2010-19018. Application To Export Electric Energy; Manitoba Hydro

AGENCY:

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

ACTION:

Notice of application.

SUMMARY:

Manitoba Hydro (Manitoba) 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 (FPA).

DATES:

Comments, protests, or requests to intervene must be submitted on or before September 2, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Comments, protests or requests to intervene should be addressed as follows: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Mail Code: OE-20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0350 (FAX [phone]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 202-586-5260 or Michael Skinker (Program Attorney) 202-586-2793.

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 FPA (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)).

On November 17, 2003, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued Order No. EA-281, which authorized Manitoba to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada as a power marketer using existing international transmission facilities for a two-year term. DOE renewed the Manitoba export authorization as of November 17, 2005, in Order No. EA-281-A for an additional five-year term. That Order will expire on November 17, 2010. On July 15, 2010, Manitoba filed an application with DOE for renewal of the export authority contained in Order No. EA-281-A for an additional ten-year term.

The electric energy that Manitoba proposes to export to Canada would be surplus energy purchased from electric utilities, Federal power marketing agencies, and other entities within the United States. The existing international transmission facilities to be utilized by Manitoba 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 become a party to these proceedings 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 Rules of Practice and Procedure (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.

Comments on the Manitoba application to export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with Docket No. EA-281-B. Additional copies are to be filed directly with K. Jennifer Moroz, Manitoba Hydro Law Department, 360 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3C 0G8 and Giuseppe Fina, Bruder, Gentile & Marcoux, L.L.P., 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006. 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 adversely impact on the 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://www.oe.energy.gov/​permits_​pending.htm,, or by e-mailing Odessa Hopkins at [e-mail].

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 28, 2010.

Anthony J. Como,

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