42 U.S.C. § 8302 — Definitions

**(a) Generally** Unless otherwise expressly provided, for the purposes of this chapter— (1) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Energy. (2) The term “person” means any (A) individual, corporation, company, partnership, association, firm, institution, society, trust, joint venture, or joint stock company, (B) any State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States, or (C) any agency or instrumentality (including any municipality) thereof. (3) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “natural gas” means any fuel consisting in whole or in part of— (i) natural gas; (ii) liquid petroleum gas; (iii) synthetic gas derived from petroleum or natural gas liquids; or (iv) any mixture of natural gas and synthetic gas. (B) The term “natural gas” does not include— (i) natural gas which is commercially unmarketable (either by reason of quality or quantity), as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary; (ii) natural gas produced by the user from a well the maximum efficient production rate of which is less than 250 million Btu’s per day; (iii) natural gas to the extent the exclusion of such gas is provided for in subsection (b); or (iv) synthetic gas, derived from coal or other alternate fuel, the heat content of which is less than 600 Btu’s per cubic foot at 14.73 pounds per square inch (absolute) and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. (4) The term “petroleum” means crude oil and products derived from crude oil, other than— (A) synthetic gas derived from crude oil; (B) liquid petroleum gas; (C) liquid, solid, or gaseous waste byproducts of refinery operations which are commercially unmarketable, either by reason of quality or quantity, as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary; or (D) petroleum coke or waste gases from industrial operations. (5) The term “coal” means anthracite and bituminous coal, lignite, and any fuel derivative thereof. (6) The term “alternate fuel” means electricity or any fuel, other than natural gas or petroleum, and includes— (A) petroleum coke, shale oil, uranium, biomass, and municipal, industrial, or agricultural wastes, wood, and renewable and geothermal energy sources; (B) liquid, solid, or gaseous waste byproducts of refinery or industrial operations which are commercially unmarketable, either by reason of quality or quantity, as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary; and (C) waste gases from industrial operations. (7) (A) The terms “electric powerplant” and “powerplant” mean any stationary electric generating unit, consisting of a boiler, a gas turbine, or a combined cycle unit, which produces electric power for purposes of sale or exchange and— (i) has the design capability of consuming any fuel (or mixture thereof) at a fuel heat input rate of 100 million Btu’s per hour or greater; or (ii) is in a combination of two or more electric generating units which are located at the same site and which in the aggregate have a design capability of consuming any fuel (or mixture thereof) at a fuel heat input rate of 250 million Btu’s per hour or greater. (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “electric generating unit” does not include— (i) any electric generating unit subject to the licensing jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and (ii) any cogeneration facility, less than half of the annual electric power generation of which is sold or exchanged for resale, as determined by the Secretary. (C) For purposes of clause (ii) of subparagraph (A), there shall be excluded any unit which has a design capability to consume any fuel (including any mixture thereof) that does not equal or exceed 100 million Btu’s per hour and the exclusion of which for purposes of such clause is determined by the Secretary, by rule, to be appropriate. (8) The term “new electric powerplant” means— (A) any electric powerplant for which construction or acquisition began on a date on or after November 9, 1978; and (B) any electric powerplant for which construction or acquisition began on a date after April 20, 1977, and before November 9, 1978, unless the Secretary finds the construction or acquisition of such powerplant could not be canceled, rescheduled, or modified to comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter without— (i) adversely affecting electric system reliability (as determined by the Secretary after consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the appropriate State authority), or (ii) imposing substantial financial penalty (as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary). (9) (A) The term “existing electric powerplant” means any electric powerplant other than a new electric powerplant. (B) Any powerplant treated under this chapter as an existing electric powerplant shall not be treated thereafter as a new electric powerplant merely by reason of a transfer of ownership. (10) (A) The terms “major fuel-burning installation” and “installation” means a stationary unit consisting of a boiler, gas turbine unit, combined cycle unit, or internal combustion engine which— (i) has a design capability of consuming any fuel (or mixture thereof) at a fuel heat input rate of 100 million Btu’s per hour or greater; or (ii) is in a combination of two or more such units which are located at the same site and which in the aggregate have a design capability of consuming any fuel (or mixture thereof) at a fuel heat input rate of 250 million Btu’s per hour or greater. (B) The terms “major fuel-burning installation” and “installation” do not include— (i) any electric powerplant; or (ii) any pump or compressor used solely in connection with the production, gathering, transmission, storage, or distribution of gases or liquids, but only if there is certification to the Secretary of such