Appellate Briefs

Xcel Energy Services Inc. v. FERC No. 06-1174 Denial of waiver of prior notice and filing requirement, for late filing of generator interconnection agreements long after their effectiveness. Xcel Energy Services, Inc., 114 FERC ¶ 61,295 (2006), denying reh'g of 12/23/05 unpublished letter order. Circuit D.C. Cir.

Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Co. v. FERC No. 06-1145 Order, affirming ALJ, that Williston must convert nature of transportation service to Northern States Power and that Williston must increase NSP's Annual Delivery Quantity under transportation contract. Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Co., 113 FERC ¶ 61,201 (2005), order on reh'g, 115 FERC ¶ 61,081 (2006). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Illinois Municipal Gas Agency, et al. v. FERC Nos. 06-1006, et al. Reaffirmance of policy permitting selective rate discounting, on a non-discriminatory basis, in order to meet competition. Policy for Selective Discounting by Natural Gas Pipelines, 111 FERC ¶ 61,309 (2005), reh'g denied, 113 FERC ¶ 61,173 (2005). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Keyspan LNG, L.P. v. FERC No. 06-1097 Denial, based on safety concerns, of proposal by KeySpan to site, construct and operate a LNG import terminal in Providence, Rhode Island. KeySpan LNG, L.P., et al., 112 FERC ¶ 61,028 (2005), reh'g denied, 114 FERC ¶ 61,054 (2006). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Burlington Resources Oil & Gas v. FERC No. 06-1042 Order on remand from Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Co. v. FERC, 396 F.3d 405 (D.C. Cir. 2005), again finding that Burlington must refund Kansas ad valorem taxes to pipelines on first sales of natural gas. Burlington Res. Oil & Gas Co., 112 FERC ¶ 61,053 (2005), reh'g denied, 113 FERC ¶ 61,257 (2005). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Transm. Agency of Northern Cal. v. FERC Nos. 05-1402, et al. Orders on remand from PG&E v. FERC, 306 F.3d 1112 (D.C. Cir. 2002), holding that the Commission acted appropriately pursuant to FPA section 205 in reviewing a base Transmission Revenue Requirement (TRR) for Vernon, a new municipal Participating Transmission Owner in the California ISO, and had authority to require Vernon to pay refunds for TRR over collection. City of Vernon, California, et al., 111 FERC ¶ 61,092 (2005), order on reh'g, 112 FERC ¶ 61,207 (2005), reh'g denied, 115 FERC ¶ 61,297 (2006). Circuit D.C. Cir.

East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. v. FERC No. 06-1090 Order, affirming ALJ after hearing, that East Texas is not entitled to credits under CSW open access transmission tariff for transmission facilities that East Texas claims are integrated with the CSW transmission system. East Texas Electric Coop. v. Central and South West Services, Inc., 108 FERC ¶ 61,077 (2004), reh'g denied, 114 FERC ¶ 61,027 (2006). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Midwest Region Gas Task Force Ass'n v. FERC Nos. 05-1468, et al. Acceptance of discounted rate agreements, subject to certain conditions. Northern Natural Gas Co., 111 FERC & 61,287 (2005), order on reh'g, 113 FERC & 61,119 (2005); Northern Natural Gas Co., 110 FERC ¶ 61,321 (2005), order on reh'g, 111 FERC ¶ 61,379 (2005), order on reh'g, 113 FERC ¶ 61,188. Circuit D.C. Cir.

State Water Contractors, et al. v. FERC No. 06-74506 Commission affirmed that the California ISO's Transmission Access Charge, designed to recover embedded cost of the ISO-controlled grid, was just and reasonable despite rate methodology not being time-sensitive. California ISO Corp., 109 FERC ¶ 61,301 (2004), order on reh'g and clar., 111 FERC ¶ 61,337 (2005). Circuit 9th Cir.

Petal Gas Storage, L.L.C., et al. v. FERC Nos. 04-1166, et al. Rate of return on equity for initial transportation services on newly-constructed pipeline facilities; Order acting on rate case filing and settlement offer by High Island; various ratemaking issues after hearing and initial decision. Petal Gas Storage, L.L.C., 97 FERC¶61,097 (2001), order on reh'g, 106 FERC¶61,325 (2004); High Island Offshore System, L.L.C., 110 FERC¶61,043 (2005), order on reh'g and compl., 112 FERC ¶ 61,050 (2005), order on reh'g and compl., 113 FERC ¶ 61,280 (2005). Circuit D.C. Cir.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative v. FERC No. 06-1003 Conditional acceptance of new provision (Schedule 23) of MISO Tariff, allowing recovery by transmission owners from customers of costs under specified grandfathered agreements carved-out of MISO energy markets. Transmission Owners of the Midwest Independent System Operator, 110 FERC ¶ 61,339 (2005), order on reh'g, 113 FERC ¶ 61,112 (2005). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Wisconsin Public Power, Inc., et al. v. FERC Nos. 04-1414, et al Implementation of Midwest ISO "Day 2" energy markets (day-ahead and real-time) and financial transmission rights market; treatment of transmission service provided under grandfathered agreements in Midwest ISO energy markets. Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc., et al., 108 FERC & 61,163 (2004), order on reh'g, 109 FERC & 61,157 (2004); 111 FERC ¶¶ 61,042, 61,043 and 61,053 (2005), 112 FERC ¶¶ 61,086 and 61,311 (2005), and earlier orders. Circuit D.C. Cir.

