82 FR 45013 - Application for Presidential Permit; Central Maine Power Company

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 186 (September 27, 2017)

Page Range		45013-45014
FR Document		2017-20681

Central Maine Power Company (CMP) has applied for a Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain, and connect an electric transmission line across the United States border with Canada.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 186 (Wednesday, September 27, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45013-45014]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20681]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[OE Docket No. PP-438]


Application for Presidential Permit; Central Maine Power Company

AGENCY: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: Central Maine Power Company (CMP) has applied for a 
Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain, and connect an 
electric transmission line across the United States border with Canada.

DATES: Comments or motions to intervene must be submitted on or before 
October 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments or motions to intervene should be addressed as 
follows: 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: Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 
at 202-586-5260 or via electronic mail at 
[email protected]; Rishi Garg (Program Attorney) at 202-
586-0258.

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 July 27, 2017, Central Maine Power Company (CMP or ``The 
Applicant'') filed an application with the Office of Electricity 
Delivery and Energy Reliability of the Department of Energy (DOE) for a 
Presidential permit for the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) 
project. CMP has its principal place of business in Augusta, Maine. CMP 
Group, Inc. owns 100% of outstanding shares of CMP's common stock. CMP 
Group, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avangrid Networks, Inc., 
which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AVANGRID, a New York 
corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AGR). 
Iberdrola, a corporation (sociedad an[oacute]nima) organized under the 
laws of the Kingdom of Spain (BME: IBE), directly owns approximately 
81.5% of the outstanding shares of AVANGRID common stock, with the 
remaining shares publicly traded on the New York Stock exchange. 
Iberdrola's shares are listed in the Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona, and 
Valencia (Spain) stock exchanges.
    CMP proposes to construct, operate, maintain, and connect the NECEC 
project, which would cross the U.S.-Canada (Qu[eacute]bec-Maine) 
international border in Beattie Township, Maine. From that point, the 
NECEC's transmission facilities would extend to the point of first 
interconnection with the ISO-New England operated power grid at CMP's 
Larrabee Road Substation in Lewiston, Maine. The proposed project 
includes (1) a 100-foot segment crossing the border; (2) approximately 
145.3 miles of +/-320 kilovolt (kV) overhead high-voltage direct 
current (HVDC) transmission line from the border crossing to (3) a new 
345 kV alternating current (AC) to +/-320 kV HVDC 1,200 megawatt (MW) 
converter station at the Merrill Road Substation in Lewiston, Maine 
(Merrill Road Converter Station), which would convert the electrical 
power from DC to AC; (4) a 1.2-mile, above-ground 345 kV AC 
transmission line from Merrill Road Converter Station to the existing 
Larrabee Road Substation (and associated rebuild of 0.8 mile of lower-
voltage 34.5 kV transmission line to make room in the corridor for the 
new 1.2-mile line); and (5) a 345 kV line terminal at the Larrabee Road 
Substation. The proposed project facilities would be capable of 
transmitting up to 1200 MW of power.
    Since the restructuring of the electric industry began, resulting 
in the introduction of different types of competitive entities into the 
marketplace, DOE has consistently expressed its policy that cross-
border trade in electric energy should be subject to the same 
principles of comparable open access and non-discrimination that apply 
to transmission in interstate commerce. DOE has stated that policy in 
export authorizations granted to entities requesting authority to 
export electric energy over international transmission facilities. 
Specifically, DOE expects transmitting utilities owning border 
facilities to provide access across the border in accordance with the 
principles of comparable open access and non-discrimination contained 
in the Federal Power Act and articulated in Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) Order No. 888 (Promoting Wholesale Competition 
Through Open Access Non-Discriminatory Transmission Services by Public 
Utilities; FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,036 (1996)), as amended.
    Procedural Matters: Any person may comment on this application by 
filing such comment at the address provided above. Any person seeking 
to become a party to this proceeding must file a motion to intervene at 
the address provided above in accordance with Rule 214 of FERC's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Two copies of each comment 
or motion to intervene should be filed with DOE on or before the date 
listed above.
    Additional copies of such motions to intervene also should be filed 
directly with: Randall S. Rich, Pierce Atwood LLP, 1875 K Street NW., 
Suite 700, Washington, DC 20006, [email protected], AND Bernardo 
Escudero Morandeira, Central Maine Power Company, 83 Edison Drive, 
Augusta, Maine 04336, [email protected], AND Jared S. des 
Rosiers, Pierce Atwood LLP, 254 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine 
04101, [email protected].
    Before a Presidential permit may be issued or amended, DOE must 
determine that the proposed action is in the public interest. In making 
that determination, DOE considers the environmental impacts of the 
proposed project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, determines the project's impact on electric 
reliability by ascertaining whether the proposed project would 
adversely affect the operation of the U.S. electric power supply system 
under normal and contingency conditions, and any other factors that DOE 
may also consider relevant to the public interest. Also, DOE 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, by 
accessing the program Web site at http://energy.gov/oe/services/electricity-policy-coordination-and-implementation/international-electricity-regulatio-2.


