Blanket Authorization Under FPA Section 203, 41640-41644 [E7-14619]
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41640
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 72, No. 146
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the proposed
issuance of rules and regulations. The
purpose of these notices is to give interested
persons an opportunity to participate in the
rule making prior to the adoption of the final
rules.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
18 CFR Part 33
[Docket No. RM07–21–000]
I. Introduction
Blanket Authorization Under FPA
Section 203
July 20, 2007.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission) is
proposing to amend its regulations
pursuant to section 203 of the Federal
Power Act (FPA) to provide for a limited
blanket authorization under FPA section
203(a)(1). The Commission seeks public
comment on the rules and amended
regulations proposed herein. The
Commission also seeks comment on
whether it should grant an additional
blanket authorization for certain
acquisitions or dispositions of
jurisdictional contracts.
DATES: Comments are due August 30,
2007.
You may submit comments
identified in Docket No. RM07–21–000,
by one of the following methods:
Agency Web Site: https://www.ferc.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments via the eFiling link found in
the Comment Procedures section of the
preamble.
Mail: Commenters unable to file
comments electronically must mail or
hand deliver an original and 14 copies
of their comments to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426. Please refer to
the Comment Procedures section of the
preamble for additional information on
how to file paper comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carla Urquhart (Legal Information),
Office of the General Counsel, Federal
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ADDRESSES:
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Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
(202) 502–8496.
Roshini Thayaparan (Legal
Information), Office of the General
Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–6857.
Andrew P. Mosier, Jr. (Technical
Information), Office of Energy Markets
and Reliability, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
(202) 502–6274.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Pursuant to section 203 of the
Federal Power Act (FPA),1 the
Commission is proposing to amend its
regulations to revise Part 33 of Title 18
of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
to provide for an additional blanket
authorization under FPA section
203(a)(1). The Commission seeks public
comment on the proposed rule.
II. Background
2. EPAct 2005 expanded the scope of
the corporate transactions subject to the
Commission’s review under section 203
of the FPA. Among other things,
amended section 203: (1) Expands the
Commission’s review authority to
include authority over certain holding
company mergers and acquisitions, as
well as certain public utility
acquisitions of generating facilities; (2)
requires that, prior to approving a
disposition under section 203, the
Commission must determine that the
transaction would not result in
inappropriate cross-subsidization of
non-utility affiliates or the pledge or
encumbrance of utility assets; 2 and (3)
imposes statutory deadlines for acting
on mergers and other jurisdictional
transactions.
3. Through the Order No. 669
rulemaking proceeding, the Commission
promulgated regulations adopting
certain modifications to 18 CFR 2.26
1 16 U.S.C. 824b, amended by Energy Policy Act
of 2005, Pub. L. 109–58, 1289, 119 Stat. 594, 982–
83 (2005) (EPAct 2005).
2 Section 203(a)(4) is not an absolute prohibition
on the cross-subsidization of a non-utility associate
company or the pledge or encumbrance of utility
assets for the benefit of an associate company. If the
Commission determines that the crosssubsidization, pledge or encumbrance will be
consistent with the public interest, such action may
be permitted.
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and Part 33 to implement amended
section 203.3 The Commission also
provided blanket authorizations for
certain transactions subject to section
203. These blanket authorizations were
crafted to ensure that there is no harm
to captive utility customers, but sought
to accommodate investments in the
electric utility industry and market
liquidity. Some commenters in the
rulemaking proceeding argued that the
Commission should have granted
additional blanket authorizations that
would benefit the marketplace and not
harm customers. Other commenters
argued that the Commission should
adopt additional generic rules to guard
against inappropriate crosssubsidization associated with the
mergers. Yet other commenters argued
that the Commission should modify its
competitive analysis for mergers, which
has been in place for 10 years. The
Commission stated that it would reevaluate these and other issues at a
future technical conference on the
Commission’s section 203 regulations as
well as certain issues raised in the Order
No. 667 rulemaking proceeding
implementing the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 2005.4
4. On December 7, 2006, the
Commission held a technical conference
(December 7 Technical Conference) to
discuss several of the issues that arose
in the Order No. 667 and Order No. 669
rulemaking proceedings. The December
7 Technical Conference discussed a
range of topics. The first panel
discussed whether there are additional
3 Transactions Subject to FPA Section 203, Order
No. 669, 71 FR 1348 (Jan. 6, 2006), FERC Stats. &
Regs. ¶ 31,200 (2005), order on reh’g, Order No.
669–A, 71 FR 28422 (May 16, 2006), FERC Stats.
& Regs. ¶ 31,214, order on reh’g, Order No. 669–B,
71 FR 42579 (July 27, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs.
¶ 31,225 (2006).
4 EPAct 2005, Pub. L. 109–58, 1261, et seq., 119
Stat. 594, 972–78 (2005) (PUHCA 2005). See also
Repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company Act
of 1935 and Enactment of the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 2005, Order No. 667, 70 FR 75592
(Dec. 20, 2005), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,197 (2005),
order on reh’g, Order No. 667–A, 71 FR 28446 (May
16, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,213, order on
reh’g, Order No. 667–B, 71 FR 42750 (July 28,
2006), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,224 (2006), order on
reh’g, Order No. 667–C, 72 FR 8277 (Feb. 26, 2007),
118 FERC ¶ 61,133 (2007).
These issues included matters related to
inappropriate cross-subsidization and pledges or
encumbrance of utility assets, whether our current
merger policy should be revised, and whether
additional exemptions, different reporting
requirements, or other regulatory action (under
PUHCA 2005 or the FPA or Natural Gas Act (NGA))
needed to be considered.
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actions, under the FPA or the NGA, that
the Commission should take to
supplement the protections against
cross-subsidization that were
implemented in the Order No. 667 and
Order No. 669 rulemaking proceedings.
The second panel discussed whether,
and if so how, the Commission should
modify its Cash Management Rule 5 in
light of PUHCA 2005 and whether the
Commission should codify specific
safeguards that must be adopted for cash
management programs and money pool
agreements and transactions. The third
panel discussed whether modifications
to the specific exemptions, waivers and
blanket authorizations set forth in the
Order No. 667 and Order No. 669
rulemaking proceedings are warranted.
Post-technical conference comments
were accepted.
5. On March 8, 2007, the Commission
held a second technical conference
(March 8 Technical Conference) to
discuss whether the Commission’s
section 203 policy should be revised
and, in particular, whether the
Commission’s Appendix A merger
analysis is sufficient to identify market
power concerns in today’s electric
industry market environment. The first
panel discussed whether the Appendix
A analysis is appropriate to analyze a
merger’s effect on competition, given
the changes that have occurred in the
industry (e.g., the development of
Regional Transmission Organizations
(RTOs)) and statutory changes (e.g., as a
result of the repeal of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935 6 and
new authorities given to the
Commission in EPAct 2005 7). The
second panel assessed the factors the
Commission uses in reviewing mergers
and the coordination between the
Commission and other agencies
(including state commissions) with
merger review responsibility.
