[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 219 (Friday, November 13, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63425-63426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30370]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
18 CFR Parts 161, 250, and 284
[Docket No. RM98-10-000]
Regulation of Short-term Natural Gas Transportation Services;
Notice of Staff Conference on Pipeline Capacity Auctions
November 6, 1998.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking, notice of staff conference on
pipeline capacity auctions.
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SUMMARY: The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is
holding a conference to discuss pipeline capacity auctions as
contemplated in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), issued on
July 29, 1998. 63 FR 42982 (Aug. 11, 1998). The scope of the conference
includes all issues raised by
[[Page 63426]]
the auction proposed in the NOPR and will consist of panel discussions
and presentations.
DATES: December 8, 1998, 9:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street,
N.E., Washington DC 20426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth Zerby, Office of Pipeline Rates, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426, 202-208-1181.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In addition to publishing the full text of
this document in the Federal Register, the Commission also provides all
interested persons an opportunity to inspect or copy the contents of
this document during normal business hours in the Public Reference Room
at 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426.
The Commission Issuance Posting System (CIPS) provides access to
the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission. CIPS can be
accessed via Internet through FERC's Homepage (http://www.ferc.fed.us)
using the CIPS Link or the Energy Information Online icon. The full
text of this document will be available on CIPS in ASCII and
WordPerfect 6.1 format. CIPS is also available through the Commission's
electronic bulletin board service at no charge to the user and may be
accessed using a personal computer with a modem by dialing 202-208-
1397, if dialing locally, or 1-800-856-3920, if dialing long distance.
To access CIPS, set your communications software to 19200, 14400,
12000, 9600, 7200, 4800, 2400, or 1200 bps, full duplex, no parity, 8
data bits and 1 stop bit. User assistance is available at 202-208-2474
or by E-mail to cipsmaster@ferc.fed.us.
This document is also available through the Commission's Records
and Information Management System (RIMS), an electronic storage and
retrieval system of documents submitted to and issued by the Commission
after November 16, 1981. Documents from November 1995 to the present
can be viewed and printed. RIMS is available in the Public Reference
Room or remotely via Internet through FERC's Homepage using the RIMS
link or the Energy Information Online icon. User assistance is
available at 202-208-2222, or by E-mail to rimsmaster@ferc.fed.us.
Finally, the complete text on diskette in WordPerfect format may be
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, RVJ International,
Inc. RVJ International, Inc. is located in the Public Reference Room at
888 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426.
Regulation of Short-Term Natural Gas Transportation Services
Take notice that on December 8, 1998, the staff of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a conference to discuss pipeline
capacity auctions as contemplated in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NOPR), issued on July 29, 1998.\1\ The conference will begin at 9:30
a.m. at the Commission's offices, 888 First Street, NE., Washington,
DC, in the Commission Meeting Room. All interested persons are invited
to attend and participate. The purpose of this conference is to enable
the industry to discuss with staff, as well as with each other, issues
relating to auctions as proposed in the NOPR.
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\1\ Regulation of Short-Term Natural Gas Transportation
Services, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 63 FR 42982 (Aug. 11,
1998), IV FERC Stats. & Regs. Proposed Regulations para. 32,533
(July 29, 1998).
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The scope of the conference includes all issues raised by the
auction proposed in the NOPR. These would include: how an auction might
affect pipeline cost recovery, including issues of rate design, reserve
prices, and access charges; how pre-arranged capacity release
transactions could be accommodated within an auction; how a capacity
auction could coordinate with gas purchasing and risk management
practices as well as with the acquisition and scheduling of capacity on
interconnecting pipelines and local distribution companies; how
auctions affect transaction costs; and how to determine the extent of
available capacity as well as the types of capacity that should be
included in the auction. The conference is intended to stimulate
comment and discussion between staff and the industry on all aspects of
the auction proposal in the NOPR, but any staff comments will not
necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission or any Commissioner.
The conference will consist of roundtable discussions and
presentations. Parties interested in making presentations and/or
participating in the discussions should indicate their interest by
November 20, 1998, by a letter addressed to the Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC
20426, and should refer to Docket No. RM98-10-000. Upon receipt of
these requests, a later notice will be issued providing further details
about how the conference is to be organized.
An overhead projector will be made available at the conference. If
participants require additional audiovisual services, the need to
provide notice of their request in their letter to the Secretary to
ensure that it can be accommodated.
The Capitol Connection may broadcast this conference in the
Washington, D.C. area if there is sufficient interest. For those
outside the Washington, D.C. area, the Capitol Connection may broadcast
the conference live via satellite for a fee if there is sufficient
interest to justify the cost. To indicate interest in either the local
or national braodcast, please call Shirley AlJarani or Julia Morelli at
the Capitol Connection (703-993-3100) as soon as possible, or e-mail to
capcon@gmu.edu.
In addition, National Narrowcast Network's Hearing-On-The-line
service covers all FERC meetings live by telephone so that interested
persons can listen at their desks, from their homes, or from any phone,
without special equipment. Billing is based on time on-line. Call 202-
966-2211 for further details.
Questions about the conference should be directed to: Elizabeth
Zerby, Office of Pipeline Regulation, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 20426, 202-208-1181.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-30370 Filed 11-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
