pipeline system. The natural gas delivered for Natural's account will be in a commingled stream with gas volumes purchased by Transwestern from said well as set forth in an amendatory agreement dated September 15, 1978.

The amended exchange agreement provides that the transactions are on a gas-for-gas basis. The volumes of gas proposed to be delivered by Natural to Transwestern at the additional point will not require an increase in the maximum quantity of 5,000 Mcf per day of gas presently authorized to be exchanged between them. The additional delivery point will allow Natural to receive additional gas supplies into its system without the necessity of constructing additional facilities.

After due notice in the Federal Register on December 8, 1978, (43 F.R. 57645), no petitions to intervene, notices of intervention, or protests to the granting of the petition to amend have been filed.

The Commission finds:

It is necessary and appropriate in carrying out the provisions of the Natural Gas Act and the public convenience and necessity require that the order issued June 20, 1977, in Docket No. CP75-71, as amended, be further amended as hereinafter ordered.

The Commission orders:

The order issued June 20, 1977, as amended, in Docket No. CP75-71, is further amended so as to authorize the exchange of natural gas at an additional delivery point in Ward County, Texas, as hereinbefore described and as more fully described in the petition to amend. In all other respects said order shall remain in full force and effect.

-Footnote

As amended September 16, 1977, 59 FPC 2031.

On November 22, and December 7, 1978, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (Natural)' and United Gas Pipe Line Company (United)2 filed applications in Docket Nos. CP79-82 and CP79-96, respectively, pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to authorize the interim' transportation of natural gas by United and the construction and operation of the necessary facilities, all as more fully set forth in the applications.

Natural has supplies of offshore natural gas which exceed the capacity of its Gulf Coast line. In order to avoid contractual difficulties with its producers, Natural has contracted to have United transport its gas from either the U-T Offshore System delivery point in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, or the Erath and/or Henry delivery points in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, to a delivery point in Panola County, Texas. For this service United will charge Natural 23.29 cents per Mcf, while retaining 2.3 percent for fuel and company use. United and Natural propose to construct, at a cost of $28,000 and $41,000 respectively, the necessary measuring and tap facilities to connect their two systems at the delivery point in Texas.

Since the proposed transportation service will be in interstate commerce, subject to the jurisdic

tion of the Commission, said service and the construction and operation of the necessary facilities are subject to the requirements of Subsections (c) and (e) of Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.

After due notice by publication in the Federal Register in Docket No. CP79-82, on December 19, 1978 (43 F.R. 59120), and in Docket No. CP79–96, on December 29, 1978 (43 F.R. 60997), no petitions to intervene, notices of intervention, or protests to the granting of the applications have been filed.

At a hearing held on March 21, 1979, the Commission on its own motion received and made a part of the record in this proceeding all evidence, including the applications and exhibits thereto, submitted in support of the authorizations sought herein, and upon consideration of the record, The Commission finds:

(1) United and Natural are able and willing properly to do the acts and to perform the services proposed and to conform to the provisions of the Natural Gas Act and the requirements, rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(2) The proposed transportation of natural gas by United and the construction by United and Natural of the necessary facilities are required by the public convenience and necessity and certifi

cates therefor should be issued as hereinafter ordered and conditioned.

The Commission orders:

(A) Upon the terms and conditions of this order, a certificate of public convenience and necessity is issued in Docket No. CP79-82, authorizing Natural to construct and operate facilities, and in Docket No. CP79–96, authorizing United to transport gas and construct and operate facilities, all as hereinbefore described and as more fully described in the applications.

(B) The certificates issued by paragraph (A) above and the rights granted thereunder are conditioned upon United's and Natural's compliance with all applicable Commission Regulations under the Natural Gas Act and particularly the general terms and conditions set forth in paragraphs (a), (c)(3), (e) and (f) of Section 157.20 of such Regulations.

(C) United shall continue the authorized transportation service until the pipeline authorized in

Docket No. CP78-524 is operational or until other long-term arrangements for the transportation of Natural's excess natural gas have been made.

-Footnotes

' Natural, a Delaware corporation having its principal place of business in Chicago, Illinois, is a "natural-gas company" within the meaning of the Natural Gas Act as heretofore found by order of October 13, 1942, in Docket No. G-253 (3 FPC 830).

