These are summaries of orders voted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at its November 21 public meeting. Links to each order will be provided below once the order is issued. The summaries are produced by FERC’s Office of External Affairs and are intended to provide only a general synopsis of the orders. These summaries are not intended as a substitute for the Commission’s official orders. To determine the specific actions and the Commission’s reasoning, please consult the individual orders when they are posted to FERC’s eLibrary found at www.ferc.gov.
News Release: E-1, Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation, Docket No. RM21-17-001
This final rule changes Commission regulations to include, with some exceptions, the latest version (Version 004) of the Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities. This version was adopted by the Wholesale Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB). The updates in WEQ Version 004 help public utilities apply the Commission’s requirements consistently and uniformly as part of the standard Open Access Transmission Tariff.
E-3 | ISO New England Inc., Docket Nos. ER24-2584-000 and EL23-62-000
ORDER ACCEPTING TARIFF REVISIONS, TERMINATING SHOW CAUSE PROCEEDING, AND DIRECTING INFORMATIONAL FILING
The order accepts the jointly submitted tariff revisions of ISO New England Inc. (ISO-NE) and New England Power Pool Participants Committee, directs ISO-NE to submit an informational filing notifying the Commission of the actual effective date of the proposed revisions no less than 15 days prior to the date ISO-NE implements the proposed tariff revisions, and terminates the show cause proceeding in Docket No. EL23-62-000.
E-5 | Dan’s Mountain Wind Force, LLC, Docket Nos. ER24-2971-000, TS24-5-000
ORDER ON REQUEST FOR WAIVERS
The order addresses Dan’s Mountain Wind Force, LLC’s (Dan’s Mountain) request for temporary waiver of the Commission’s requirements to file an Open Access Transmission Tariff to establish and maintain an Open Access Same-Time Information System, and to comply with the Commission’s Standards of Conduct. The order grants in part, and dismisses in part, Dan’s Mountain’s requested waivers.
E-6 | MATL LLP, Docket No. ER24-2016-000
ORDER ON COMPLIANCE
The order accepts MATL LLP’s Order Nos. 2023 and 2023-A compliance filing in part, and directs the company to submit a further compliance filing.
E-7 | UNS Electric, Inc., Docket No. ER24-2038-000
ORDER ON COMPLIANCE
The order accepts UNS Electric, Inc.’s Order Nos. 2023 and 2023-A compliance filing in part, and directs the company to submit a further compliance filing.
E-8 | NorthWestern Corp., Docket No. ER24-1993-000
ORDER ON COMPLIANCE
The order accepts NorthWestern Corp.’s Order Nos. 2023 and 2023-A compliance filing in part, and directs the company to submit a further compliance filing.
E-9 | SunZia Transmission, LLC, Docket No. ER24-2117-000
ORDER ON COMPLIANCE
The order accepts SunZia Transmission, LLC’s Order Nos. 2023 and 2023-A compliance filing in part, and directs the company to submit a further compliance filing.
E-10 | Westlands Solar Blue (OZ) Owner, LLC and Castanea Project, LLC, Docket Nos. ER24-697-001 and ER24-698-001
ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART REQUEST FOR PRIVILEGED TREATMENT
The order denies the requests by Westlands Solar Blue (OZ) Owner, LLC and Castanea Project, LLC for privileged treatment of the identity of certain affiliate owners but grants their requests for privileged treatment of the identity of certain passive owners.
E-11 | Essential Power Rock Springs, LLC, Docket Nos. ER14-714-003, ER18-2002-003, and EL25-6-000
ORDER ACCEPTING INFORMATIONAL FILING, DISMISSING WAIVER REQUEST, INSTITUTING SECTION 206 PROCEEDING, AND ESTABLISHING REFUND EFFECTIVE DATE AND HEARING AND SETTLEMENT JUDGE PROCEDURES
The order accepts Essential Power Rock Springs, LLC’s (Essential Power) informational filing on a proposed transfer of upstream ownership of its generating facility as it relates to its rate schedules for Reactive Supply and Voltage Control from Generation or Other Sources Service under Schedule 2 of the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), for informational purposes only and dismiss as moot a waiver request of the 90-day notice requirement set forth in Schedule 2 of the PJM OATT. The order also institutes a proceeding under section 206 of the Federal Power Act regarding whether Essential Power’s rate schedule is just and reasonable, establishes a refund effective date, and establishes hearing and settlement judge procedures.
E-12 | Essential Power OPP, LLC, Docket Nos. ER14-715-003 and EL25-7-000
ORDER ACCEPTING INFORMATIONAL FILING, DISMISSING WAIVER REQUEST, INSTITUTING SECTION 206 PROCEEDING, AND ESTABLISHING REFUND EFFECTIVE DATE AND HEARING AND SETTLEMENT JUDGE PROCEDURES
The order accepts Essential Power OPP, LLC’s (Essential Power OPP) informational filing concerning a proposed transfer of upstream ownership of its generating facility as it relates to its rate schedule for Reactive Supply and Voltage Control from Generation or Other Sources Service under Schedule 2 of the PJM OATT, and dismiss as moot a waiver of the 90-day notice requirement set forth in Schedule 2 of the PJM OATT. The order also institutes a proceeding under section 206 of the Federal Power Act regarding whether Essential Power OPP’s rate schedule is just and reasonable, establishes a refund effective date, and establishes hearing and settlement judge procedures.
E-13 | Southwest Power Pool, Inc., Docket No. ER24-1583-001
ORDER ADDRESSING ARGUMENTS RAISED ON REHEARING
The order sustains and further explains the Commission’s May 31, 2024, order accepting Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s proposal to revise its open access transmission tariff to allocate prospectively the remaining annual transmission revenue requirement of the Sunflower Byway Facilities on a 100 percent regional, postage-stamp basis.
