Revisions to the Blanket Certificate Regulations and Clarification Regarding Rates

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending its blanket certification regulations to expand the scope and scale of activities that may be undertaken pursuant to blanket certificate authority. The Commission is expanding the types of natural gas projects permitted under blanket certificate authority and increasing the cost limits that apply to blanket projects. In addition, the Commission clarifies that a natural gas company is not necessarily engaged in an unduly discriminatory practice if it charges different customers different rates for the same service based on the date that customers commit to service. Rather than rely on the more demanding process of submitting an application under section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for certificate authorization for every project, the revised regulations will allow interstate natural gas pipelines to employ the streamlined blanket certificate procedures for larger projects and for a wider variety of types of projects, thereby increasing efficiencies, and decreasing time and costs, associated with the construction and maintenance of the nation's natural gas infrastructure.