2015-08424. Application to Export Electric Energy; Saracen Power LP

AGENCY:

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

ACTION:

Notice of Application.

SUMMARY:

Saracen Power LP (Applicant or Saracen Power) has applied for authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.

DATES:

Comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be submitted on or before May 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

Comments, protests, motions to intervene, or requests for more information should be addressed to: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, 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 [e-mail], or by facsimile to 202-586-8008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

On April 13, 2009, DOE issued Order No. EA-350 to Saracen Power LLC, which authorized Saracen Power to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada as a power marketer for a five-year term using existing international transmission facilities. On December 16, 2009, DOE issued Order No. EA-350-A, which changed the name of Saracen Power LLP to Saracen Power LP. All other terms and conditions of Order No. EA-350 remained unchanged. On April 13, 2014, Saracen Power's authority to export electricity under EA-350-A expired. On February 26, 2015, Saracen Power filed an application with DOE for renewal of the export authority contained in Order No. EA-350-A for an additional five-year term. DOE will treat Saracen Power's Application as a new authorization request under OE Docket No. EA-409 due to the fact that the export authority contained in Order No. EA-350-A expired on April 13, 2014.

In its Application, Saracen Power reports that it “has engaged in only one electricity export transaction since its authorization expired on April 13, 2014; specifically, Saracen Power transmitted 800 MWh to Canada over the Ontario-Michigan Interconnection facilities (Presidential Permit No. PP-230) on February 22, 2015.” Application at 2. Since this export transaction, the Applicant has suspended further exports and “is updating its internal compliance calendar and procedures to ensure that future reauthorizations are sought and obtained in a timely manner, to avoid future lapses of its electricity export authorization.” Id.

In its application, the Applicant states that it does not own or operate any electric generation or transmission facilities, and it does not have a franchised service area. 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 the Applicant 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 Procedures (18 CFR 385.211). Any person desiring to become a party to these proceedings should file a motion to intervene at the above address in accordance with FERC Rule 214 (18 CFR 385.214). Five 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 the Saracen Power's application to export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. EA-409. An additional copy is to be provided directly to both Allison P. Duensing, The Saracen Group of Companies, Five Greenway Plaza, Suite 1310, Houston, TX 77046 and to Daniel E. Frank, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, 700 Sixth Street NW., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001.

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 a determination is made by DOE 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 Web site at http://energy.gov/​node/​11845,, or by emailing Angela Troy at [e-mail].

Issued in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2015.

Brian Mills,

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