[[Page 45014]]


    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2017.
Christopher A. Lawrence,
Electricity Policy Analyst, National Electricity Delivery Division, 
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2017-20681 Filed 9-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 186 / Wednesday, September 27, 2017 / Notices 45013

OSEP to monitor State agencies and for Networks, Inc., which in turn is a border in accordance with the
Congressional reporting. wholly-owned subsidiary of principles of comparable open access
Dated: September 22, 2017. AVANGRID, a New York corporation and non-discrimination contained in the
listed on the New York Stock Exchange Federal Power Act and articulated in
Tomakie Washington,
(NYSE: AGR). Iberdrola, a corporation Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Acting Director, Information Collection
(sociedad anónima) organized under the (FERC) Order No. 888 (Promoting
Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy
Officer, Office of Management. laws of the Kingdom of Spain (BME: Wholesale Competition Through Open
IBE), directly owns approximately Access Non-Discriminatory
[FR Doc. 2017–20660 Filed 9–26–17; 8:45 am]
81.5% of the outstanding shares of Transmission Services by Public
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
AVANGRID common stock, with the Utilities; FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,036
remaining shares publicly traded on the (1996)), as amended.
New York Stock exchange. Iberdrola’s
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY shares are listed in the Madrid, Bilbao, Procedural Matters: Any person may
Barcelona, and Valencia (Spain) stock comment on this application by filing
[OE Docket No. PP–438] such comment at the address provided
exchanges.
CMP proposes to construct, operate, above. Any person seeking to become a
Application for Presidential Permit;
maintain, and connect the NECEC party to this proceeding must file a
Central Maine Power Company
project, which would cross the U.S.- motion to intervene at the address
AGENCY: Office of Electricity Delivery Canada (Québec-Maine) international provided above in accordance with Rule
and Energy Reliability, DOE. border in Beattie Township, Maine. 214 of FERC’s Rules of Practice and
ACTION: Notice of application. From that point, the NECEC’s Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Two copies
transmission facilities would extend to of each comment or motion to intervene
SUMMARY: Central Maine Power the point of first interconnection with should be filed with DOE on or before
Company (CMP) has applied for a the ISO-New England operated power the date listed above.
Presidential permit to construct, grid at CMP’s Larrabee Road Substation Additional copies of such motions to
operate, maintain, and connect an in Lewiston, Maine. The proposed intervene also should be filed directly
electric transmission line across the project includes (1) a 100-foot segment
with: Randall S. Rich, Pierce Atwood
United States border with Canada. crossing the border; (2) approximately
LLP, 1875 K Street NW., Suite 700,
DATES: Comments or motions to 145.3 miles of +/¥320 kilovolt (kV)
Washington, DC 20006, rrich@
intervene must be submitted on or overhead high-voltage direct current
(HVDC) transmission line from the pierceatwood.com, AND Bernardo
before October 27, 2017. Escudero Morandeira, Central Maine
ADDRESSES: Comments or motions to
border crossing to (3) a new 345 kV
alternating current (AC) to +/¥320 kV Power Company, 83 Edison Drive,
intervene should be addressed as Augusta, Maine 04336,
follows: Office of Electricity Delivery HVDC 1,200 megawatt (MW) converter
station at the Merrill Road Substation in bernardo.escudero@cmpco.com, AND
and Energy Reliability (OE–20), U.S. Jared S. des Rosiers, Pierce Atwood LLP,
Lewiston, Maine (Merrill Road
Department of Energy, 1000 254 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine
Converter Station), which would
Independence Avenue SW., 04101, jdesrosiers@pierceatwood.com.
convert the electrical power from DC to
Washington, DC 20585.
AC; (4) a 1.2-mile, above-ground 345 kV Before a Presidential permit may be
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: AC transmission line from Merrill Road issued or amended, DOE must
Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) Converter Station to the existing determine that the proposed action is in
at 202–586–5260 or via electronic mail Larrabee Road Substation (and the public interest. In making that
at Christopher.Lawrence@hq.doe.gov; associated rebuild of 0.8 mile of lower- determination, DOE considers the
Rishi Garg (Program Attorney) at 202– voltage 34.5 kV transmission line to
586–0258. environmental impacts of the proposed
make room in the corridor for the new project pursuant to the National
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1.2-mile line); and (5) a 345 kV line Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
construction, operation, maintenance, terminal at the Larrabee Road amended, determines the project’s
and connection of facilities at the Substation. The proposed project impact on electric reliability by
international border of the United States facilities would be capable of ascertaining whether the proposed
for the transmission of electric energy transmitting up to 1200 MW of power. project would adversely affect the
between the United States and a foreign Since the restructuring of the electric operation of the U.S. electric power
country is prohibited in the absence of industry began, resulting in the
supply system under normal and
a Presidential permit issued pursuant to introduction of different types of
contingency conditions, and any other
Executive Order (EO) 10485, as competitive entities into the
factors that DOE may also consider
amended by EO 12038. marketplace, DOE has consistently
relevant to the public interest. Also,
On July 27, 2017, Central Maine expressed its policy that cross-border
DOE must obtain the concurrences of
Power Company (CMP or ‘‘The trade in electric energy should be
the Secretary of State and the Secretary
Applicant’’) filed an application with subject to the same principles of
of Defense before taking final action on
the Office of Electricity Delivery and comparable open access and non-
a Presidential permit application.
Energy Reliability of the Department of discrimination that apply to
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES

