FERC Issues Final Rule, Addresses Some Rate Issues Involving Portland Natural Gas Transmission, and Revisits Court Remand Regarding Treatment of Acquisition Costs Incurred by MoGas

摘要

Final Rule. At the agency's open meeting held on Thursday, 3/21/12, in Order No. 776 FERC adopted a Final Rule (RM12-14), Annual Charge Filing Procedures for Natural Gas Pipelines, which revises the filing requirements for natural gas pipelines that choose to recover Commission-assessed annual charges through an annual charge adjustment (ACA) clause. Currently, gas pipelines using an ACA clause must make a tariff filing to reflect a revised ACA unit charge authorized by the Commission for that fiscal year. To reduce the regulatory burden, the Commission will eliminate this annual filing requirement. Instead, natural gas pipelines utilizing an ACA clause are required to incorporate the Commission-authorized annual charge unit rate by reference to that rate, as published on the Commission's website.