97-18301. Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 134 (Monday, July 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 37575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18301]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[FERC Form-580]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

July 8, 1997
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of request submitted for review to the Office of 
Management and Budget.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has 
submitted the information collection listed in this notice to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under provisions of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13). Any 
interested person may file comments on the collection of information 
directly with OMB and should address a copy of these comments to the 
Commission, as explained below. The Commission received comments from 
two entities in response to an earlier Federal Register notice of March 
13, 1997 (62 FR 11852) and has replied to these comments in its 
submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments must be filed within 30 days of publication of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: Addrss comments to the Office of Management and Budget, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer, 726 Jackson Place N.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20503. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Division of Information Services, 
Attention: Mr. Michael Miller, 888 First Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 
20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
 Michael Miller may be reached by telephone at [phone], by fax 
at [phone], and by e-mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Description: The energy information collection submitted to OMB for 
review contains:
    1. Collection of Information: FERC Form No. 580, ``Interrogatory on 
Fuel and Energy Purchase Practices, Docket No. IN79-6''
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    3. Control No.: 1902-0137. The Commission is now requesting that 
OMB approve a three year extension of these mandatory collection 
requirements.
    4 Necessity of Collection of Information: Submission of the 
information is necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA). The FPA was amended by the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act (P.L. 95-617) to require the Commission to 
review ``not less frequently than every two (2) years * * * of 
practices * * * to ensure efficient use of resources (including 
economical purchase and use of fuel and electric energy) * * * ''. The 
information is used to: (1) evaluate fuel costs in individual rate 
filings; (2) review fuel costs passed through automatic fuel adjustment 
clauses, as determined during periodic compliance audits of utility 
books and records; and (3) to initiate Commission action under Section 
205(f)(3) of the FPA. The Commission's regulations require that a 
determination be made that wholesale rates are just and reasonable. To 
make this determination, it is necessary to investigate an analyze the 
different types of costs incurred in providing electric service. One 
such expense is fuel costs, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of the 
electric utility's total operating costs.
    To allay its concern that utilities lack incentives to minimize 
fuel costs, Congress directed the Commission to review utility fuel and 
energy purchase practices to insure that fuel costs are reasonable. To 
properly assess the effectiveness of utility fuel procurement programs 
it is necessary to address a wide range of issues that directly impact 
fuel expenses.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises approximately 150 respondents.
    6. Estimated Burden: 6,031 total burden Hours (12,061 every two 
years), 129 respondents, 64.5 responses annually (129 responses every 
two years), 93.5 hours per response (average).

    Statutory Authority: Sections 205(f) of the Federal Power Act, 
as amended by Section 208 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies 
Act. (49 Stat. 851; 16 U.S.C. 824d).
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-18301 Filed 7-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M