[Federal Register: June 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 110)]
[Notices]               
[Page 30969-30970]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09jn99-50]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. RP99-323-000]

 
Gas Research Institute; Annual Application

June 3, 1999.
    Take notice that on June 1, 1999, Gas Research Institute (GRI) 
filed an application requesting advance approval of its 2000-2004 Five-
Year Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Plan and 2000 RD&D 
Program, and the funding of its RD&D activities for 2000, pursuant to 
the Natural Gas Act, Section 154.401(b) of the Commission's 
Regulations, and the Order Approving Settlement issued by the 
Commission on April 29, 1998 [83 FERC para. 61,093 (1998)]. GRI's 
application seeks to collect funds to support its year 2000 
Jurisdictional RD&D Program through jurisdictional rates and charges 
during the twelve months ending December 31, 2000.
    In its application, GRI proposes to incur program obligations of 
$98 million in 2000, which GRI states is consistent with the April 29 
Order. GRI states that $72.6 million of the year 2000 program 
obligations will be for Core Projects and $25.4 million for Non-Core 
Projects. Core projects are those benefiting predominately gas 
consumers and having one of the following as a basic objective: 
enhancing environmental quality; enhancing health and safety; lowering 
gas industry operating and maintenance costs; increasing gas system 
reliability or integrity; increasing gas supplies from emerging 
resources; or increasing efficiency. GRI projects total cash outlays to 
be $135 million for year 2000 including Administrative and General 
Expenses of $22.3 million.
    Also consistent with the Commission's April 29 Order Approving 
Settlement, GRI proposes to fund the 2000 RD&D program by the use of 
the following surcharges: (1) a demand/reservation surcharge of 20 
cents per Dth per Month for ``high load factor customers''; (2) a 
demand/reservation surcharge of 12.3 cents per Dth per Month for ``low 
load factor customers''; (3) a volumetric commodity/usage surcharge of 
.72 cents; and (4) a special ``small customer'' surcharge of 1.6 cents 
per Dth.
    The Commission Staff will analyze GRI's application and prepare a 
Commission Staff Report. This Staff Report will be served on all 
parties and filed with the Commission as a public document by August 6, 
1999. Comments on the Staff Report by all parties, except GRI, must be 
filed with the Commission on or before August 20, 1999. GRI's reply 
comments must be filed on or before August 27, 1999.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to protest GRI's application, 
except for GRI members and state regulatory commissions, who are 
automatically permitted to participate in the instant proceedings as 
intervenors, should file a motion to intervene or protest with the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, 
DC 20426, in accordance with Rules 214 and 211 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.214

[[Page 30970]]

and 385.211. All protests, motions to intervene and comments should be 
filed on or before June 18, 1999. All comments and protests will be 
considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to 
be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to this 
proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party, other than a GRI 
member or a state regulatory commission, must file a motion to 
intervene. Copies of this application are on file with the Commission 
and are available for public inspection.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-14558 Filed 6-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M