6. This Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking is one of three actions being
taken based on the Commission’s
experience implementing amended FPA
section 203 and PUHCA 2005, as well
as the record from the Commission’s
December 7 and March 8 Technical
Conferences regarding section 203 and
PUHCA 2005. In this docket, the
Commission is proposing to grant an
additional blanket authorization for
certain dispositions of jurisdictional
facilities under FPA section 203(a)(1). In
5 Regulation of Cash Management Practices,
Order No. 634, 68 FR 40500 (July 8, 2003), FERC
Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,145, revised, Order No. 634–A,
68 FR 61993 (Oct. 31, 2003), FERC Stats. & Regs.
¶ 31,152 (2003) (Cash Management Rule).
6 16 U.S.C. 79a et seq. (PUHCA 1935).
7 These include new authorities through amended
FPA section 203 as well as PUHCA 2005.
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addition, in separate orders, the
Commission is concurrently issuing a
section 203 Supplemental Policy
Statement 8 and a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking proposing to codify
restrictions on affiliate transactions
between franchised public utilities with
captive customers and their marketregulated power sales affiliates or nonutility affiliates.9 The proposed changes
to the regulations in this proceeding are
discussed below.
III. Discussion
7. The Commission proposes to
amend 18 CFR part 33 (Applications
Under Federal Power Act Section 203)
to provide for an additional blanket
authorization under FPA section
203(a)(1).
8. In the Order No. 669 rulemaking
proceeding, the Commission set forth
several blanket authorizations under
which participants to FPA section 203jurisdictional transactions need not seek
ex ante Commission approval. These
authorizations included a blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2)
under which certain holding companies
may acquire the voting securities of a
public utility if the acquisition would
give the holding company less than 10
percent ownership of the outstanding
voting securities of such public utility.10
The Commission found in Order No.
669 that several classes of transactions
covered by amended section 203(a)(2)
would not harm competition or captive
customers, including acquisitions of
voting securities that would give the
acquiring entity not more than 9.99
percent ownership of the outstanding
voting securities of the acquired utility
or company.11 While parties sought an
additional blanket authorization under
8 FPA Section 203 Supplemental Policy
Statement, 119 FERC ¶ 61,060 (2007) (issued in
Docket No. PL07–1–000).
9 Cross-Subsidization Restrictions on Affiliate
Transactions, 119 FERC ¶ 61,061 (2007) (issued in
Docket No. RM07–15–000).
10 The section 203(a)(2) blanket authorization
states:
Any holding company in a holding company
system that includes a transmitting utility or an
electric utility is granted a blanket authorization
under section 203(a)(2) of the Federal Power Act to
purchase, acquire, or take: * * * (ii) Any voting
security in a transmitting utility, an electric utility
company, or a holding company in a holding
company system that includes a transmitting utility
or an electric utility company if, after the
acquisition, the holding company will own less
than 10 percent of the outstanding voting securities.
18 CFR 33.1(c)(2)(ii). Because a ‘‘transmitting
utility’’ or ‘‘electric utility company’’ may also be
a ‘‘public utility’’ as defined in the FPA, the public
utility may need to obtain separate authorization for
the same transaction under FPA section 203(a)(1),
which requires authorization for public utilities to
dispose of jurisdictional facilities.
11 Order No. 669, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,200 at
P 141.
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41641
section 203(a)(1) to parallel that
provided under section 203(a)(2), the
Commission could not make a
determination with respect to section
203(a)(1) at that time. Specifically, with
regard to the request for parallel blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(1) for
equity ownership interests in public
utilities that result in a change in
control over the underlying public
utility, we found in Order No. 669–A
that such a blanket authorization would
not address the ‘‘[c]oncerns with
control, markets and protections of
captive customers or customers
receiving transmission service over
jurisdictional transmission facilities’’ 12
implicated by section 203(a)(1).
However, in Order No. 669–B, in
response to comments that the lack of a
parallel section 203(a)(1) authorization
could thwart utility investment, the
Commission stated that this issue would
be included in the forthcoming
technical conferences.13
9. Based on the record from the
technical conferences (including both
oral and written comments) and the
Commission’s experience under
amended section 203 to date, the
Commission proposes to provide for a
limited blanket authorization to public
utilities under section 203(a)(1). This
blanket authorization would work in
conjunction with the blanket
authorization granted to holding
companies under section 203(a)(2) in 18
CFR 33.1(c)(2)(ii).14 Under this limited
blanket authorization, a public utility
would be pre-authorized to dispose of
less than 10 percent of its voting
securities to a public utility holding
company but only if, after the
disposition, the holding company and
any associate company in aggregate will
own less than 10 percent of that public
utility. We note that this proposed
blanket authorization would not entirely
‘‘parallel’’ the section 203(a)(2)
authorization since the section 203(a)(2)
authorization does not contain the ‘‘in
aggregate’’ limitation. However, we
believe this limitation would provide
better protection against possible
transfer of ‘‘control’’ of a public utility.
We seek comment on this limitation.
10. The Commission believes that the
disposition of such limited voting
interests (less than 10 percent), with the
proposed ‘‘in aggregate’’ restriction and
the existing reporting requirements
12 Order No. 669–A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,214
at P 103.
13 Order No. 669–B, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,225
at P 26.
14 See supra note 10.
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applicable to holding companies,15 will
not harm competition or captive
customers. Moreover, this 10 percent
threshold is consistent with the
definition of ‘‘holding company’’ under
section 1262(8)(A) of PUHCA 2005.
Under that definition, any company that
has the power to vote 10 percent or
more of the securities of a public utility
company (or a holding company of a
public utility company) triggers holding
company status and thus is presumed to
raise sufficient concerns about
controlling influence over a subsidiary
public utility that regulatory oversight is
needed. The 10 percent threshold is also
consistent with the blanket
authorization granted under section
203(a)(2) in the Order No. 669
rulemaking proceeding, under which
holding companies are pre-authorized to
acquire up to 9.99 percent of voting
securities of a public utility.
