Department of Energy December 28, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to direct the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization, to develop and submit modifications to the NERC Reliability Standards to improve mandatory reporting of Cyber Security Incidents, including incidents that might facilitate subsequent efforts to harm the reliable operation of the bulk electric system.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of an application (Application), filed on December 20, 2017, by Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC (Sabine Pass), requesting blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) in an amount up to the equivalent of 600 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas on a cumulative basis over a two-year period commencing on the date of first short-term export or January 16, 2018, whichever is later. The LNG would be exported from the Sabine Pass Liquefaction Project (Liquefaction Project) located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, to any country with the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. To date, Sabine Pass has been granted four final long-term orders under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) to export LNG from Stages 1 and 2 of the Liquefaction Project in a volume equivalent to 1,006 Bcf per year of natural gas to countries with which the United States has not entered into a free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas (non-FTA countries), for a 20-year term.\1\ Additionally, Sabine Pass currently holds a short-term blanket authorization to export LNG in a volume equivalent to 600 Bcf of natural gas over a two- year period to any country with the capacity to import LNG via ocean- going carrier and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. Sabine Pass is requesting this authorization on its own behalf and as agent for other entities who hold title to the natural gas at the time of export. Sabine Pass's existing blanket authorization will expire on January 15, 2018.\2\ The current Application in effect is a request to extend Sabine Pass's current short-term blanket authorization issued in FE Docket No. 15-171-LNG for another two-year period beginning January 16, 2018 and extending through January 15, 2020.