[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 161 (Friday, August 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45522-45523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21601]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC99-715-000, FERC Form No. 715]
Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments
August 16, 1999.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a)
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment
on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.
DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before
October 19, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be
obtained from, and written comments may be submitted to, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Chief
Information Officer, CI-1, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by
telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 208-2425, and by E-mail at
mike.miller@ferc.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the
requirements for FERC Form No. 715, ``Annual Transmission Planning and
Evaluation Report'' (OMB No. 1902-0171), is used by the Commission to
implement the statutory provisions of Sections 202, 207, 210, 211-213
of the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended (49 Stat. 838; 16 U.S.C.
791a-825r) and particularly Sections 213(b), 304, 309, and 311. The
Commission describes the Form 715 filing requirements in the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR Part 141.300.
FERC Form No. 715 gathers basic electric transmission systems
information. The Commission staff uses the Form 715 information to
evaluate available transmission capacity and transmission constraints
on electric transmission systems. Electrical transmission system
customers use the information to determine transmission availability.
Transmission dependent utilities use the information to determine
transmission availability from alternative wholesale suppliers.
Federal, military and private agencies use the information to simulate
various scenarios and test theories in order to improve the current
transmission system.
Action
The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the current
expiration date. The Commission staff is currently exploring the filing
of Form 715 information electronically (using a web-based application)
in lieu of the present combined system of mailing paper filings and
electronic media (diskettes) to the Commission. If the Commission
proposes to convert to electronic filing of Form 715 data, a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking will be issued proposing to amend the Commission's
regulations to provide for the electronic filing of Form 715. Such a
proposal may also seek to eliminate the current signature requirement
and simply require the identification of a representative at each
utility responsible for submitting the data electronically. The
representative will be given a password and identification code to
ensure system integrity.
Burden Statement
Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated as:
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Annual responses per Average burden hours per
Number of respondents respondent response Total annual burden hours
(1) (2) (3) (1) x (2) x (3)
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117 1 95 11,115
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The reduction of annual respondents from 200 to 117 is due to two
factors. The first factor is an increase in the number of mergers. The
second factor is the increase in the use of a secondary entity to file
the Form 715. For example, the data is compiled by individual utilities
and submitted to the NERC region. The NERC region consolidates the
information of its members into a single response and submits it to the
Commission. These two factors resulted in a reduction in the number of
Form 715 respondents. In addition, the conversion to electronic filing
(if implemented) is estimated to reduce average burden hours per
respondent (from 100 hours presently, to 95). The estimated cost burden
to respondents: 11,115/2080 hours per year x $109,889 per year =
$587,219. Reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose,
or provide the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2)
developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems
for the purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing,
maintaining, disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the
existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and
requirements; (4) training personnel to respond to a collection of
information; (5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing
the collection of information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise
disclosing the information. The estimate of respondent cost is based
upon salaries for professional and clerical support, as well as direct
and indirect overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly
attributable to providing this information, such as administrative
costs and the cost for information technology. Indirect or overhead
costs are costs incurred by an
[[Page 45523]]
organization in support of its mission. These costs apply to activities
which benefit the whole organization rather than any one particular
function or activity.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed information
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Commission, including whether the information will have practical
applications; (2) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the
burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity
of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utilization and clarity of the collected information; (4) ways
to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents,
including the proposed electronic submission of responses; (5) the
magnitude of the impact of the conversion to electronic filing on
respondents; (6) the proposed elimination of the signature requirement;
(7) any existence of a competitive disadvantage caused by publicly
providing information in Form 715 to which competitors would have
access (without corresponding obligation on its competitors not subject
to the Commission's reporting requirements); and (8) the relevancy of
the information currently collected given the current transition from
cost-based to a fully competitive wholesale electric market.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-21601 Filed 8-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
