Application To Export Electric Energy; Ontario Hydro

Exports of electricity from the United States to a foreign country are regulated and require authorization under section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)). On December 21, 1998, the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) received an application from Ontario Hydro to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada. Ontario Hydro is the provincial electric utility within the Canadian Province of Ontario. Ontario Hydro does not own or control any generation and transmission facilities in the United States and does not have any franchised service territory in the United States. The electric energy Ontario Hydro proposes to export will be surplus energy purchased from electric utilities in the U.S. Ontario Hydro intends to export this energy to Canada over the existing international transmission facilities owned by Citizens Utilities, Detroit Edison Company, Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative, Long Sault, Inc., Maine Electric Power Company, Maine Public Service Company, Minnesota Power, Inc., Minnkota Power Cooperative, New York Power Authority, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, Northern States Power and Vermont Electric Transmission Company. The construction of each of the international transmission facilities to be utilized by Ontario Hydro, as more fully described in the application, has previously been authorized by a Presidential permit issued pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended.

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 Secs. 385.211 or 385.214 of the FERC's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each petition and protest should be filed with the DOE on or before the date listed above. Comments on the Ontario Hydro application to export electric energy to Canada should be clearly marked with Docket EA-198. Additional copies are to be filed directly with Joan Prior, Esq., Acting Senior Vice President, General counsel & Secretary, Ontario Hydro, 700 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada N5G 1X6, and Peter M. Kirby, Esq., Winston & Strawn, 1400 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20005. A final decision will be made on this application after the environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and a determination is made by the 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 or by accessing the Fossil Energy Home Page at www.fe.doe.gov. Upon reaching the Fossil Energy Home page, select ``Regulatory'' and then ``Electricity'' from the options menus.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on January 5, 1999. Anthony J. Como, Manager, Electric Power Regulation, Office of Coal & Power Im/Ex, Office of Coal & Power Systems, Office of Fossil Energy. [FR Doc. 99-542 Filed 1-8-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P