Collapse to view only § 154.202 - Filings to initiate a new rate schedule.

§ 154.201 - Filing requirements.

In addition to the requirements of subparts A and B of this part, the following must be included with the filing of any tariff, executed service agreement, or part thereof, that changes or supersedes any tariff, contract, or part thereof, on file with the Commission.

(a) A list in the transmittal letter of the tariff sheets or sections being revised and a marked version of the sheets or sections to be changed or superseded showing additions and deletions. New numbers and text must be marked by either highlight, background shading, bold, or underline. Deleted text and numbers must be indicated by strike-through. Only those revisions appropriately designated and marked constitute the filing. Revisions to unmarked portions of the rate schedule or tariff are not considered part of the filing nor will any acceptance of the filing by the Commission constitute acceptance of such unmarked changes.

(b) Documentation whether in the form of workpapers, or otherwise, sufficiently detailed to support the company's proposed change.

(1) The documentation must include but is not limited to the schedules, workpapers, and supporting documentation required by these rules and regulations and the Commission's orders.

(2) All rate changes in the filing must be supported by step-by-step mathematical calculations and sufficient written narrative to allow the Commission and interested parties to duplicate the company's calculations.

(3) Any data or summaries included in the filing purporting to reflect the books of account must be supported by accounting workpapers setting forth all necessary particulars from which an auditor may readily verify that such data are in agreement with the company's books of account. All statements, schedules, and workpapers must be prepared in accordance with the classifications of the Commission's Uniform System of Accounts. Workpapers in support of all adjustments, computations, and other information, properly indexed and cross-referenced to the filing and other workpapers, must be available for Commission examination.

(4) Where a rate, cost, or volume is derived from another rate, cost, or volume, the derivation must be shown mathematically and be accompanied by a written narrative sufficient to allow the Commission and interested parties to duplicate the calculations. If the derivation is due to a load factor adjustment, application of a percentage, or other adjusting factor, the pipeline must also note or explain the origin of the adjusting factor.

(5) Where workpapers show progressive calculations, any discontinuity between one working paper and another must be explained.

[Order 582, 60 FR 52996, Oct. 11, 1995, as amended by Order 714, 73 FR 57534, Oct. 3, 2008]

§ 154.202 - Filings to initiate a new rate schedule.

(a) When the filing is to initiate a new service authorized under a blanket authority in part 284 of this chapter, the filing must comply with the requirements of this paragraph.

(1) Filings under this paragraph must:

(i) Adhere to the requirements of subparts A, B, and C of this part;

(ii) Contain a description of the new service, including, but not limited to, the proposed effective date for commencement of service, applicability, whether the service is interruptible or firm, and the necessity for the service;

(iii) Explain how the new service will differ from existing services, including a concise description of the natural gas company's existing operations;

(iv) Explain the impact of the new service on existing firm and interruptible customers, including but not limited to:

(A) The adequacy of existing capacity, if the proposed service is a firm service, and

(B) The effect on receipt and delivery point flexibility, nominating and scheduling priorities, allocation of capacity, operating conditions, and curtailment, for any new service;

(v) Include workpapers that detail the computations underlying the proposed rate under the new rate schedule; or, if the rate is a currently effective rate, include the appropriate reference and an explanation of why the rate is appropriate;

(vi) Give a justification, similar in form to filed testimony in a general section 4 rate case, explaining why the proposed rate design and proposed allocation of costs are just and reasonable;

(vii) If the costs relating to existing services are reallocated to new services, explain the method for allocating the costs and the impact on the existing customers;

(viii) Include workpapers showing the estimated effect on revenue and costs over the twelve-month period commencing on the proposed effective date of the filing.

(ix) List other filings pending before the Commission at the time of the filing which may significantly affect the filing. Explain how the instant filing would be affected by the outcome of each related pending filing;

(2) Any interdependent filings must be filed concurrently and contain a notice of the interdependence.

(b) If a new service, facility, or rate is specifically authorized by a Commission order pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, with the filing of tariff sheets or sections to implement the new rate schedule, the natural gas company must:

(1) Comply with the requirements of § 154.203; and

(2) Where the rate or charge proposed differs from the rate or charge approved in the certificate order, the natural gas company must: Show that the change is due to a rate adjustment under a periodic rate change mechanism previously accepted under § 154.403 which has taken effect since the certificate order was issued; or, show that the rate change is in accordance with the terms of the certificate, and provide workpapers justifying the change.