11. As noted, as part of the existing
‘‘parallel’’ blanket authorization under
section 203(a)(2), the Commission
already requires the holding company to
provide to the Commission copies of
any Schedule 13D, Schedule 13G and
Form 13F at the same time and on the
same basis, as filed with the SEC in
connection with any securities
purchased, acquired or taken pursuant
to the blanket authorization under
section 203(a)(2) provided in § 33.1(c)(2)
of the Commission’s regulations.16
Importantly, a Schedule 13 filer must
acquire the subject securities ‘‘in the
ordinary course of his business and not
with the purpose nor with the effect of
changing or influencing the control of
the issuer, nor in connection with or as
a participant in any transaction having
such purpose or effect’’ over entities
whose securities it holds.17 It is also
required to file a notification with the
SEC of any acquisition of beneficial
ownership of more than five percent of
a class of equity securities.18 Because
we already receive these filings from the
holding company, we propose not to
require additional reporting on the part
of individual public utilities to
duplicate the reporting of information
15 See, e.g., 18 CFR 33.1(c)(4) (requiring the filing
of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Schedule 13D, Schedule 13G, and Form 13F, if
applicable); 18 CFR 35.42(a) (effective 60 days after
publication in the Federal Register of Market-Based
Rates For Wholesale Sales Of Electric Energy,
Capacity And Ancillary Services By Public Utilities,
Order No. 697, 72 FR 39903 (July 20, 2007), FERC
Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,252 (2007)) (requiring a
notification of any change in status that would
reflect a departure from the characteristics the
Commission relied upon in granting market-based
rate authority); 18 CFR 366.4(a) (requiring Form
FERC–65 (notification of holding company status)).
16 18 CFR 33.1(c)(4).
17 17 CFR 240.13d–1(b)(1)(i).
18 17 CFR 240.13d–1(a).
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we are already getting about the same
transaction. However, we seek
comments on whether any additional
reporting by the public utility should be
required.
12. Further, we seek comment on
whether the blanket authorization under
section 203(a)(1), proposed herein,
should be extended to the transfer of
securities by a public utility to a holding
company granted a blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) in
§§ 33.1(c)(8),19 33.1(c)(9),20 and
33.1(c)(10) 21 of the Commission’s
regulations.
13. In addition, certain participants to
the technical conferences argue that a
blanket authorization under section
203(a)(1) should be granted for
transactions in which a public utility or
a holding company is acquiring or
disposing of a jurisdictional contract
where the acquirer does not have
captive customers and the contract does
not convey control over the operation of
a generation or transmission facility.
These commenters argue that, because
acquisition of these contracts cannot
create competitive or rate concerns, the
Commission should grant blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(1) for
such transactions. Because the specific
request for blanket authorization may
present concerns where the transferor
has captive customers, we seek
comment on whether the Commission
should grant a generic blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(1) for
the acquisition or disposition of a
jurisdictional contract where neither the
acquirer nor transferor has captive
customers and the contract does not
convey control over the operation of a
generation or transmission facility.
IV. Information Collection Statement
14. The Office of Management and
Budget’s (OMB) regulations require that
OMB approve certain information
collection and data retention
19 18 CFR 33.1(c)(8) (granting a blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) to a person
that is a holding company solely with respect to one
or more exempt wholesale generators (EWGs),
foreign utility companies (FUCOs), or qualifying
facilities (QFs) to acquire the securities of
additional EWGs, FUCOs, or QFs).
20 18 CFR 33.1(c)(9) (granting a conditional
blanket authorization under section 203(a)(2) to a
holding company, or a subsidiary of that company,
that is regulated by the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve Bank or by the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency, under the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956 as amended by the
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999).
21 18 CFR 33.1(c)(10) (granting a limited blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) to a holding
company, or a subsidiary of that company, for the
acquisition of securities of a public utility or a
holding company that includes a public utility for
purposes of underwriting activities or hedging
transactions).
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requirements imposed by agency
rules.22 Therefore, the Commission is
submitting the proposed modifications
to its information collections to OMB for
review and approval in accordance with
section 3507(d) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995.23
15. The Commission is proposing
amendments to the Commission’s
regulations to provide for a limited
blanket authorization under FPA section
203(a)(1). The regulations that the
Commission proposes should have a
minimal impact on the current reporting
burden associated with an individual
application, as they do not substantially
change the filing requirements with
which section 203 applicants must
currently comply. Further, the
Commission does not expect the total
number of section 203 applications
under amended section 203 to increase,
but rather expects the total number of
section 203 applications to decrease.
This is due to the proposed rule
providing for a category of jurisdictional
transactions for which the Commission
would not require applications seeking
before-the-fact approval. This would
reduce the burden on the electric
industry, because it will reduce the
number of applications that need to be
made with the Commission.
16. Comments are solicited on the
Commission’s need for this information,
whether the information will have
practical utility, the accuracy of
provided burden estimates, ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be collected, and
any suggested methods for minimizing
respondents’ burden, including the use
of automated information techniques.
Burden Estimate: The Public
Reporting and records retention burden
for the proposed reporting requirements
and the records retention requirement
are as follows.
Title: FERC–519, ‘‘Application Under
the Federal Power Act, Section 203’’.
Action: Revised Collection.
OMB Control No: 1902–0082.
The applicant will not be penalized
for failure to respond to this information
collection unless the information
collection displays a valid OMB control
number or the Commission has
provided justification as to why the
control number should not be
displayed.
Respondents: Businesses or other for
profit.
Frequency of Responses: N/A.
Necessity of the Information: This
proposed rule proposes codification of a
limited blanket authorization under
22 5
CFR part 1320.
U.S.C. 3507(d).
23 44
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FPA section 203(a)(1), providing for a
category of jurisdictional transactions
under section 203(a)(1) for which the
Commission would not require
applications seeking before-the-fact
approval.
Internal Review: The Commission has
conducted an internal review of the
public reporting burden associated with
the collection of information and
assured itself, by means of internal
review, that there is specific, objective
support for its information burden
estimate.
17. Interested persons may obtain
information on the reporting
requirements by contacting: Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426
[Attention: Michael Miller, Office of the
Executive Director, Phone (202) 502–
8415, fax (202) 273–0873, e-mail:
michael.miller@ferc.gov]. Comments on
the requirements of the proposed rule
may also be sent to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC 20503 [Attention: Desk
Officer for the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, fax (202) 395–
7285, e-mail
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov].
V. Environmental Analysis
18. The Commission is required to
prepare an Environmental Assessment
or an Environmental Impact Statement
for any action that may have a
significant adverse effect on the human
environment.24 The Commission has
categorically excluded certain actions
from this requirement as not having a
significant effect on the human
environment.25 The proposed
regulations are categorically excluded as
they address actions under section
203.26 Accordingly, no environmental
assessment is necessary and none has
been prepared in this NOPR.
VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act
Certification
19. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of
1980 (RFA) 27 requires agencies to
prepare certain statements, descriptions
and analyses of proposed rules that will
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.28
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24 Regulations
Implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act, Order No. 486, 52 FR
47897 (Dec. 17, 1987), FERC Stats. & Regs.,
Regulations Preambles 1986–1990 ¶ 30,783 (1987).
25 18 CFR 380.4.
