Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) generally reaffirms its determinations in Order No. 717, but grants rehearing on and clarifies certain provisions. Order No. 717-A aims to make the Standards of Conduct clearer and to refocus the rules on the areas where there is the greatest potential for abuse. The order addresses requests for rehearing and clarification of the following issues: Applicability of the Standards of Conduct to transmission owners with no marketing affiliate transactions; whether the Independent Functioning Rule applies to balancing authority employees; which activities of transmission function employees or marketing function employees are subject to the Independent Functioning Rule; whether local distribution companies making off-system sales on nonaffiliated pipelines are subject to the Standards of Conduct; whether the Standards of Conduct apply to a pipeline's sale of its own production; applicability of the Standards of Conduct to asset management agreements; whether incidental purchases to remain in balance or sales of unneeded gas supply subject the company to the Standards of Conduct; applicability of the No Conduit Rule to certain situations; and applicability of the Transparency Rule to certain situations.