E9-2789. Application To Amend Presidential Permit; International Transmission Company, d/b/a ITCTransmission

AGENCY:

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

ACTION:

Notice of application.

SUMMARY:

International Transmission Company, d/b/a ITC Transmission (ITC) has applied for an amendment of a Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain and connect electric transmission facilities across the U.S. international border.

DATES:

Comments, protests, or requests to intervene must be submitted on or before March 12, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ellen Russell (Program Office) at 202-586-9624, or by e-mail to [e-mail], or Michael T. Skinker (Program Attorney) at 202-586-2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The construction, operation, maintenance, and connection of facilities at the international border of the United States for the transmission of electric energy between the United States and a foreign country is prohibited in the absence of a Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 10485, as amended by EO 12038.

On September 26, 2000, DOE issued a Presidential permit to International Transmission Company (ITC) in Order No. PP-230, authorizing it to construct, operate, maintain, and connect electric transmission facilities at the international border of the United States and Canada. Those facilities are currently authorized by Presidential Permit No. PP-230-3 and include:

(1) One 230,000-volt (230-kV) transmission line, including one 675-MVA phase-shifting transformer connecting the Bunce Creek Station, located in Marysville, Michigan, with Hydro One's Scott Transformer Station, located in Sarnia, Ontario (identified as the B3N facility);

(2) One 230-kV transmission line connecting the Waterman Station, located in Detroit, Michigan, with Hydro One's J. Clark Keith Generating Station, located in Windsor, Ontario (identified as the J5D facility);

(3) One 345-kV transmission line connecting the St. Clair Generating Station, located in East China Township, Michigan, with Hydro One's Lambton Generating Station, located in Moore Township, Ontario (identified as the L4D facility); and

(4) One 230-kV transmission line connecting the St. Clair Generating Station with Hydro One's Lambton Generating Station (identified as the L51D facility).

In March 2003, the phase shifting transformer installed on the B3N facilities failed. On January 5, 2009, ITC applied to DOE to amend Presidential Permit PP-230-3 by authorizing it to replace the failed 675-MVA transformer with two 700-MVA phase shifting transformers connected in series.

Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to become a party to this proceeding or to be heard by filing comments or protests to this application should file a petition to intervene, comment or protest at the address provided above in accordance with §§ 385.211 or 385.214 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each petition and protest should be filed with DOE on or before the date listed above.

Additional copies of such petitions to intervene or protest also should be filed directly with Mr. James Frankowski, ITC Holdings Corp, 27175 Energy Way, Novi, MI 48377 and John R. Staffier, Stuntz, Davis & Staffier, P.C., 555 Twelfth Street, NW., Suite 630, Washington, DC 20004.

Before a Presidential permit may be granted or amended, DOE must determine that the proposed action will not adversely impact on the reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system. In addition, DOE must consider the environmental impacts of the proposed action (i.e., granting the Presidential permit, with any conditions and limitations, or denying the permit) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. DOE also must obtain the concurrences of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense before taking final action on a Presidential permit application.

Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, for public inspection and copying at the address provided above. In addition, the application may be reviewed or downloaded electronically at http://www.oe.energy.gov/​permits_​pending.htm.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2009.

Anthony J. Como,

Director, Siting and Permitting, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.