ALLIANCE'S TWO NEW 'ACE' HUB SERVICES GET THUMBS UP FROM FERC, BUT NOTICE VIOLATION HOLDS UP APPROVAL

摘要

FERC generally dismissed the protests of Canadian producers but told Alliance Pipeline LP (RP11-2232) that because of a technical oversight it must resubmit its tariff records intended to govern two new services and to expand an existing service (collectively, Alliance Chicago Exchange or ACE Hub Services) in the Chicago market area. Alliance projects the services will commence no later than 12/1/11, and it seeks a waiver of the Commission's notice requirements. Alliance stated it will provide notice to the Commission within two weeks of the first nominations under the proposed new service. FERC rejected the tariff records and denied waiver of its notice regulations – for failure to comply with the notice provisions of the Commission's regulations. However, the Commission found the revised tariff records and the answer to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers' (CAPP) protest and request for a technical conference sufficiently support the proposed new and expanded services. The Commission will deem the tariff records to be pro forma and permit Alliance to file identical tariff records to the pro forma tariff records no less than 30 or more than 60 days in advance of the proposed effective date of the tariff records.