26 See 18 CFR 380.4(a)(16).
27 5 U.S.C. 601–12.
28 The RFA definition of ‘‘small entity’’ refers to
the definition provided in the Small Business Act,
which defines a ‘‘small business concern’’ as a
business that is independently owned and operated
and that is not dominant in its field of operation.
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However, the RFA does not define
‘‘significant’’ or ‘‘substantial.’’ Instead,
the RFA leaves it up to an agency to
determine the effect of its regulations on
small entities.
20. Most filing companies regulated
by the Commission do not fall within
the RFA’s definition of small entity.29
Moreover, as noted above, this proposed
rule proposes codification of a limited
blanket authorization under FPA section
203(a)(1), providing for a category of
jurisdictional transactions under section
203(a)(1) for which the Commission
would not require before-the-fact
approval. Thus, filing requirements are
reduced by the rule. Therefore, the
Commission certifies that the proposed
rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. As a result, no
regulatory flexibility analysis is
required.
VII. Comment Procedures
21. The Commission invites interested
persons to submit comments on the
matters and issues proposed in this
notice, including any related matters or
alternative proposals that commenters
may wish to discuss. Comments are due
August 30, 2007. Comments must refer
to Docket No. RM07–21–000, and must
include the commenter’s name, the
organization they represent, if
applicable, and their address in their
comments. Comments may be filed
either in electronic or paper format.
22. Comments may be filed
electronically via the eFiling link on the
Commission’s Web site at https://
www.ferc.gov. The Commission accepts
most standard word processing formats,
but requests commenters to submit
comments in a text-searchable format
rather than a scanned image format.
Commenters filing electronically do not
need to make a paper filing.
Commenters that are not able to file
comments electronically must send an
original and 14 copies of their
comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426.
23. All comments will be placed in
the Commission’s public files and may
15 U.S.C. 632. The Small Business Size Standards
component of the North American Industry
Classification System defines a small electric utility
as one that, including its affiliates, is primarily
engaged in the generation, transmission, and/or
distribution of electric energy for sale and whose
total electric output for the preceding fiscal year did
not exceed 4 million MWh. 13 CFR 121.201.
29 5 U.S.C. 601(3), citing to section 3 of the Small
Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632. Section 3 of the Small
Business Act defines a ‘‘small-business concern’’ as
a business which is independently owned and
operated and which is not dominant in its field of
operation.
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be viewed, printed, or downloaded
remotely as described in the Document
Availability section below. Commenters
on this proposal are not required to
serve copies of their comments on other
commenters.
VIII. Document Availability
24. In addition to publishing the full
text of this document in the Federal
Register, the Commission provides all
interested persons an opportunity to
view and/or print the contents of this
document via the Internet through the
Commission’s Home Page (https://
www.ferc.gov) and in the Commission’s
Public Reference Room during normal
business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Eastern time) at 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426.
25. From the Commission’s Home
Page on the Internet, this information is
available in the Commission’s document
management system, eLibrary. The full
text of this document is available on
eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word
format for viewing, printing, and/or
downloading. To access this document
in eLibrary, type the docket number
(excluding the last three digits of the
docket number), in the docket number
field.
26. User assistance is available for
eLibrary and the Commission’s Web site
during normal business hours. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at (202) 502–6652 (toll-free at
1–866–208–3676) or e-mail at
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or the
Public Reference Room at (202) 502–
8371, TTY (202) 502–8659. E-mail the
Public Reference Room at
public.referenceroom@ferc.gov.
List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 33
Electric utilities, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Securities.
By direction of the Commission.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
In consideration of the foregoing, the
Commission proposes to amend Part 33,
Chapter I, Title 18, Code of Federal
Regulations, as follows:
PART 33—APPLICATIONS UNDER
FEDERAL POWER ACT SECTION 203
1. The authority citation for part 33
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 791a–825r, 2601–
2645; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 7101–7352;
Pub. L. 109–58, 119 Stat. 594.
2. In § 33.1, paragraph (c)(12) is added
to read as follows:
§ 33.1 Applicability, definitions, and
blanket authorizations.
*
E:\FR\FM\31JYP1.SGM
*
31JYP1
*
*
*
41644
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 146 / Tuesday, July 31, 2007 / Proposed Rules
(c) * * *
(12) A public utility is granted a
blanket authorization under section
203(a)(1) of the Federal Power Act to
transfer its outstanding voting securities
to any holding company granted blanket
authorizations in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of
this section if, after the transfer, the
holding company and any of its
associate or affiliate companies in
aggregate will own less than 10 percent
of the outstanding voting interests of
such public utility.
[FR Doc. E7–14619 Filed 7–30–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
(202) 502–8496.
Roshini Thayaparan (Legal
Information), Office of the General
Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–6857.
David Hunger (Technical
Information), Office of Energy Markets
and Reliability, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
(202) 502–8148.
Stuart Fischer (Technical
Information), Office of Enforcement,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426, (202) 502–8517.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
18 CFR Part 35
I. Introduction
[Docket No. RM07–15–000]
1. Pursuant to sections 205 and 206 of
the Federal Power Act (FPA),1 the
Commission is proposing to amend its
regulations to revise Part 35 of Title 18
of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
to codify affiliate restrictions that would
be applicable to all power and nonpower goods and services transactions
between franchised public utilities with
captive customers and their marketregulated power sales and non-utility
affiliates.2 The Commission’s goal in
proposing these prophylactic
restrictions is to protect against
inappropriate cross-subsidization of
market-regulated and unregulated
activities by the captive customers of
public utilities. The proposed
restrictions are based upon those
already imposed by the Commission in
Cross-Subsidization Restrictions on
Affiliate Transactions
July 20, 2007.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with PROPOSALS
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission) is
proposing to amend its regulations
pursuant to sections 205 and 206 of the
Federal Power Act to codify restrictions
on affiliate transactions between
franchised public utilities with captive
customers and their market-regulated
power sales affiliates or non-utility
affiliates. The Commission seeks public
comment on the rules and amended
regulations proposed herein.
DATES: Comment Date: Comments are
due August 30, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified in Docket No. RM07–15–000,
by one of the following methods:
Agency Web site: https://www.ferc.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments via the eFiling link found in
the Comment Procedures section of the
preamble.