Energy (DOE) for a Presidential permit transmission in interstate commerce. Copies of this application will be
for the New England Clean Energy DOE has stated that policy in export made available, upon request, for public
Connect (NECEC) project. CMP has its authorizations granted to entities inspection and copying at the address
principal place of business in Augusta, requesting authority to export electric provided above, by accessing the
Maine. CMP Group, Inc. owns 100% of energy over international transmission program Web site at http://energy.gov/
outstanding shares of CMP’s common facilities. Specifically, DOE expects oe/services/electricity-policy-
stock. CMP Group, Inc. is a wholly- transmitting utilities owning border coordination-and-implementation/
owned subsidiary of Avangrid facilities to provide access across the international-electricity-regulatio-2.

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45014 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 186 / Wednesday, September 27, 2017 / Notices

Issued in Washington, DC, on September Filed Date: 9/20/17. Accession Number: 20170920–5207.
21, 2017. Accession Number: 20170920–5178. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17.
Christopher A. Lawrence, Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–2529–000.
Electricity Policy Analyst, National Electricity Docket Numbers: ER17–1840–000. Applicants: Southwest Power Pool,
Delivery Division, Office of Electricity Applicants: Canton Mountain Wind, Inc.
Delivery and Energy Reliability. LLC. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
[FR Doc. 2017–20681 Filed 9–26–17; 8:45 am] Description: Fourth Supplement to 2888R2 Arkansas Electric Cooperative
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P June 15, 2017 Canton Mountain Wind, Corp. NITSA and NOA to be effective 9/
LLC tariff filing. 1/2017.
Filed Date: 9/20/17. Filed Date: 9/21/17.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Accession Number: 20170920–5215. Accession Number: 20170921–5028.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/2/17. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Docket Numbers: ER17–2523–000. Docket Numbers: ER17–2529–001.
Applicants: Southwest Power Pool, Applicants: Southwest Power Pool,
Combined Notice of Filings #1 Inc. Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Description: Tariff Amendment:
Take notice that the Commission Revisions to Attachment Y to Add A 2888R2 Arkansas Electric Cooperative
received the following electric rate Competitive Project Minimum Corp. NITSA and NOA) to be effective
filings: Threshold to be effective 11/19/2017. 9/1/2017.
Docket Numbers: ER17–694–001. Filed Date: 9/20/17. Filed Date: 9/21/17.
Applicants: California Independent Accession Number: 20170920–5146. Accession Number: 20170921–5097.
System Operator Corporation. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17.
Description: Compliance filing: 2017– Docket Numbers: ER17–2524–000. Docket Numbers: ER17–2530–000.
09–21 Compliance—Transmission Applicants: Alabama Power Applicants: Midcontinent
Control Agreement Notice of Effective Company. Independent System Operator, Inc.
Date to be effective 9/15/2017. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Ameren Illinois Company.
Filed Date: 9/21/17. Florida Power & Light Company Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Accession Number: 20170921–5095. Interconnection Contract Filing to be Ameren Illinois-Wabash Valley-EnerStar
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17. effective 8/15/2017. Switching Agreement to be effective 8/
Docket Numbers: ER17–1639–002. Filed Date: 9/20/17. 22/2017.
Applicants: AEP Generation Accession Number: 20170920–5187. Filed Date: 9/21/17.
Resources Inc. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Accession Number: 20170921–5055.
