

[Federal Register: November 4, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 213)]
[Notices]               
[Page 67161-67162]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04no05-40]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. RM01-10-000, EY06-6-000]

 
Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers; Florida Power & 
Light Company; Notice Granting Waiver of Posting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements

October 28, 2005.
    On October 27, 2005, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) filed to 
seek a temporary emergency waiver of section 358.4(a)(2) of the 
Commission's regulations and for any other waivers necessary for FPL to 
proceed with the restoration work on its transmission and distribution 
systems necessitated by

[[Page 67162]]

Hurricane Wilma. FPL requests that the waiver begin on October 25, 2005 
and continue through November 30, 2005. Effective on the date of this 
notice, the Commission will grant FPL a waiver, until November 15, 
2005, of the otherwise applicable requirements of section 358.4(a)(2) 
to record a log of emergency-related deviations from the Standards of 
Conduct and to post these deviations on its web site.
    FPL explains that Hurricane Wilma was a Category 3 hurricane with 
hurricane force winds that cut a 180-mile swath across southern Florida 
and had tropical-force winds well beyond that. FPL states that about 60 
percent of its 35-county territory was affected, covering nearly 22,000 
square miles. FPL states, further, that its transmission lines and 
substations have been severely damaged. FPL notes that approximately 
3.2 million of its 4.3 million customers were without power at the 
height of the damage. FPL estimates that it may take four to five weeks 
to restore power to all its customers. FPL explains that its 
restoration force totals over 6,000 employees, including out-of-state 
crews and contractors, in addition to FPL teams.
    FPL states that the entire workforce of FPL Group is involved in 
these restoration efforts on FPL's transmission and distribution 
systems. FPL anticipates that, due to the magnitude of the task, it is 
likely that there will be numerous communications among employees 
concerning the status of the restoration and to coordinate joint 
operations and repair work. FPL explains that the requirement to report 
each deviation of the Standards of Conduct within twenty-four hours 
would create a monumental task that could slow its restoration efforts. 
FPL notes that the waiver request is limited to those employees 
involved in the Hurricane Wilma restoration effort and the 
communications required to carry out the restoration. FPL concludes, 
therefore, that good cause exists to grant it a waiver of this 
requirement.
    The Commission has previously granted similar waivers due to 
Hurricane Katrina \1\ and Hurricane Rita.\2\ The waivers, among other 
things, allowed affected transmission providers to delay for a limited 
period of time compliance with the requirement of section 358.4(a)(2) 
of the Commission's regulations, 18 CFR 358.4(a)(2)(2005), to report to 
the Commission and post on the OASIS or Internet Web site, as 
applicable, each emergency that resulted in any deviation from the 
Standards of Conduct. In addition, due to the extreme nature of the 
emergency in each instance, the Commission also waived, for those 
limited periods, the requirements to record and retain a record of each 
deviation of the Standards of Conduct.\3\
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    \1\ Notice Granting Extension of Time To Comply With Posting and 
Other Requirements, Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, 
Docket Nos. EY05-14-000, et al. (August 31, 2005); Notice Waiving 
Recordkeeping Requirements, Standards of Conduct for Transmission 
Providers, Docket Nos. EY05-14-001, et al. (September 7, 2005).
    \2\ Notice Granting Extension of Time To Comply With Posting and 
Other Requirements, Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, 
Docket Nos. EY05-20-000, et al. (September 23, 2005).
    \3\ Supra notes 1 and 2.
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    The Commission grants FPL a waiver of the recording and posting 
requirements of section 358.4(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations in 
these emergency circumstances, effective on the date of this notice 
until November 15, 2005, without prejudice to FPL requesting a further 
extension, if necessary. The Commission directs FPL to ensure that the 
employees affected by this waiver observe the no-conduit prohibition in 
the Standards of Conduct, 18 CFR 358.5(b)(7) (2005).

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-6115 Filed 11-3-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