[Order 582, 60 FR 52996, Oct. 11, 1995, as amended by Order 714, 73 FR 57535, Oct. 3, 2008]

§ 154.203 - Compliance filings.

(a) In addition to the requirements of subparts A, B, and C of this part, filings made to comply with orders issued by the Commission, including those issued under delegated authority, must contain the following:

(1) A list of the directives with which the company is complying;

(2) Revised workpapers, data, or summaries with cross-references to the originally filed workpapers, data, or summaries;

(b) Filings made to comply with Commission orders must include only those changes required to comply with the order. Such compliance filings may not be combined with other rate or tariff change filings. A compliance filing that includes other changes or that does not comply with the applicable order in every respect may be rejected.

§ 154.204 - Changes in rate schedules, forms of service agreements, or the general terms and conditions.

A filing to revise rate schedules, forms of service agreements, or the general terms and conditions, must:

(a) Adhere to the requirements of subparts A, B, and C, of this part;

(b) Contain a description of the change in service, including, but not limited to, applicability, necessity for the change, identification of services and types of customers that will be affected by the change;

(c) Explain how the proposed tariff provisions differ from those currently in effect, including an example showing how the existing and proposed tariff provisions operate. Explain why the change is being proposed at this time;

(d) Explain the impact of the proposed revision on firm and interruptible customers, including any changes in a customer's rights to capacity in the manner in which a customer is able to use such capacity, receipt or delivery point flexibility, nominating and scheduling, curtailment, capacity release;

(e) Include workpapers showing the estimated effect on revenues and costs over the 12-month period commencing on the proposed effective date of the filing. If the filing proposes to change an existing penalty provision, provide workpapers showing the penalty revenues and associated quantities under the existing penalty provision during the latest 12-month period; and

(f) List other filings pending before the Commission which may significantly affect the filing.

§ 154.205 - Withdrawals and amendments of tariff filings and executed service agreements.

(a) Withdrawals of tariff filings or service agreements prior to Commission action. (1) A natural gas company may withdraw in its entirety a tariff filing or executed service agreement that has not become effective and upon which no Commission or delegated order has been issued by filing a withdrawal motion with the Commission. Upon the filing of such motion, the proposed tariff sheets, sections or service agreements will not become effective under section 4(d) of the Natural Gas Act in the absence of Commission action making the rate schedule or tariff filing effective.

(2) The withdrawal motion will become effective, and the rate schedule or tariff filing will be deemed withdrawn, at the end of 15 days from the date of filing of the withdrawal motion, if no answer in opposition to the withdrawal motion is filed within that period and if no order disallowing the withdrawal is issued within that period. If an answer in opposition is filed within the 15 day period, the withdrawal is not effective until an order accepting the withdrawal is issued.

(b) Amendments or modifications to tariff sheets, sections or service agreements prior to Commission action on a tariff filing. A natural gas company may file to amend or modify a tariff or service agreement contained in a tariff filing upon which no Commission or delegated order has yet been issued. Such filing will toll the notice period in section 4(d) of the Natural Gas Act for the original filing, and establish a new date on which the entire filing will become effective, in the absence of Commission action, no earlier than 31 days from the date of the filing of the amendment or modification.

(c) Withdrawal of suspended tariffs, executed service agreements, or parts thereof. A natural gas company may not, within the period of suspension, withdraw a proposed tariff, executed service agreement, or part thereof, that has been suspended by order of the Commission, except by special permission of the Commission granted upon application therefor and for good cause shown.

(d) Changes in suspended tariffs, executed service agreements, or parts thereof. A natural gas company may not, within the period of suspension, file any change in a proposed tariff, executed service agreement, or part thereof, that has been suspended by order of the Commission, except by special permission of the Commission granted upon application therefor and for good cause shown.

(e) Changes in tariffs, executed service agreements, or parts thereof continued in effect, and which were to be changed by the suspended filing. A natural gas company may not, within the period of suspension, file any change in a tariff, executed service agreement, or part thereof, that is continued in effect by operation of the order of suspension, and that was proposed to be changed by the suspended filing, except:

(1) Under a previously approved tariff provision permitting a limited rate change, or

(2) By special permission of the Commission.