use (in accordance with rules prescribed by the Secretary). (C) For purposes of clause (ii) of subparagraph (A), there shall be excluded any unit which has a design capability to consume any fuel (including any mixture thereof) that does not equal or exceed 100 million Btu’s per hour and the exclusion of which for purposes of such clause is determined by the Secretary, by rule to be appropriate. (11) The term “new major fuel-burning installation” means— (A) any major fuel-burning installation on which construction or acquisition began on a date on or after November 9, 1978; and (B) any major fuel-burning installation on which construction or acquisition began on a date after April 20, 1977, and before November 9, 1978, unless the Secretary finds the construction or acquisition of such installation could not be canceled, rescheduled, or modified to comply with applicable requirements of this chapter without— (i) incurring significant operational detriment of the unit (as determined by the Secretary); or (ii) imposing substantial financial penalty (as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary). (12) (A) The term “existing major fuel-burning installation” means any installation which is not a new major fuel-burning installation. (B) Such term does not include a major fuel-burning installation for the extraction of mineral resources located— (i) on or above the Continental Shelf of the United States, or (ii) on wetlands areas adjacent to the Continental Shelf of the United States, where coal storage is not practicable or would produce adverse effects on environmental quality. (C) Any installation treated as an existing major fuel-burning installation shall not be treated thereafter as a new major fuel-burning installation merely by reason of a transfer of ownership. (13) The term “construction or acquisition began” means, when used with reference to a certain date, that— (A) construction in accordance with final drawings or equivalent design documents (as defined by the Secretary, by rule) began on or after that date; or (B) (i) construction or acquisition had been contracted for on or after that date, or (ii) if the construction or acquisition had been contracted for before such date, such construction or acquisition could be canceled, rescheduled, or modified to comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter— (I) without imposing substantial financial penalty, as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary; and (II) in the case of a powerplant, without adversely affecting electric system reliability (as determined by the Secretary after consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the appropriate State authority). (14) The term “construction” means substantial onsite construction or reconstruction, as defined by rule by the Secretary. (15) The term “primary energy source” means the fuel or fuels used by any existing or new electric powerplant, except it does not include, as determined under rules prescribed by the Secretary— (A) the minimum amounts of fuel required for unit ignition, startup, testing, flame stabilization, and control uses, and (B) the minimum amounts of fuel required to alleviate or prevent (i) unanticipated equipment outages and (ii) emergencies directly affecting the public health, safety, or welfare which would result from electric power outages. (16) The term “site limitation” means, when used with respect to any powerplant, any specific physical limitation associated with a particular site which relates to the use of coal or other alternate fuels as a primary energy source for such powerplant, such as— (A) inaccessibility to coal or other alternate fuels; (B) lack of transportation facilities for coal or other alternate fuels; (C) lack of adequate land or facilities for the handling, use, and storage of coal or other alternate fuels; (D) lack of adequate land or facilities for the control or disposal of wastes from such powerplant, including lack of pollution control equipment or devices necessary to assure compliance with applicable environmental requirements; and (E) lack of an adequate and reliable supply of water, including water for use in compliance with applicable environmental requirements. (17) The term “applicable environmental requirements” includes— (A) any standard, limitation, or other requirement established by or pursuant to Federal or State law (including any final order of any Federal or State court) applicable to emissions of environmental pollutants (including air and water pollutants) or disposal of solid waste residues resulting from the use of coal or other alternate fuels or natural gas or petroleum as a primary energy source or from the operation of pollution control equipment in connection with such use, taking into account any variance of law granted or issued in accordance with Federal law or in accordance with State law to the extent consistent with Federal law; and (B) any other standard, limitation, or other requirement established by, or pursuant to, the Clean Air Act [[42 U.S.C. 7401](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section7401&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.], the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [[33 U.S.C. 1251](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title33-section1251&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.], the Solid Waste Disposal Act [[42 U.S.C. 6901](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section6901&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.], or the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [[42 U.S.C. 4321](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section4321&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.]