2013-10918. Application to Export Electric Energy; ALLETE, Inc., d/b/a Minnesota Power

AGENCY:

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

ACTION:

Notice of Application.

SUMMARY:

ALLETE, Inc., d/b/a Minnesota Power (Minnesota Power) has applied to renew its 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 June 7, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Comments, protests, or motions to intervene should be addressed to: Lamont Jackson, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lamont Jackson (Program Office) at 202-586-0808, or by email at [e-mail].

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 June 4, 2008, DOE issued Order No. EA-196-C, which authorized Minnesota 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. That authority expires on June 4, 2013. On April 25, 2013, Minnesota Power filed an application with DOE for renewal of the export authority contained in Order No. EA-196-C for an additional five-year term.

In its application, Minnesota Power states that it owns electric generation and transmission facilities and sells and distributes electricity within its northern Minnesota service territory. The electric energy that Minnesota Power proposes to export to Canada would be surplus energy purchased from electric utilities and other entities within the United States. The existing international transmission facilities to be utilized by Minnesota Power 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 on the Minnesota Power application to export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with OE Docket No. EA-196-D. An additional copy is to be provided directly to Christopher D. Anderson, Associate General Counsel, ALLETE, Inc, 30 West Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802. 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 May 2, 2013.

Jon Worthington,

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.