Mail: Commenters unable to file
comments electronically must mail or
hand deliver an original and 14 copies
of their comments to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426. Please refer to
the Comment Procedures section of the
preamble for additional information on
how to file paper comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carla Urquhart (Legal Information),
Office of the General Counsel, Federal
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:56 Jul 30, 2007
Jkt 211001
U.S.C. 824d, 824e.
purposes of this Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, a ‘‘market-regulated’’ power sales
affiliate means any power sales affiliate, other than
a franchised public utility, whose power sales are
regulated in whole or in part on a market basis. This
would include, e.g., a power marketer, exempt
wholesale generator, qualifying facility or other
power seller affiliate permitted to make some or all
of its power sales at market-based rates. A ‘‘nonutility’’ affiliate would include an affiliate that is
not in the power sales or transmission business,
e.g., a coal mining company, construction company,
real estate company, energy-related technology
company, communications systems company,
among others. While the Commission, in previous
documents, has referred to both categories of
affiliates as ‘‘non-regulated,’’ consistent with the
discussion on cross-subsidization issues in our
recent Market-Based Rate Final Rule, we believe the
term ‘‘market-regulated’’ more accurately describes
power sellers with market-based rates since they
remain subject to regulation. Market-Based Rates
For Wholesale Sales Of Electric Energy, Capacity
And Ancillary Services By Public Utilities, Order
No. 697, 72 FR 39903 (July 20, 2007), FERC Stats.
& Regs. ¶ 31,252, at P 490 (2007) (Market-Based Rate
Final Rule). Accordingly, we have modified our
terminology in this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
PO 00000
1 16
2 For
Frm 00005
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
the context of certain FPA section 203 3
and 205 approvals, but expand the
transactions and entities to which they
apply.4 The Commission seeks public
comment on the proposed rules.
II. Background
2. The Commission requires public
utilities to implement codes of conduct
with regard to affiliate transactions
where an entity seeks market-based rate
authorization. The Commission also
imposes codes of conduct on entities
seeking merger authorization under
section 203 of the FPA. The discussion
below summarizes the Commission’s
existing practices in these two areas.
A. Affiliate Transactions in the Context
of Market-Based Rate Authorizations
1. Historical Approach
3. The Commission began considering
proposals for market-based pricing of
wholesale power sales and attendant
cross-subsidy issues in 1988. At that
time, the Commission acted on marketbased rate proposals filed by various
wholesale suppliers on a case-by-case
basis. In doing so, the Commission
considered whether there was evidence
of affiliate abuse or reciprocal dealing
involving the seller or its affiliates.5 As
the Commission explained, ‘‘[t]he
3 16 U.S.C. 824b, amended by Energy Policy Act
of 2005, Pub. L. 109–58, 1289, 119 Stat. 594, 982–
83 (2005) (EPAct 2005).
4 This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is one of
three actions being taken based on the
Commission’s experience implementing amended
FPA section 203 and the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 2005, EPAct 2005, Pub. L. No. 109–
58, 1261, et seq., 119 Stat. 594, 972–78 (2005)
(PUHCA 2005), as well as the record from the
Commission’s December 7, 2006 and March 8, 2007
technical conferences regarding Section 203 and
PUHCA 2005. In addition, in separate orders, the
Commission is concurrently issuing a section 203
Supplemental Policy Statement, FPA Section 203
Supplemental Policy Statement, 120 FERC ¶ 61,060
(2007) (issued in Docket No. PL07–1–000), and a
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to grant
a limited blanket authorization for certain
dispositions of jurisdictional facilities under FPA
section 203(a)(1), Blanket Authorization Under FPA
Section 203, 120 FERC ¶ 61,062 (2007) (issued in
Docket No. RM07–21–000).
5 See Heartland Energy Services Inc., 68 FERC
¶ 61,223, at 62,062 (1994) (Heartland) (discussing
the potential for abuse in the case of affiliated
power marketers); Commonwealth Atlantic Limited
Partnership, 51 FERC ¶ 61,368, at 62,245 (1990)
(discussing potential for reciprocal dealing if a
buyer agrees to pay more for power from a seller
in return for that seller (or its affiliates) paying more
for power from that buyer (or its affiliates)).
The other three ‘‘prongs’’ of the Commission’s
‘‘four-prong’’ analysis include: (1) Whether the
seller and its affiliates lack, or have adequately
mitigated, market power in generation; (2) whether
the seller and its affiliates lack, or have adequately
mitigated, market power in transmission; and (3)
whether the seller or its affiliates can erect other
barriers to entry. See Market-Based Rate Final Rule,
FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,252 at P 7. These
additional ‘‘prongs’’ are not directly at issue in this
proceeding.
E:\FR\FM\31JYP1.SGM
31JYP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 31, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41640-41644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14619]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 146 / Tuesday, July 31, 2007 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 41640]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
18 CFR Part 33
[Docket No. RM07-21-000]
Blanket Authorization Under FPA Section 203
July 20, 2007.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is
proposing to amend its regulations pursuant to section 203 of the
Federal Power Act (FPA) to provide for a limited blanket authorization
under FPA section 203(a)(1). The Commission seeks public comment on the
rules and amended regulations proposed herein. The Commission also
seeks comment on whether it should grant an additional blanket
authorization for certain acquisitions or dispositions of
jurisdictional contracts.
DATES: Comments are due August 30, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified in Docket No. RM07-21-
000, by one of the following methods:
Agency Web Site: https://www.ferc.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments via the eFiling link found in the Comment
Procedures section of the preamble.
Mail: Commenters unable to file comments electronically must mail
or hand deliver an original and 14 copies of their comments to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. Please refer to the Comment
Procedures section of the preamble for additional information on how to
file paper comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carla Urquhart (Legal Information),
Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8496.
Roshini Thayaparan (Legal Information), Office of the General
Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-6857.
Andrew P. Mosier, Jr. (Technical Information), Office of Energy
Markets and Reliability, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-6274.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
1. Pursuant to section 203 of the Federal Power Act (FPA),\1\ the
Commission is proposing to amend its regulations to revise Part 33 of
Title 18 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to provide for an
additional blanket authorization under FPA section 203(a)(1). The
Commission seeks public comment on the proposed rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 16 U.S.C. 824b, amended by Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub.
