Application
October 9, 1998.
Take notice that on October 7, 1998, Raton Gas Transmission Company
(Raton), 835 Stacy Road, Fairfax, Texas 75069, filed an application
pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for authorization to
change the shippers receiving its transportation services and implement
modifying the transportation services, all as more fully set forth in
the application which is on file with the Commission and open to public
inspection.
Raton states that currently it provides transportation service
under Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for two shippers, Raton
Natural Gas Company (Raton Natural), a local distribution company, and
Natural Gas Processing Company (NGP), a successor to Associated Natural
Gas, Inc., Pan Energy Field Services and Duke Energy Field Services,
which in turn served the municipal systems of City of Las Vegas, New
Mexico, Town of Springer, New Mexico and Village of Maxwell, New
Mexico. It is indicated that NGP intends to file an application with
the New Mexico Public Utility Commission to become an open-access
transporter and thereby become a Hinshaw pipeline under Section 1(c) of
the Natural Gas Act. Raton indicates that, as a result of this action
by NGP, the shippers over Raton's system may be the LDC's serving Las
Vegas, Springer, Maxwell, or NGP, acting on behalf of those LDC's, and
Raton Natural Gas Company, or any agent or successor.
Raton indicates that currently it is eligible to receive no-notice
service from its upstream supplier, Colorado Interstate Gas Company
(CIG). Raton also states that it requested CIG to offer its no-notice
service directly to the four LDC's, but, under CIG's tariff, off-system
customers are not eligible to receive no-notice service from CIG. It is
stated that only Raton, as a small connected customer, is eligible to
contract for CIG no-notice service.
Therefore, Raton states that, to achieve the Commission's policy
objective that some form of no-notice service should be made available
to all small LDC's, it entered into a package of service agreements
with CIG to meet the total needs of the four LDC's: (1) TF-1, a
sculptured firm transportation service providing flowing volumes of gas
at winter level, shoulder month level, and summer demand level, (2)
NNT-1 service which allows the customer to withdraw gas from storage
during the winter period at widely varying volumes without incurring
penalties, and (3) a supplemental TF-1 service allowing customers to
secure volumes of gas during the spring-summer-fall period for
transportation to storage in CIG's storage fields at a discounted
transportation rate. It is also stated that its service agreements
within CIG extend to April 30, 2000, and the volumes required to
provide NOT service for the period from October 1, 1998, through April
30, 1999, have already been purchased and placed into storage.
Raton indicates that it considered filing for a Part 284 blanket
certificate to implement the required changes in service but, in its
view, the administrative burden and expense precluded it from seeking
such a blanket certificate.
Raton now proposes to allocate its tariff charges, including a
pass-through of the CIG charges to, the four LDC's. It is also
indicated that, prior to April 30, 2000, if any or all of the LDC's
elect to terminate some or all of the CIG package of no-notice
services, they may authorize Raton to release that share of the
reserved NNT service. It is also indicated that, by electing to
terminate their share of the NNT service, the LDC, or its designated
agent, agrees to accept the corresponding share of TF capacity from
Raton. Also, it is stated that, for periods after April 30, 2000, the
LDC's must notify Raton of the quantities and types of transportation
services that they
[[Page 55596]]
will require, identifying their shipping agents, if necessary.
Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with
reference to said application should on or before October 30, 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 or 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 the 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 issuance of certificate authorization and permission and
approval for the proposed abandonment 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 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 Raton to appear or be represented at the
hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-27765 Filed 10-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