'United, a Delaware corporation having its principal place of business in Houston, Texas, is a "natural-gas company" within the meaning of the Natural Gas Act as heretofore found by order of January 20, 1942, in Docket No. G-216 (3 FPC 3).

'Since Natural has been granted authorization in Docket No. CP78-524 to construct and operate facilities which will enable Natural to transport the gas authorized to be transported in this docket, the transportation service authorized herein will not be needed upon the completion of those facilities.

This change is based on United's rate filing in Docket No. RP78-68, which became effective December 1, 1978.

On December 8, 1978, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern)' filed in Docket No. CP79-111 an application pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act for permission for and approval of the abandonment of certain gas measuring facilities and service rendered thereby in Pender, Nebraska, all as more fully set forth in the application.

The Pender town border station No. 2 is used for the sale and delivery of natural gas to the Village of Pender, Nebraska, for resale solely to Iowa ByProducts Company. Northern requests authorization to abandon and remove the Pender town border station No. 2 because the service previously rendered by this facility is no longer needed. Northern has been advised by the Village of Pender that Iowa By-Products Company has ceased operations and that the site will be converted to agricultural production.

The service proposed to be abandoned involves the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, and the abandonment thereof and the facilities used therefore is subject to the requirements of Subsection (b) of Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.

After due notice by publication in the Federal

Register on December 29, 1978 (43 F.R. 60993), no notices of intervention, protests to the granting of the application, or petitions to intervene have been filed.

At hearing held on March 21, 1979, the Commission on its own motion received and made a part of the record in this proceeding all evidence, including the application and exhibits thereto, submitted in support of the authorization sought herein, and upon consideration of the record, The Commission finds:

The abandonment proposed by Northern is permitted by the public convenience and necessity and should be approved as hereinafter ordered. The Commission orders:

(A) Upon the terms and conditions of this order, permission for and approval of the abandonment by Northern of the facilities and service hereinbefore described, all as more fully described in the application in this proceeding, are granted.

(B) Northern shall advise the Commission of the date of abandonment within 10 days thereof.

-Footnote

'Northern, a Delaware corporation, having its princi

pal place of business in Omaha, Nebraska, is a "natural-gas company" within the meaning of the Natural Gas Act as

heretofore found by order issued April 6, 1943, in Docket No. G-280 (3 FPC 967).

On December 29, 1978, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern)' and Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company (Panhandle)' filed in Docket No. CP79-138 an application pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for a certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing a gas-for-gas exchange from production in Kearny County, Kansas, on a thermally equivalent basis, all as more fully set forth in the application.

Under an exchange agreement dated August 11, 1978, Northern will deliver gas to Panhandle and Panhandle agrees to receive such gas which is in excess of the capacity needed for Panhandle's own requirements, up to the capacity of Panhandle's existing facilities at the delivery point. Likewise, Northern agrees to receive gas from Panhandle under the same conditions. The Applicants will construct any facilities required to receive the gas under their respective budget-type certificates. Each party will bear the sole cost and expense of providing the necessary pipeline tap and flange to receive gas from the other party. The non-gathering party shall reimburse the gathering party for its portion of the gathering expenses applicable to the non-gathering party's gas.

The contract provides that balancing of gas deliveries will be on a thermal basis and will be achieved as nearly as practicable each month. Imbalances would be corrected at an interconnection between Applicants in Kiowa County, Kansas.

Initially, each Applicant proposes to deliver gas from one well. Applicants request authorization to add or delete exchange points as required in a specified portion of Kearny County.

Since the proposed exchange involves the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, said exchange is subject to the requirements of Subsections (c) and (e) of Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.

After due notice by publication in the Federal Register on January 31, 1979 (44 F.R. 6188), no petition to intervene, notice of intervention, or

protest to the granting of the application has been filed.

At a hearing on March 21, 1979, the Commission on its own motion received and made a part of the record in the proceeding all evidence, including the application and exhibits thereto, submitted in support of the authorization sought herein, and upon consideration of the record,

The Commission finds:

(1) Northern and Panhandle are able and willing properly to do the acts and to perform the service proposed and to conform to the provisions of the Natural Gas Act and to the requirements, rules, and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(2) The exchange of natural gas is required by the public convenience and necessity, and a certificate therefor should be issued as hereinafter ordered and conditioned.

