DG 99-021
Northern Utilities, Inc.
Petition For Approval of Tariff Changes
Order NISI Approving Tariff Clarification of Interruptible
Transportation and Sales Services and also Compliance with the
Gas Industry Standards Board
O R D E R N O. 23,152
February 22, 1999
Northern Utilities, Inc. (Northern) filed a petition on
February 8, 1999 to modify its existing tariff by clarifying the
Interruptible Transportation (IT) and Interruptible Sales (IS)
Service terms and conditions. Northern proposes to modify its IT
and IS Services to require for all interruptible customers a
mandatory thirty-day curtailment period during the winter season.
Under Northern's proposal, customers would be notified five (5)
business days prior to the commencement of the curtailment
period. In addition, Northern will continue to curtail IT and IS
Services on any other day outside of the 30-day curtailment
period to the extent Northern determines that the interruption is
necessary to allow Northern to optimize the use of the
distribution system for service to firm transportation and sales
customers.
Interruptible Transportation and Interruptible Stand-By
Gas Supply Services are currently subject to interruption and/or
curtailment. Northern states that the requested changes clarify
the availability of interruptible service as a service which is
not available year round. The tariff changes also serve to
further distinguish interruptible service from firm gas service.
Northern also proposes to change the start of the gas
day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. A gas day is a period of
twenty-four (24) consecutive hours used by the delivering
pipeline. The proposed change will bring Northern into
compliance with the Gas Industry Standards Board gas day, which
was implemented on June 1, 1997.
We approve the requested changes to the IT and IS
Services tariffs. The public interest is served by a clear
delineation among services offered by Northern resulting from
differences in the underlying costs of the services.
Additionally, we approve the revision to the gas day. We
recognize that Northern's tariffs should reflect industry
standards where appropriate and it is also consistent with the
10:00 a.m. gas day already used by EnergyNorth Natural Gas, Inc.
Based upon the foregoing, it is hereby
ORDERED NISI, that Northern's proposed revisions to its
tariffs for Interruptible Transportation and Interruptible Sales
Services are APPROVED; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that Northern shall cause a copy of
this Order Nisi to be published once in a statewide newspaper of
general circulation or of circulation in those portions of the
state where operations are conducted, such publication to be no
later than March 1, 1999 and to be documented by affidavit filed
with this office on or before March 8, 1999; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that Northern shall notify its
existing and known prospective IT and IS Service customers of the
proposed tariff changes by sending a copy of this Order Nisi by
first class mail, such notification to be no later than March 1,
1999; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that all persons interested in
responding to this petition be notified that they may submit
their comments or file a written request for a hearing on this
matter before the Commission no later than March 15, 1999; and it
is
FURTHER ORDERED, that any party interested in
responding to such comments or request for hearing shall do so no
later than March 22, 1999; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that this Order Nisi shall be
effective March 24, 1999, unless the Commission provides
otherwise in a supplemental order issued prior to the effective
date; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that Northern shall file a compliance
tariff with the Commission on or before March 24, 1999, in
accordance with N.H. Admin. Rules, Puc 1603.02(b).
By order of the Public Utilities Commission of New
Hampshire this twenty-second day of February, 1999.
Douglas L. Patch Susan S. Geiger Nancy Brockway
Chairman Commissioner Commissioner
Attested by:
Thomas B. Getz
Executive Director and Secretary