E-14 | Lakewood Cogeneration, L.P., Docket No. ER14-199-003
ORDER ACCEPTING INFORMATIONAL FILING, DISMISSING WAIVER REQUEST, INSTITUTING SECTION 206 PROCEEDING, AND ESTABLISHING REFUND EFFECTIVE DATE, HEARING AND SETTLEMENT JUDGE PROCEDURES
The order accepts an informational filing concerning a proposed transfer of upstream ownership of a generating facility and institutes a proceeding under section 206 of the Federal Power Act regarding whether the facility’s reactive power rates are just and reasonable.
E-15 | Bridgeport Energy LLC, et al., Docket No. EC24-114-000
ORDER AUTHORIZING DISPOSITION OF JURISDICTIONAL FACILITIES
The order grants an application from Bridgeport Energy LLC and its affiliates seeking authorization for Q-Generation, LLC to acquire all membership interests of CPP II Master Holdco, LLC, an upstream owner of the applicants, from investment fund vehicles managed or advised by the Carlyle Group Inc.
E-16 | Yaphank Fuel Cell Park, LLC, Docket No. ER22-1804-000
ORDER REJECTING REVISED REFUND REPORT AND ACCEPTING SECOND REVISED REFUND REPORT
The order rejects a first revised refund report filed by Yaphank Fuel Cell Park, LLC (Yaphank), but accepts Yaphank’s second revised refund report. Yaphank filed the refund reports to comply with a June 27, 2022, Commission order directing it to recalculate refund amounts and make cost-based refunds, with interest, using a month-by-month calculation methodology.
E-17 | Yaphank Fuel Cell Park, LLC, Docket No. ER22-1804-001
ORDER ADDRESSING ARGUMENTS RAISED ON REHEARING
This order further explains and sustains the Commission’s June 5, 2024, order rejecting Yaphank Fuel Cell Park, LLC’s refund report for revenues collected prior to the Commission authorizing market-based rates and directing a revised refund report.
E-18 | Southwest Power Pool, Inc., Docket No. ER24-2520-000
ORDER REJECTING TARIFF REVISIONS
The order rejects Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s proposed revisions to Attachment AE of its tariff to implement a Multi-Day Economic Commitment process.
This final rule amends Commission regulations to clarify that for any proceedings before the Commission that require a water quality certification under section 401(a)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), the reasonable period of time during which the certifying authority may act on the water quality certification request is one year from the certifying authority’s receipt of the request. The final rule also clarifies that all Commission authorizations that have the potential to discharge into waters of the United States require a section 401 water quality certification or waiver, including hydropower exemptions, amendments, and surrenders. Finally, the final rule provides updated terminology in the Commission’s hydropower regulations; updates the timing of the filing requirements for the Commission’s expedited hydropower licensing process; and, in response to comments on the Commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, removes inconsistent language from parts 5 and 7 of the Commission’s regulations.
H-2 | York Energy Storage LLC, Project No. 15332-000
ORDER ISSUING PRELIMINARY PERMIT AND GRANTING PRIORITY TO FILE LICENSE APPLICATION
The order issues a preliminary permit to York Energy Storage LLC to study the feasibility of the York Energy Storage Water Project. The proposed project would be located near Lake Clarke, which is formed by the Safe Harbor Dam on the Susquehanna River, in Chanceford and Manor Townships, York and Lancaster Counties, Pennsylvania.
H-3 | Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Project No. 77-321
ORDER ADDRESSING ARGUMENTS RAISED ON REHEARING
This order further explains and sustains the Commission’s June 27, 2024, order regarding Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project No. 77, granting a temporary variance of the flow and release requirements in Article 52 of the project license to allow PG&E to manage reduced reservoir storage as a result of a seismic-related storage restriction and to ensure adequate flows to protect federally listed threatened species.
C-1 | Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC, Docket No. CP24-8-000
ORDER ISSUING CERTIFICATE
The order issues a certificate to Natural Gas Pipeline Company and authorizes it to modify two existing compressor stations in Texas by: (1) installing a new electric motor-driven compressor unit; (2) uprating two existing electric motor-driven compressor units; (3) re-wheeling five existing electric motor-driven compressor units; and (4) installing various auxiliary facilities under section 2.55(a). The project is designed to provide 467,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of firm transportation service, through a combination of reserved existing unsubscribed capacity on various transportation paths on Natural’s pipeline system and 300,000 Dth/d of new eastbound firm transportation service on Natural’s Louisiana Line, in order to meet growing demand in the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast region.
C-2 | Rover Pipeline LLC, Docket No. CP24-88-000
ORDER ISSUING CERTIFICATE
The order grants a certificate of public convenience and necessity under section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to Rover Pipeline LLC to construct and operate the Rover-Bulger Delivery Meter Station Project (Bulger Meter Station) in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The Bulger Meter Station will enable the delivery of up to 400,000 dekatherms per day of ethane-rich natural gas to ETC Northeast Pipeline, LLC (ETC Northeast) for processing at ETC Northeast’s Revolution Cryogenic Facility.
C-3 | Elba Liquefaction Company, LLC and Southern LNG Company, LLC, Docket No. CP23-375-000
ORDER AMENDING AUTHORIZATION UNDER SECTION 3 OF THE NATURAL GAS ACT
The order authorizes the request by Elba Liquefaction Company, LLC and Southern LNG Company, LLC to amend their section 3 authorization to install certain modifications at their existing liquefaction facilities at the Elba Island LNG Terminal and increase the terminal’s liquefaction capacity from 2.5 to 2.9 million metric tons per annum. The order also dismisses Public Citizen’s motion regarding Exhibit B of the application and responds to comments on the EA from the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.