L. 109-58, 1289, 119 Stat. 594, 982-83 (2005) (EPAct 2005).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Background
2. EPAct 2005 expanded the scope of the corporate transactions
subject to the Commission's review under section 203 of the FPA. Among
other things, amended section 203: (1) Expands the Commission's review
authority to include authority over certain holding company mergers and
acquisitions, as well as certain public utility acquisitions of
generating facilities; (2) requires that, prior to approving a
disposition under section 203, the Commission must determine that the
transaction would not result in inappropriate cross-subsidization of
non-utility affiliates or the pledge or encumbrance of utility assets;
\2\ and (3) imposes statutory deadlines for acting on mergers and other
jurisdictional transactions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Section 203(a)(4) is not an absolute prohibition on the
cross-subsidization of a non-utility associate company or the pledge
or encumbrance of utility assets for the benefit of an associate
company. If the Commission determines that the cross-subsidization,
pledge or encumbrance will be consistent with the public interest,
such action may be permitted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Through the Order No. 669 rulemaking proceeding, the Commission
promulgated regulations adopting certain modifications to 18 CFR 2.26
and Part 33 to implement amended section 203.\3\ The Commission also
provided blanket authorizations for certain transactions subject to
section 203. These blanket authorizations were crafted to ensure that
there is no harm to captive utility customers, but sought to
accommodate investments in the electric utility industry and market
liquidity. Some commenters in the rulemaking proceeding argued that the
Commission should have granted additional blanket authorizations that
would benefit the marketplace and not harm customers. Other commenters
argued that the Commission should adopt additional generic rules to
guard against inappropriate cross-subsidization associated with the
mergers. Yet other commenters argued that the Commission should modify
its competitive analysis for mergers, which has been in place for 10
years. The Commission stated that it would re-evaluate these and other
issues at a future technical conference on the Commission's section 203
regulations as well as certain issues raised in the Order No. 667
rulemaking proceeding implementing the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 2005.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Transactions Subject to FPA Section 203, Order No. 669, 71
FR 1348 (Jan. 6, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,200 (2005), order
on reh'g, Order No. 669-A, 71 FR 28422 (May 16, 2006), FERC Stats. &
Regs. ] 31,214, order on reh'g, Order No. 669-B, 71 FR 42579 (July
27, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,225 (2006).
\4\ EPAct 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, 1261, et seq., 119 Stat. 594,
972-78 (2005) (PUHCA 2005). See also Repeal of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935 and Enactment of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005, Order No. 667, 70 FR 75592 (Dec. 20,
2005), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,197 (2005), order on reh'g, Order
No. 667-A, 71 FR 28446 (May 16, 2006), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,213,
order on reh'g, Order No. 667-B, 71 FR 42750 (July 28, 2006), FERC
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,224 (2006), order on reh'g, Order No. 667-C, 72
FR 8277 (Feb. 26, 2007), 118 FERC ] 61,133 (2007).
These issues included matters related to inappropriate cross-
subsidization and pledges or encumbrance of utility assets, whether
our current merger policy should be revised, and whether additional
exemptions, different reporting requirements, or other regulatory
action (under PUHCA 2005 or the FPA or Natural Gas Act (NGA)) needed
to be considered.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. On December 7, 2006, the Commission held a technical conference
(December 7 Technical Conference) to discuss several of the issues that
arose in the Order No. 667 and Order No. 669 rulemaking proceedings.
The December 7 Technical Conference discussed a range of topics. The
first panel discussed whether there are additional
[[Page 41641]]
actions, under the FPA or the NGA, that the Commission should take to
supplement the protections against cross-subsidization that were
implemented in the Order No. 667 and Order No. 669 rulemaking
proceedings. The second panel discussed whether, and if so how, the
Commission should modify its Cash Management Rule \5\ in light of PUHCA
2005 and whether the Commission should codify specific safeguards that
must be adopted for cash management programs and money pool agreements
and transactions. The third panel discussed whether modifications to
the specific exemptions, waivers and blanket authorizations set forth
in the Order No. 667 and Order No. 669 rulemaking proceedings are
warranted. Post-technical conference comments were accepted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Regulation of Cash Management Practices, Order No. 634, 68
FR 40500 (July 8, 2003), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,145, revised,
Order No. 634-A, 68 FR 61993 (Oct. 31, 2003), FERC Stats. & Regs. ]
31,152 (2003) (Cash Management Rule).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. On March 8, 2007, the Commission held a second technical
conference (March 8 Technical Conference) to discuss whether the
Commission's section 203 policy should be revised and, in particular,
whether the Commission's Appendix A merger analysis is sufficient to
identify market power concerns in today's electric industry market
environment. The first panel discussed whether the Appendix A analysis
is appropriate to analyze a merger's effect on competition, given the
changes that have occurred in the industry (e.g., the development of
Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs)) and statutory changes
(e.g., as a result of the repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935 \6\ and new authorities given to the Commission in EPAct
2005 \7\). The second panel assessed the factors the Commission uses in
reviewing mergers and the coordination between the Commission and other
agencies (including state commissions) with merger review
responsibility.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ 16 U.S.C. 79a et seq. (PUHCA 1935).
\7\ These include new authorities through amended FPA section
203 as well as PUHCA 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is one of three actions being
taken based on the Commission's experience implementing amended FPA
section 203 and PUHCA 2005, as well as the record from the Commission's
December 7 and March 8 Technical Conferences regarding section 203 and
PUHCA 2005. In this docket, the Commission is proposing to grant an
additional blanket authorization for certain dispositions of
jurisdictional facilities under FPA section 203(a)(1). In addition, in
separate orders, the Commission is concurrently issuing a section 203
Supplemental Policy Statement \8\ and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
proposing to codify restrictions on affiliate transactions between
franchised public utilities with captive customers and their market-
regulated power sales affiliates or non-utility affiliates.\9\ The
proposed changes to the regulations in this proceeding are discussed
below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ FPA Section 203 Supplemental Policy Statement, 119 FERC ]
61,060 (2007) (issued in Docket No. PL07-1-000).
\9\ Cross-Subsidization Restrictions on Affiliate Transactions,
119 FERC ] 61,061 (2007) (issued in Docket No. RM07-15-000).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Discussion
7. The Commission proposes to amend 18 CFR part 33 (Applications
Under Federal Power Act Section 203) to provide for an additional
blanket authorization under FPA section 203(a)(1).
8. In the Order No. 669 rulemaking proceeding, the Commission set
forth several blanket authorizations under which participants to FPA
section 203-jurisdictional transactions need not seek ex ante
Commission approval. These authorizations included a blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) under which certain holding
companies may acquire the voting securities of a public utility if the
acquisition would give the holding company less than 10 percent
ownership of the outstanding voting securities of such public
utility.\10\ The Commission found in Order No. 669 that several classes
of transactions covered by amended section 203(a)(2) would not harm
competition or captive customers, including acquisitions of voting
securities that would give the acquiring entity not more than 9.99
percent ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the acquired
utility or company.\11\ While parties sought an additional blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(1) to parallel that provided under
section 203(a)(2), the Commission could not make a determination with
respect to section 203(a)(1) at that time. Specifically, with regard to
the request for parallel blanket authorization under section 203(a)(1)
for equity ownership interests in public utilities that result in a
change in control over the underlying public utility, we found in Order
No. 669-A that such a blanket authorization would not address the
``[c]oncerns with control, markets and protections of captive customers
or customers receiving transmission service over jurisdictional
transmission facilities'' \12\ implicated by section 203(a)(1).
