FERC Agrees to Extend Columbia Gas' Rate Mechanism Designed to Address Unique Gas Flow Issues Associated With Its Northern Ohio Storage Fields

摘要

A letter order issued by FERC on March 28 conditionally accepted tariff modifications related to a temporary Operational Transaction Rate Adjustment (OTRA) mechanism used by Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (RP14-567). Columbia also requested and was granted a limited waiver of the regulations as it relates to OTRA purchases and sales. The Commission found that the OTRA mechanism continues to be a reasonable, cost-effective mechanism for addressing the unique problems faced by Columbia regarding its reduced receipts into its system in northern Ohio. The Commission also concluded that the OTRA mechanism is uniquely designed to alleviate, on a cost-effective basis, an interim problem on Columbia’s system. The OTRA mechanism is designed to recover costs solely related to costs of operational transactions to ensure sufficient flowing supply into northern Ohio storage fields. The Commission accepted Columbia’s tariff record, to be effective 4/1/14, subject to condition.