On May 19th, the FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) seeking feedback on potential modifications to the way Natural Gas Act (NGA) section 4 rate case filings are submitted by interstate natural gas pipelines. NGA section 4 rate case filings are submitted by a pipeline when it seeks the FERC's approval to change its rates. The FERC expects the rulemaking would make such filings more accessible, comprehensive, and consistent.
If the proposed rule is approved, the NOPR would:
- require natural gas pipelines to submit all supporting statements, schedules, and workpapers in a native format with all links and formulas intact
- implement modifications the FERC’s current policies
- guarantee that all parties in a general NGA section 4 rate case would have immediate access to all information that FERC staff and the public need to conduct rate reviews and analyses of pipelines’ rate case filings
Pipelines filing NGA section 4 rate cases are required to submit spreadsheets in native format, such as Excel, for Statements I, J, and a portion of H, including intact formulas. Though it is preferred, native format is not required for other statements, schedules and workpapers.
Interested parties may comment on the NOPR within 30 days following its publication in the Federal Register. For further details and instructions on how to submit feedback, visit the notice on the FERC website.
Source:
FERC Proposes Revisions to Filing and Reporting Requirements for Interstate Natural Gas Company Rate Schedules and Tariffs (ferc.gov)