[Order 582, 60 FR 52996, Oct. 11, 1995, as amended by Order 714, 73 FR 57534, Oct. 3, 2008]

§ 154.206 - Motion to place suspended rates into effect.

(a) If, prior to the end of the suspension period, the Commission has issued an order requiring changes in the filed rates, or the filed rates recover costs for facilities not certificated and in service as of the proposed effective date, in order to place the suspended rates into effect, the pipeline must file a motion at least one day prior to the effective date requested by the pipeline. The motion must be accompanied by revised tariff sheets or sections reflecting any changes ordered by the Commission or modifications approved by the Commission during the suspension period under § 154.205. The filing of the revised tariff sheets or sections must:

(1) Comply with the requirements of subparts A, B, and C of this part;

(2) Identify the Commission order directing the revision;

(3) List the modifications made to the currently effective rate during the suspension period, the docket number in which the modifications were filed, and identify the order permitting the modifications.

(b) Where the Commission has suspended the effective date of a change of rate, charge, classification, or service for a minimal period and the pipeline has not included a motion in its transmittal letter, or has specified in its transmittal letter pursuant to § 154.7(a)(9), that it reserves its right to file motion to place the proposed change of rate, charge, classification, or service into effect at the end of the suspension period, the change will go into effect, subject to refund, upon motion of the pipeline.

(c) Where the Commission has suspended the effective date of a change of rate, charge, classification, or service for a minimal period and the pipeline has included, in its transmittal letter pursuant to § 154.7(a)(9), a motion to place the proposed change of rate, charge, classification, or service into effect at the end of the suspension period, the change will go into effect, subject to refund, on the authorized effective date.

[Order 582, 60 FR 52996, Oct. 11, 1995, as amended by Order 714, 73 FR 57535, Oct. 3, 2008]

§ 154.207 - Notice requirements.

All proposed changes in tariffs, contracts, or any parts thereof must be filed with the Commission and posted not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the proposed effective date thereof, unless a waiver of the time periods is granted by the Commission.

§ 154.208 - Service of tariff filings on customers and other parties.

(a) On or before the filing date, the company must serve, upon all customers as of the date of the filing and all affected state regulatory commissions, an abbreviated form of the filing consisting of: The Letter of Transmittal; the Statement of Nature, Reason, and Basis; the changed tariff sheets or sections; a summary of the cost-of-service and rate base; and, summary of the magnitude of the change.

(b) On or before the filing date, the company must serve a full copy of the filing upon all customers and state regulatory commissions that have made a standing request for such service.

(c) Within two business days of receiving a request for a complete copy from any customer or state commission that has not made a standing request, the company must serve a full copy of any filing.

(d) A customer or other party may designate a recipient of service. The filing company must serve the designated recipient, in accordance with this section, instead of the customer or other party. For the purposes of this section, service upon the designated recipient will be deemed service upon the customer or other party.

(e) The company may choose to effect service either electronically or by paper. Such service must be made in accordance with the requirements of Part 385 of this chapter.

(f) Unless it seeks a waiver of electronic service, each customer or party entitled to service of initial tariff filings under this section must notify the company of the e-mail address to which service should be directed. A customer or party may seek a waiver of electronic service by filing a waiver request under Part 390 of this chapter, providing good cause for its inability to accept electronic service.

[Order 582, 60 FR 52996, Oct. 11, 1995, as amended by Order 582A, 61 FR 9628, Mar. 11, 1996; Order 714, 73 FR 57535, Oct. 3, 2008]

§ 154.209 - [Reserved]

§ 154.210 - Protests, interventions, and comments.

(a) Unless the notice issued by the Commission provides otherwise, any protest, intervention or comment to a tariff filing made pursuant to this part must be filed in accordance with § 385.211 of this chapter, not later than 12 days after the subject tariff filing. A protest must state the basis for the objection. A protest will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make the protestant a party to the proceeding. A person wishing to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene.

(b) Any motion to intervene must be filed not later than 12 days after the subject tariff filing in accordance with § 385.214 of this chapter.