However, in Order No. 669-B, in response to comments that the lack of a
parallel section 203(a)(1) authorization could thwart utility
investment, the Commission stated that this issue would be included in
the forthcoming technical conferences.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ The section 203(a)(2) blanket authorization states:
Any holding company in a holding company system that includes a
transmitting utility or an electric utility is granted a blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) of the Federal Power Act to
purchase, acquire, or take: * * * (ii) Any voting security in a
transmitting utility, an electric utility company, or a holding
company in a holding company system that includes a transmitting
utility or an electric utility company if, after the acquisition,
the holding company will own less than 10 percent of the outstanding
voting securities.
18 CFR 33.1(c)(2)(ii). Because a ``transmitting utility'' or
``electric utility company'' may also be a ``public utility'' as
defined in the FPA, the public utility may need to obtain separate
authorization for the same transaction under FPA section 203(a)(1),
which requires authorization for public utilities to dispose of
jurisdictional facilities.
\11\ Order No. 669, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,200 at P 141.
\12\ Order No. 669-A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,214 at P 103.
\13\ Order No. 669-B, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,225 at P 26.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Based on the record from the technical conferences (including
both oral and written comments) and the Commission's experience under
amended section 203 to date, the Commission proposes to provide for a
limited blanket authorization to public utilities under section
203(a)(1). This blanket authorization would work in conjunction with
the blanket authorization granted to holding companies under section
203(a)(2) in 18 CFR 33.1(c)(2)(ii).\14\ Under this limited blanket
authorization, a public utility would be pre-authorized to dispose of
less than 10 percent of its voting securities to a public utility
holding company but only if, after the disposition, the holding company
and any associate company in aggregate will own less than 10 percent of
that public utility. We note that this proposed blanket authorization
would not entirely ``parallel'' the section 203(a)(2) authorization
since the section 203(a)(2) authorization does not contain the ``in
aggregate'' limitation. However, we believe this limitation would
provide better protection against possible transfer of ``control'' of a
public utility. We seek comment on this limitation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ See supra note 10.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. The Commission believes that the disposition of such limited
voting interests (less than 10 percent), with the proposed ``in
aggregate'' restriction and the existing reporting requirements
[[Page 41642]]
applicable to holding companies,\15\ will not harm competition or
captive customers. Moreover, this 10 percent threshold is consistent
with the definition of ``holding company'' under section 1262(8)(A) of
PUHCA 2005. Under that definition, any company that has the power to
vote 10 percent or more of the securities of a public utility company
(or a holding company of a public utility company) triggers holding
company status and thus is presumed to raise sufficient concerns about
controlling influence over a subsidiary public utility that regulatory
oversight is needed. The 10 percent threshold is also consistent with
the blanket authorization granted under section 203(a)(2) in the Order
No. 669 rulemaking proceeding, under which holding companies are pre-
authorized to acquire up to 9.99 percent of voting securities of a
public utility.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ See, e.g., 18 CFR 33.1(c)(4) (requiring the filing of
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Schedule 13D, Schedule 13G,
and Form 13F, if applicable); 18 CFR 35.42(a) (effective 60 days
after publication in the Federal Register of Market-Based Rates For
Wholesale Sales Of Electric Energy, Capacity And Ancillary Services
By Public Utilities, Order No. 697, 72 FR 39903 (July 20, 2007),
FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,252 (2007)) (requiring a notification of
any change in status that would reflect a departure from the
characteristics the Commission relied upon in granting market-based
rate authority); 18 CFR 366.4(a) (requiring Form FERC-65
(notification of holding company status)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. As noted, as part of the existing ``parallel'' blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2), the Commission already requires
the holding company to provide to the Commission copies of any Schedule
13D, Schedule 13G and Form 13F at the same time and on the same basis,
as filed with the SEC in connection with any securities purchased,
acquired or taken pursuant to the blanket authorization under section
203(a)(2) provided in Sec. 33.1(c)(2) of the Commission's
regulations.\16\ Importantly, a Schedule 13 filer must acquire the
subject securities ``in the ordinary course of his business and not
with the purpose nor with the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the issuer, nor in connection with or as a participant in
any transaction having such purpose or effect'' over entities whose
securities it holds.\17\ It is also required to file a notification
with the SEC of any acquisition of beneficial ownership of more than
five percent of a class of equity securities.\18\ Because we already
receive these filings from the holding company, we propose not to
require additional reporting on the part of individual public utilities
to duplicate the reporting of information we are already getting about
the same transaction. However, we seek comments on whether any
additional reporting by the public utility should be required.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ 18 CFR 33.1(c)(4).
\17\ 17 CFR 240.13d-1(b)(1)(i).
\18\ 17 CFR 240.13d-1(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Further, we seek comment on whether the blanket authorization
under section 203(a)(1), proposed herein, should be extended to the
transfer of securities by a public utility to a holding company granted
a blanket authorization under section 203(a)(2) in Sec. Sec.
33.1(c)(8),\19\ 33.1(c)(9),\20\ and 33.1(c)(10) \21\ of the
Commission's regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ 18 CFR 33.1(c)(8) (granting a blanket authorization under
section 203(a)(2) to a person that is a holding company solely with
respect to one or more exempt wholesale generators (EWGs), foreign
utility companies (FUCOs), or qualifying facilities (QFs) to acquire
the securities of additional EWGs, FUCOs, or QFs).
\20\ 18 CFR 33.1(c)(9) (granting a conditional blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) to a holding company, or a
subsidiary of that company, that is regulated by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve Bank or by the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency, under the Bank Holding Company Act of
1956 as amended by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999).
\21\ 18 CFR 33.1(c)(10) (granting a limited blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(2) to a holding company, or a
subsidiary of that company, for the acquisition of securities of a
public utility or a holding company that includes a public utility
for purposes of underwriting activities or hedging transactions).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. In addition, certain participants to the technical conferences
argue that a blanket authorization under section 203(a)(1) should be
granted for transactions in which a public utility or a holding company
is acquiring or disposing of a jurisdictional contract where the
acquirer does not have captive customers and the contract does not
convey control over the operation of a generation or transmission
facility. These commenters argue that, because acquisition of these
contracts cannot create competitive or rate concerns, the Commission
should grant blanket authorization under section 203(a)(1) for such
transactions. Because the specific request for blanket authorization
may present concerns where the transferor has captive customers, we
seek comment on whether the Commission should grant a generic blanket
authorization under section 203(a)(1) for the acquisition or
disposition of a jurisdictional contract where neither the acquirer nor
transferor has captive customers and the contract does not convey
control over the operation of a generation or transmission facility.
IV. Information Collection Statement
14. The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) regulations require
that OMB approve certain information collection and data retention
requirements imposed by agency rules.\22\ Therefore, the Commission is
submitting the proposed modifications to its information collections to
OMB for review and approval in accordance with section 3507(d) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.\23\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\22\ 5 CFR part 1320.