Description: Tariff Amendment: AEP Docket Numbers: ER17–2525–000. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17.
GR Stuart Station Unit 1 Reactive Filing Applicants: Georgia Power Company. Docket Numbers: ER17–2531–000.
RS3 to be effective 10/1/2017. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Applicants: PJM Interconnection,
Filed Date: 9/21/17. Florida Power & Light Company L.L.C.
Accession Number: 20170921–5123. Interconnection Contract Filing to be Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17. effective 8/15/2017. Original Service Agreement No. 4794;
Docket Numbers: ER17–1717–002. Filed Date: 9/20/17. Queue AC1–116 (WMPA) to be effective
Applicants: Dynegy Conesville, LLC. Accession Number: 20170920–5188. 8/22/2017.
Description: Tariff Amendment: Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Filed Date: 9/21/17.
Response to Second Deficiency Letter to Docket Numbers: ER17–2526–000. Accession Number: 20170921–5068.
be effective 5/9/2017. Applicants: Gulf Power Company. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17.
Filed Date: 9/20/17. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Docket Numbers: ER17–2532–000.
Accession Number: 20170920–5175. Florida Power & Light Company Applicants: Massachusetts Electric
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Interconnection Contract Filing to be Company.
Docket Numbers: ER17–1718–002. effective 8/15/2017. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: 2017
Applicants: Dynegy Dicks Creek, LLC. Filed Date: 9/20/17. Rate Update Filing for Massachusetts
Description: Tariff Amendment: Accession Number: 20170920–5189. Electric Borderline Sales Agreement to
Response to Second Deficiency Letter to Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. be effective 8/1/2014.
be effective 8/1/2017. Docket Numbers: ER17–2527–000. Filed Date: 9/21/17.
Filed Date: 9/20/17. Applicants: Mississippi Power Accession Number: 20170921–5079.
Accession Number: 20170920–5176. Company. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Docket Numbers: ER17–2533–000.
Docket Numbers: ER17–1719–002. Florida Power & Light Company Applicants: ISO New England Inc.,
Applicants: Dynegy Killen, LLC. Interconnection Contract Filing to be New England Power Pool Participants
Description: Tariff Amendment: effective 8/15/2017. Committee.
Response to Second Deficiency Letter to Filed Date: 9/20/17. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: ISO–
be effective 8/1/2017. Accession Number: 20170920–5190. NE and NEPOOL—Clarifying Revisions
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES

Filed Date: 9/20/17. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. to Force Majeure to be effective 11/21/
Accession Number: 20170920–5177. Docket Numbers: ER17–2528–000. 2017.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/11/17. Applicants: Lathrop Irrigation Filed Date: 9/21/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–1720–002. District. Accession Number: 20170921–5094.
Applicants: Dynegy Miami Fort, LLC. Description: Petition for Limited Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 10/12/17.
Description: Tariff Amendment: Waiver of Tariff Provisions of Lathrop Docket Numbers: ER17–2534–000.
Response to Second Deficiency Letter to Irrigation District. Applicants: Arizona Public Service
be effective 8/1/2017. Filed Date: 9/20/17. Company.

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Document Created: 2018-10-24 14:46:56
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 14:46:56

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of application.
Dates		Comments or motions to intervene must be submitted on or before October 27, 2017.
Contact		Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) at 202-586-5260 or via electronic mail at [email protected]; Rishi Garg (Program Attorney) at 202- 586-0258.
FR Citation		82 FR 45013