The Commission orders:

(A) Upon the terms and conditions of this order, a certificate of public convenience and necessity is issued authorizing the exchange of thermally equivalent volumes of gas from production in Kearny County, Kansas, as hereinbefore described and as more fully described in the application.

(B) The certificate issued by paragraph (A) above and the rights granted thereunder are conditioned upon Northern's and Panhandle's complying with all applicable Commission Regulations under the Natural Gas Act and particularly the general terms and conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (e) of Section 157.20 of such Regulations.

(C) Applicants shall update annually prior to January 31, their respective tariffs reflecting additions or deletions of exchange points during the previous calendar year.

(D) Imbalances in deliveries shall be corrected within 30 days of their occurrence.

-Footnotes

'Northern, a Delaware corporation having its principal place of business in Chicago, Illinois, is a “natural-gas

to finance, in part, Applicant's 1979-1980 construction program.

Applicant proposes to invite bids publicly for the purchase of the New Bonds. Bidders for the New Bonds will be asked to specify the interest rate to be borne thereby, which shall be a multiple of s of 1%, and the price (exclusive of accrued interest) to be paid to Applicant therefore, which shall not be less than 98 % nor more than 102 4% of the principal amount thereof.

Written notice of the application has been given to the Public Utility Commissioner of Oregon, the Wyoming Public Service Commission, Public Service Commission of California, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, the Montana Public Utility Commission and the Idaho Public Service Commission and to the Governors of the aforementioned States.

Notice has also been given by publication in the Federal Register, stating that any person desiring to be heard, or to make any protest with reference to the application, should on or before March 13, 1979, file petitions or protests with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20426. No petition, protest or request to be heard in opposition to the granting of the application has been received.

The Commission finds:

(1) Pacific Power & Light Company, a corporation, is a public utility within the meaning of Section 204 of the Federal Power Act.

(2) The proposed issuance and sale of First Mortgage Bonds, as described above, will constitute an issuance of securities within the purview of Section 204 of the Act.

(3) Applicant is not organized and operating under the laws of a state in which the security issue here involved is regulated by a State Commission within the meaning of Section 204 of the Federal Power Act. The proposed issuance of securities is, therefore, not exempt by virtue of that Section from

the requirements of Section 204 of the Federal Power Act.

(4) The proposed issuance of securities, as hereinafter authorized, is consistent with the provisions of Section 204(a) of the Federal Power Act. The Commission orders:

(A) The proposed issuance and sale of up to $100 million principal amount of First Mortgage Bonds, upon the terms and conditions and for the purpose specified in the application, is hereby authorized subject to the provisions of this order.

(B) If, pursuant to a public invitation, at least two independent proposals for the purchase or underwriting of the issuance of up to $100 million principal amount of First Mortgage Bonds, are received, Applicant may without further order of or filing with the Commission, issue and sell the said First Mortgage Bonds in accordance with the terms contained in the application, provided the Bonds are sold to the bidder or bidders offering to the Applicant, the lowest annual cost of money.

(C) Applicant shall amend its application pursuant to the requirements of Section 34.9(c) of the Commission's Regulations under the Federal Power Act within ten days after the consummation of the above mentioned transaction.

(D) This authorization shall expire within 90 days from the date of issuance of this order unless the transaction herein authorized is consummated.

(E) The foregoing authorization is without prejudice to the authority of this Commission or any other regulatory body with respect to rates, service, accounts, valuation, estimates, or determinations of cost or any other matter whatsoever now pending or which may come before this Commission.

(F) Nothing in this order shall be construed to imply any guarantee or obligation on the part of the United States with respect to any securities to which this order relates.

On March 7, 1979, Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) filed a motion requesting that any further action in the captioned proceeding be held in abeyance pending the Company's filing of a further motion within 60 days.

PSNH's motion is based on the recent decision

by its Board of Directors in which the Board directed the Company's management to sell 22% of the Seabrook project to other participants and an additional 8% to its New Hampshire wholesale customers. The Board also ordered the sale of PSNH's interest in two other nuclear power proj