As if operating without a quorum weren’t enough trouble, FERC was forced to close its headquarters at 11 a.m. EST Wednesday due to a water emergency.

Burst water pipes and the resulting need to repair and dry out information technology, or IT, systems kept Federal Energy Regulatory Commission offices closed, and it wasn’t clear late Wednesday when they would reopen.

The incident precluded FERC from accepting hardcopy or electronic format submittals.

“All submittals due on Feb. 8 will be considered timely on the next business day,” FERC said. “When the Commission reopens, it will at that time accept submittals both in hardcopy format and in electronic format through ‘FERC Online.'”

Emergency closing provisions issued in Order No. 645 under Docket No. RM04-3-000 on Dec, 18, 2003, apply to the closing, FERC said.

The best way to determine when the Commission has reopened for receipt of filings, the agency said, would be to check the FERC website.