[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 246 (Monday, December 22, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78183-78184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30257]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 358

[Docket No. RM07-1-000]


Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers

December 15, 2008.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Order granting an extension of time and providing notice of 
change in personnel.

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SUMMARY: On October 16, 2008, the Commission issued Order No. 717, 
which revised the Standards of Conduct for natural gas and electric 
transmission providers.\1\ Order No. 717 became effective on November 
26, 2008, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. According 
to Order No. 717, transmission providers must be in full compliance 
with the Standards by that date, with the exception of the posting and 
training requirements, with which transmission providers must be in 
full compliance no later than 60 days from the date of publication in 
the Federal Register, or December 26, 2008. On November 17, 2008, the 
Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the Interstate Natural Gas 
Association of America (INGAA) jointly filed a motion for extension of 
certain compliance deadlines under Order No. 717. This order grants 
EEI's and INGAA's request to extend the time for compliance with 18 CFR 
358.8(c)(1), 358.7(d), 358.7(h), and 358.8(b)(2) to January 30, 2009; 
and for a grace period until February 27, 2009 for training of new 
employees hired before January 30, 2009. In addition, this order 
provides notice of a change in personnel.
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    \1\ Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, Order No. 
717, 73 FR 63796 (Oct. 27, 2008), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,280 
(2008) (Order No. 717).

DATES: Compliance Date: The time for compliance with 18 CFR 
358.8(c)(1), 358.7(d), 358.7(h), and 358.8(b)(2) is extended to January 
30, 2009 and new employees hired before January 30, 2009 shall be 
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trained by February 27, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mason Emnett (Legal Information), 
Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-6540.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. On October 16, 2008, the Commission 
issued Order No. 717, which revised the Standards of Conduct for 
natural gas and electric transmission providers.\2\ The Commission 
stated that Order No. 717 would become effective 30 days after 
publication in the Federal Register, that is, November 26, 2008.\3\ 
According to the Order, transmission providers must be in full 
compliance with the Standards by that date, with the exception of the 
posting and training requirements, with which transmission providers 
must be in full compliance no later than 60 days from the date of 
publication in the Federal Register, or December 26, 2008.\4\
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    \2\ Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, Order No. 
717, 73 Fed. Reg. 63796 (Oct. 27, 2008), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 
31,280 (2008) (Order No. 717).
    \3\ Id. P 330.
    \4\ Id.
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    2. On November 17, 2008, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and 
the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) jointly filed 
a motion for extension of certain compliance deadlines under Order No. 
717 to January 30, 2009. Specifically, EEI and INGAA request an 
extension of (1) the deadline to complete revisions to compliance 
procedures and training

[[Page 78184]]

materials; (2) the compliance deadline for transmission providers to 
post the written procedures implementing the Standards on their 
Internet Web sites under section 358.7(d); (3) the compliance deadline 
for distribution of procedures to the employees listed in section 
358.8(b)(2); and, (4) the compliance deadline for recordation of 
information exchanges under section 358.7(h). EEI and INGAA further 
request an initial grace period until February 27, 2009 for the 
training of new employees that are hired before the transmission 
provider develops the new training materials and procedures. Thus, the 
deadline for training employees hired before January 30, 2009 would be 
extended to February 27, 2009, but all new hires on or after January 
30, 2009 would receive training within 30 days of their employment 
date.
    3. EEI and INGAA state that a significant commitment of time and 
resources is necessary to analyze the changes made under Order No. 717, 
to revise procedures and training materials, to implement the changes 
in the compliance programs, and to train new employees. And, because 
the current deadlines fall during the end-of-year holiday season, many 
employees that are needed to complete these tasks and meet these 
compliance deadlines have already committed to take annual leave over 
the holidays.
    4. The Commission recognizes that due to the publication date of 
Order No. 717 in the Federal Register, the current compliance deadlines 
do fall during the end-of-year holiday season, making it difficult for 
companies to have the staff and resources available to meet the 
compliance requirements of the Order. Accordingly, upon consideration 
of the concerns raised by EEI and INGAA, the Commission will grant 
EEI's and INGAA's requests (1) to extend the time for compliance with 
18 CFR 358.8(c)(1), 358.7(d), 358.7(h), and 358.8(b)(2) to January 30, 
2009; and (2) for a grace period until February 27, 2009 for training 
of new employees hired before January 30, 2009.
    5. As a separate matter, this order is intended to serve as a 
notice to participants in this proceeding that they should contact for 
now Mason Emnett in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) at 202-502-6540 
for all future requests for further information on Order No. 717, and 
should also watch for future notices of other OGC contacts. Likewise, 
any inquiries regarding the interpretation of the Standards should be 
directed to the Commission's Help Desk \5\ and should not be directed 
to the Commission's Enforcement Hotline, unless the caller wishes to 
report a violation of the Standards.
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    \5\ Questions can be submitted to the Help Desk via an online 
form available at http://www.ferc.gov/contact-us/compliance-help-desk.asp.
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The Commission Orders

    The Commission hereby grants the requested extensions of certain 
compliance deadlines in Order No. 717, as discussed in the body of the 
order.

    By the Commission.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-30257 Filed 12-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P