\23\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
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15. The Commission is proposing amendments to the Commission's
regulations to provide for a limited blanket authorization under FPA
section 203(a)(1). The regulations that the Commission proposes should
have a minimal impact on the current reporting burden associated with
an individual application, as they do not substantially change the
filing requirements with which section 203 applicants must currently
comply. Further, the Commission does not expect the total number of
section 203 applications under amended section 203 to increase, but
rather expects the total number of section 203 applications to
decrease. This is due to the proposed rule providing for a category of
jurisdictional transactions for which the Commission would not require
applications seeking before-the-fact approval. This would reduce the
burden on the electric industry, because it will reduce the number of
applications that need to be made with the Commission.
16. Comments are solicited on the Commission's need for this
information, whether the information will have practical utility, the
accuracy of provided burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and any
suggested methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including the use
of automated information techniques.
Burden Estimate: The Public Reporting and records retention burden
for the proposed reporting requirements and the records retention
requirement are as follows.
Title: FERC-519, ``Application Under the Federal Power Act, Section
203''.
Action: Revised Collection.
OMB Control No: 1902-0082.
The applicant will not be penalized for failure to respond to this
information collection unless the information collection displays a
valid OMB control number or the Commission has provided justification
as to why the control number should not be displayed.
Respondents: Businesses or other for profit.
Frequency of Responses: N/A.
Necessity of the Information: This proposed rule proposes
codification of a limited blanket authorization under
[[Page 41643]]
FPA section 203(a)(1), providing for a category of jurisdictional
transactions under section 203(a)(1) for which the Commission would not
require applications seeking before-the-fact approval.
Internal Review: The Commission has conducted an internal review of
the public reporting burden associated with the collection of
information and assured itself, by means of internal review, that there
is specific, objective support for its information burden estimate.
17. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting
requirements by contacting: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 [Attention: Michael Miller,
Office of the Executive Director, Phone (202) 502-8415, fax (202) 273-
0873, e-mail: michael.miller@ferc.gov]. Comments on the requirements of
the proposed rule may also be sent to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC
20503 [Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, fax (202) 395-7285, e-mail oira_submission@omb.eop.gov].
V. Environmental Analysis
18. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\24\ The
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from this
requirement as not having a significant effect on the human
environment.\25\ The proposed regulations are categorically excluded as
they address actions under section 203.\26\ Accordingly, no
environmental assessment is necessary and none has been prepared in
this NOPR.
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\24\ Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy
Act, Order No. 486, 52 FR 47897 (Dec. 17, 1987), FERC Stats. &
Regs., Regulations Preambles 1986-1990 ] 30,783 (1987).
\25\ 18 CFR 380.4.
\26\ See 18 CFR 380.4(a)(16).
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VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
19. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \27\ requires
agencies to prepare certain statements, descriptions and analyses of
proposed rules that will have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.\28\ However, the RFA does not
define ``significant'' or ``substantial.'' Instead, the RFA leaves it
up to an agency to determine the effect of its regulations on small
entities.
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\27\ 5 U.S.C. 601-12.
\28\ The RFA definition of ``small entity'' refers to the
definition provided in the Small Business Act, which defines a
``small business concern'' as a business that is independently owned
and operated and that is not dominant in its field of operation. 15
U.S.C. 632. The Small Business Size Standards component of the North
American Industry Classification System defines a small electric
utility as one that, including its affiliates, is primarily engaged
in the generation, transmission, and/or distribution of electric
energy for sale and whose total electric output for the preceding
fiscal year did not exceed 4 million MWh. 13 CFR 121.201.
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20. Most filing companies regulated by the Commission do not fall
within the RFA's definition of small entity.\29\ Moreover, as noted
above, this proposed rule proposes codification of a limited blanket
authorization under FPA section 203(a)(1), providing for a category of
jurisdictional transactions under section 203(a)(1) for which the
Commission would not require before-the-fact approval. Thus, filing
requirements are reduced by the rule. Therefore, the Commission
certifies that the proposed rule will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities. As a result, no
regulatory flexibility analysis is required.
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\29\ 5 U.S.C. 601(3), citing to section 3 of the Small Business
Act, 15 U.S.C. 632. Section 3 of the Small Business Act defines a
``small-business concern'' as a business which is independently
owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of
operation.
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VII. Comment Procedures
21. The Commission invites interested persons to submit comments on
the matters and issues proposed in this notice, including any related
matters or alternative proposals that commenters may wish to discuss.
Comments are due August 30, 2007. Comments must refer to Docket No.
RM07-21-000, and must include the commenter's name, the organization
they represent, if applicable, and their address in their comments.
Comments may be filed either in electronic or paper format.
22. Comments may be filed electronically via the eFiling link on
the Commission's Web site at https://www.ferc.gov. The Commission
accepts most standard word processing formats, but requests commenters
to submit comments in a text-searchable format rather than a scanned
image format. Commenters filing electronically do not need to make a
paper filing. Commenters that are not able to file comments
electronically must send an original and 14 copies of their comments
to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
23. All comments will be placed in the Commission's public files
and may be viewed, printed, or downloaded remotely as described in the
Document Availability section below. Commenters on this proposal are
not required to serve copies of their comments on other commenters.
VIII. Document Availability
24. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
Internet through the Commission's Home Page (https://www.ferc.gov) and
in the Commission's Public Reference Room during normal business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time) at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A,
Washington, DC 20426.
25. From the Commission's Home Page on the Internet, this
information is available in the Commission's document management
system, eLibrary. The full text of this document is available on
eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word format for viewing, printing, and/or
downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type the docket
number (excluding the last three digits of the docket number), in the
docket number field.
26. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's
Web site during normal business hours. For assistance, please contact
FERC Online Support at (202) 502-6652 (toll-free at 1-866-208-3676) or
e-mail at ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or the Public Reference Room at
(202) 502-8371, TTY (202) 502-8659. E-mail the Public Reference Room at
public.referenceroom@ferc.gov.
List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 33
Electric utilities, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements,
Securities.
By direction of the Commission.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission proposes to amend
Part 33, Chapter I, Title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:
PART 33--APPLICATIONS UNDER FEDERAL POWER ACT SECTION 203
1. The authority citation for part 33 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r, 2601-2645; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42
U.S.C. 7101-7352; Pub. L. 109-58, 119 Stat. 594.
2. In Sec. 33.1, paragraph (c)(12) is added to read as follows:
Sec. 33.1 Applicability, definitions, and blanket authorizations.
* * * * *
[[Page 41644]]
(c) * * *
(12) A public utility is granted a blanket authorization under
section 203(a)(1) of the Federal Power Act to transfer its outstanding
voting securities to any holding company granted blanket authorizations
in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section if, after the transfer, the
holding company and any of its associate or affiliate companies in
aggregate will own less than 10 percent of the outstanding voting
interests of such public utility.
[FR Doc. E7-14619 Filed 7-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
