2021-05496. Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725HH); Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is inviting public comments on the currently approved information collection FERC-725HH (RF Reliability Standards).

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information are due April 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on FERC-725HH to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) through www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain,, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB control number (1902-0301) in the subject line. Your comments should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission (identified by Docket No. IC21-5-000) by any of the following methods:

• eFiling at Commission's Website: http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​efiling.asp.
• U.S. Postal Service Mail: Persons unable to file electronically may mail similar pleadings to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
• Effective July 1, 2020, delivery of filings other than by eFiling or the U.S. Postal Service should be delivered to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Instructions

OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain;​; Using the search function under the “Currently Under Review field,” select Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click “submit” and select “comment” to the right of the subject collection.

FERC submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at [e-mail], or by phone at: [phone] (toll-free).

Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and issuances in this docket may do so at http://www.ferc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ellen Brown may be reached by email at [e-mail] and telephone at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: FERC-725HH, RF Reliability Standards.

OMB Control No.: 1902-0301.

Type of Request: Three-year renewal of FERC-725HH.

Abstract: This collection of information pertains to the Commission's compliance with section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 824 o), which enables the Commission to strengthen the reliability of the “bulk-power system.” ^[1] The Commission's implementation of FPA section 215 involves review and approval of a system of mandatory Reliability Standards that are established and enforced by an “Electric Reliability Organization” (ERO).^[2] The Commission has certified the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as the ERO.^[3]

Reliability Standards that the ERO proposes to the Commission may include Reliability Standards that are proposed to the ERO by a Regional Entity.^[4] A Regional Entity is an entity that has been approved by the Commission to enforce Reliability Standards under delegated authority from the ERO.^[5] On March 17, 2011, the Commission approved a regional Reliability Standard submitted by the ERO that was developed by the ReliabilityFirst Corporation (RF).^[6]

RF promotes bulk electric system reliability in the Eastern Interconnection. RF is the Regional Entity responsible for compliance monitoring and enforcement in the RF region. In addition, RF provides an environment for the development of Reliability Standards and the coordination of the operating and planning activities of its members as set forth in the RF bylaws.

There is one regional Reliability Standard in the RF region. The Commission requests renewal of OMB clearance for that regional Reliability Standard, known as BAL-502-RF-03 (Planning Resource Adequacy Analysis, Assessment and Documentation).

On December 7, 2020, the Commission published a notice in the Federal Register inviting public comments on this information collection for 60 days. The Commission received no comments in response.

Type of Respondents: Planning coordinators.

Estimate of Annual Burden: ^[7] The estimated burden and cost ^[8] are as follows:

FERC-725HH, RF Reliability Standards

Entity	Number of respondents 9	Annual number of responses per respondent	Annual number of responses	Average burden hours & cost per response ($)	Total annual burden hours & total annual cost ($)	Cost per respondent ($)
	(1)	(2)	(1) * (2) = (3)	(4)	(3) * (4) = (5)	(5) ÷ (1) = (6)
Planning Coordinators	2	1	2	16 hrs.; $1,243.52	32 hrs.; $2,487.04	$1,243.52

Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Dated: March 11, 2021.

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  FPA section 251(a)(1) defines “bulk-power system” as follows: “(A) facilities and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network (or any portion thereof); and (B) electric energy from generation facilities needed to maintain transmission system reliability. The term does not include facilities used in the local distribution of electric energy.”

2.  FPA section 215(a)(2) defines “Electric Reliability Organization” as “the organization certified by the Commission under subsection (c) the purpose of which is to establish and enforce reliability standards for the bulk-power system, subject to Commission review.”

3.  North American Electric Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ¶ 61,062 (ERO Certification Order), order on reh'g & compliance, 117 FERC ¶ 61,126 (2006), aff'd sub nom. Alcoa, Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009).

4.  16 U.S.C. 824 o (e)(4).

5.  16 U.S.C. 824 o (a)(7) and (e)(4).

6.  Planning Resource Adequacy Assessment Reliability Standard, Order No. 747, 134 FERC ¶ 61,212 (2011).

7. Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For further explanation of what is included in the information collection burden, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3.

8. The hourly cost ($77.72 for salary plus benefits) is the average of mean hourly salaries and benefits for the following occupations:

• Manager (Occupation Code 11-0000): $94.84/hour
• Engineern (Occupation Code 17-2071): $85.71/hour
• File Clerk (Occupation Code 43-4071): $52.60/hour

Salary and benefits data are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at https://www.bls.gov/​oes/​current/​oes_​nat.htm (salaries) and http://www.bls.gov/​news.releases/​ecee.nr0.htm (benefits).

9. The number of respondents is derived from the NERC Compliance Registry as of October 2, 2020 for the burden associated with the proposed regional Reliability Standard BAL-502-RF-03.