Colorado Off. of Consumer Counsel v. FERC No. 04-1238 Conditions (Market Behavior Rules) on all new and existing market-based rate tariffs and authorizations to include a prohibition against anticompetitive behavior and the exercise of market power. Investigation of Terms and Conditions of Public Utility Market-Based Rate Authorizations, 105 FERC ¶ 61,218 (2003), order on reh'g, 107 FERC ¶ 61,175 (2004). Circuit D.C. Cir.

City of Fall River, Mass., et al. v. FERC Nos. 06-1203, et al. Approval of application of Weaver's Cove LNG to construct and operate a new import liquefied natural gas terminal and associated facilities in Fall River, Mass.; denial of motions to reopen record in light of proposed use of smaller, more frequent LNG vessel transits. Weaver's Cove Energy, LLC, et al., 112 FERC & 61,070 (2005), order on reh'g, 114 FERC & 61,058 (2006); 115 FERC ¶ 61,058 (2006), reh'g denied, 116 FERC ¶ 61,041 (2006). Circuit 1st Cir.

Conn. Dept. of Public Utility Control v. FERC No. 05-1411 Acceptance of ISO-NE's proposed Installed Capacity Requirements for the 2005/2006 power year; whether agency has statutory authority to regulate ICAP requirements. ISO New England, Inc., 111 FERC ¶ 61,185 (2005), reh'g denied, 112 FERC ¶ 61,254 (2005). Circuit D.C. Cir.

North Carolina Utilities Comm'n v. FERC No. 05-1339 In general Transco section 4 rate proceeding, one issue concerning whether a credit should be provided to ratepayers regarding an agreement between Transco and its affiliate. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp., 106 FERC ¶ 61,299 (2004), order on reh'g, 112 FERC ¶ 61,170 (2005) Circuit D.C. Cir.

Exxon Mobil Oil Corp., et al. v. FERC Nos. 05-1471, et al. Filing of oil pipeline rate increase under Commission's indexing methodology. SFPP, L.P., 111 FERC ¶ 61,510 (2005), order on reh'g, 113 FERC ¶ 61,253 (2000). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Town of Norwood, Massachusetts v. FERC Nos. 06-1658, et al. Calculation of Contract Termination Charge payable by Norwood to terminate early full requirements contract with New England Power Co. Town of Norwood, Mass. v. National Grid USA, et al., 112 FERC ¶ 61,099 (2005), order on reh'g, 114 FERC ¶ 61,187 (2006), reh'g and stay denied, 115 FERC ¶ 61,396 (2006). Circuit 1st Cir.

Entergy Services, Inc., et al. v. FERC Nos. 05-1238, et al. Acceptance of interconnection agreements with generators, conditioned on Entergy/Southern/Nevada Power providing transmission credits for all network facilities at or beyond point of interconnection. Entergy Services, Inc., et al., 104 FERC & 61,084 (2003), reh'g denied, 111 FERC & 61,181 (2005); Southern Co. Services, Inc., 105 FERC ¶ 61,221 (2003), order on reh'g, 108 FERC ¶ 61,229 (2004), reh'g denied, 111 FERC ¶ 61,423 (2005); Nevada Power Co., 111 FERC ¶ 61,161 (2005), order on reh'g, 113 FERC ¶ 61,007 (2005) (on remand from Entergy Services, Inc. v. FERC, 391 F.3d 1240 (D.C. Cir. 2004)). Circuit D.C. Cir.

Exxon Mobil Oil Corp. v. FERC (Supplemental Brief) Nos. 04-1102, et al. Complaints challenging reasonableness of SFPP's rates on various of its lines for several years; issue whether there have been "changed circumstances" justifying rate review; Order on remand from BP West Coast Products, L.L.C. v. FERC, 374 F.3d 1263 (D.C. Cir. 2004), concerning issues arising from complex litigation, in related proceedings, between SFPP and several of its shippers starting in Nov. 1992. Arco Products Co., et al. v. SFPP, 106 FERC & 61,300 (2004); SFPP, L.P., 111 FERC ¶ 61,334 (2005), and earlier orders. Circuit D.C. Cir.