. (18) (A) The term “peakload powerplant” means a powerplant the electrical generation of which in kilowatt hours does not exceed, for any 12-calendar-month period, such powerplant’s design capacity multiplied by 1,500 hours. (B) The term “intermediate load powerplant” means a powerplant (other than a peakload powerplant), the electrical generation of which in kilowatt hours does not exceed, for any 12-calendar-month period, such powerplant’s design capacity multiplied by 3,500 hours. (C) The term “base load powerplant” means a powerplant the electrical generation of which in kilowatt hours exceeds, for any 12-calendar-month period, such powerplant’s design capacity multiplied by 3,500 hours. (D) Not later than 90 days after November 9, 1978, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall prescribe rules under which a powerplant’s design capacity may be determined for purposes of this paragraph. (19) the 11 So in original. Probably should be capitalized. term “cogeneration facility” means an electric powerplant which produces— (A) electric power; and (B) any other form of useful energy (such as steam, gas, or heat) which is, or will be, used for industrial, commercial, or space heating purposes. (20) The term “cost”, unless the context indicates otherwise, means total costs (both operating and capital) incurred over the estimated remaining useful life of an electric powerplant, discounted to present value, as determined by the Secretary (in the case of powerplants, in consultation with the State regulatory authorities). In the case of an electric powerplant, such costs shall take into account any change required in the use of existing electric powerplants in the relevant dispatching system and other economic factors which are included in planning for the production, transmission, and distribution of electric power within such system. (21) The term “State regulatory authority” means any State agency which has ratemaking authority with respect to the sale of electricity by any State regulated electric utility. (22) The term “air pollution control agency” has the same meaning as given such term by section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act [[42 U.S.C. 7602(b)](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section7602/b&num=0&edition=prelim)]. (23) The term “electric utility” means any person, including any affiliate, or Federal agency which sells electric power. (24) The term “affiliate”, when used in relation to a person, means another person which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person. (25) The term “Federal agency” means each authority of the Government of the United States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another agency, but does not include— (A) the Congress; (B) the courts of the United States; (C) the governments of the territories or possessions of the United States; and (D) the government of the District of Columbia. (26) The term “Btu” means British thermal unit. (27) the term “Mcf” means, when used in relation to natural gas, 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. (28) The term “mixture”, when used in relation to fuels used in a unit, means a mixture of such fuels or a combination of such fuels used simultaneously or alternately in such unit. (29) The term “fluidized bed combustion” means combustion of fuel in connection with a bed of inert material, such as limestone or dolomite, which is held in a fluid-like state by the means of air or other gases being passed through such materials. **(b) Special rules relating to definitions of natural gas and alternate fuel** (1) Subject to paragraph (2), natural gas which is to be used by a powerplant shall for purposes of this chapter (other than this subsection), be excluded from the definition of “natural gas” under subsection (a)(3)(B)(iii) and shall be included within the definition of “alternate fuel” under subsection (a)(6) if the person proposing to use such natural gas certifies to the Secretary (together with such supporting documents as the Secretary may require) that— (A) such person owns, or is entitled to receive, at the point of manufacture, synthetic gas derived from coal or another alternate fuel; (B) the Btu content of such synthetic gas is equal to, or greater than, the Btu content of the natural gas to be covered by this subsection by reason of such certification, plus the approximate Btu content of any natural gas consumed or lost in transportation; (C) such person delivers, or arranges for the delivery of, such synthetic gas to a pipeline or pipelines which by transport or displacement are capable of delivering such synthetic gas, mixed with natural gas, to such person; and (D) all necessary permits, licenses, or approvals from appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies (including Indian tribes) have been obtained for construction and operation of the facilities for the manufacture of the synthetic gas involved. (2) The application of paragraph (1) with respect to the use of natural gas by any powerplant shall be conditioned on the person using such natural gas submitting to the Secretary a report not later than one year after certification is made under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter, containing the following information: (A) the source, amount, quality, and point of delivery to the pipeline of the synthetic gas to which paragraph (1) applied during the annual period ending with the calendar month preceding the date of such report; and (B) the amount, quality, and point of delivery by the pipeline to such person of the natural gas covered by paragraph (1) which is used by the person during such annual period. (3) Repealed. Pub. L. 100–42, § 1(c)(2)(H), May 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 310. (4) For purposes of this subsection, the term “pipeline” means any interstate or intrastate pipeline or local distribution company.