[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 164 (Thursday, August 24, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 43998-43999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21027]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
18 CFR Parts 141 and 388

[Docket No. RM95-9-000]


Real-Time Information Networks; Notice of Timetable and 
Opportunity for Participation in Industry Working Groups

August 10, 1995.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Timetable and Opportunity to Participate in Industry 
Working Groups.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is issuing this 
notice to announce the timetable for further actions in this docket and 
the opportunity for participation in two industry working groups, with 
expected representation from all segments of the electric industry, to 
consider recommendations to the Commission concerning the requirements 
for Real-Time Information Networks.

DATES: Any submittals from the working groups should be filed by 
October 16, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 N. Capitol St., 
NE, Washington, D.C. 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marvin Rosenberg (Technical Information), Office of Economic Policy, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE., 
Washington, D.C. 20426, (202) 208-1283
William Booth (Technical Information), Office of Electric Power 
Regulation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol 
Street, NE., Washington, D.C. 20426, (202) 208-0849
Gary D. Cohen (Legal Information), Electric Rates and Corporate 
Regulation, Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, 
(202) 208-0321

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In addition to publishing the full text of 
this document in the Federal Register, the Commission also provides all 
interested persons an opportunity to inspect or copy the contents of 
this document during normal business hours 

[[Page 43999]]
in Room 3104 at 941 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.
    The Commission Issuance Posting System (CIPS), an electronic 
bulletin board service, provides access to the text of formal documents 
issued by the Commission. CIPS is available at no charge to the user 
and may be accessed using a personal computer with a modem by dialing 
(202) 208-1397. To access CIPS, set your communications software to 
19200, 14400, 12000, 9600, 7200, 4800, 2400, or 1200 bps, full duplex, 
no parity, 8 data bits and 1 stop bit. The full text of this document 
will be available on CIPS in ACSII and WordPerfect 5.1 format. The 
complete text on diskette in WordPerfect format may also be purchased 
from the Commission's copy contractor, La Dorn Systems Corporation, 
also located in Room 3104, 941 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, 
D.C. 20426.

Real-time Information Networks; Notice of Timetable and Opportunity for 
Participation in Industry Working Groups

[Docket No. RM95-9-000]

August 10, 1995.
    On July 27, 1995, the Commission held an informal Technical 
Conference \1\ to discuss, inter alia, the process for developing 
requirements for Real-Time Information Networks (RINs).\2\

    \1\ See 60 FR 17726 (April 7, 1995); 60 FR 33375 (June 28, 
1995); and the unpublished notice of the preliminary agenda for the 
Technical Conference (issued on July 19, 1995).
    \2\ The Commission also previously announced, 60 FR at 17727-28, 
that it expected to enlist working groups, operating in consultation 
with Commission Staff, to reach consensus on RIN-related issues and 
that it expected to have RIN requirements in place no later than the 
date when it issues a final rule, in Docket No. RM95-8-000, an open 
access transmission, 60 FR at 17728.
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    Different panels representing a cross section of the electric 
industry discussed the efforts of the industry to date, what industry 
standards are needed, what information is needed on a RIN, how a RIN 
should be structured, and what actions the Commission should next take 
to resolve remaining issues and proceed to develop rules for RIN 
requirements. In particular, the North American Electric Reliability 
Council (NERC) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) 
described efforts they had been making, in conjunction with other 
parties, to work on issues related to RINs development.
    Chair Elizabeth Moler stated the Commission's intention of issuing 
a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments 
late in 1995 that will propose mandatory requirements for an 
information system. She expressed the Commission's willingness to make 
use of consensus proposals that are submitted in advance of the 
supplemental NOPR in developing the proposed rule.
    During the discussion at the Technical Conference, a consensus 
developed that two industry working groups should be formed, one 
dealing with ``what'' in formation should be posted on a RIN and the 
other dealing with ``how'' to design a RIN to communicate this 
information (interactively, if possible) to the industry and what, if 
any, national standards this would require.
    Based on the consensus of the participants at the Technical 
Conference, the ``what'' group will be facilitated by the North 
American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) \3\ and the ``how'' group 
will be facilitated by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).\4\ 
Staff intends to consult and participate in the activities of both 
working groups. Each working group will be composed of representatives 
of all segments of the electric industry. The two working groups will 
try to reach consensus on as many issues as possible and prepare 
reports to the Commission describing all areas of consensus as well as 
the issues where there are differences and what those differences are. 
Any consensus proposals or other materials that a working group wishes 
the Commission to consider in preparing the supplemental NOPR should be 
filed with the Commission no later than October 16, 1995.

    \3\ The NERC coordinator is Mr. David Nevius, telephone # (609) 
452-8060, facsimile # (609) 452-9550.
    \4\ The EPRI coordinator is Mr. Gerry Cauley, telephone # (415) 
855-2832, facsimile # (415) 855-8997.
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    Any working group reports submitted should be as specific as 
possible and include draft regulations implementing the recommended RIN 
requirements (and presenting alternative recommendations where 
consensus has not been reached).
    The discussion at the Technical Conference indicated that it may be 
necessary to start out with a basic set of RIN requirements to be 
effective as of the effective date of a final rule on non-
discriminatory open access transmission and stranded costs, with the 
possibility of later enhancements or refinements. Thus, any working 
group reports submitted should address whether the RIN requirements 
should be implemented in phases, and, if so, what RIN requirements 
should/must be included in the first phase. If the working group 
reports recommend a phased approach, they should consider the timetable 
for when basic and more complete systems can be developed and put in 
place. Ideally, if RIN requirements are developed in phases, later 
phases should make use of the investments made in earlier phases.
    There was considerable discussion at the Technical Conference and 
in comments about the need for a commercially workable definition of 
``available transmission capacity.'' The report submitted by the 
``what'' working group should address this issue and whether a phased 
approach to this issue also is appropriate.
    The working groups are encouraged to continue their efforts, after 
the October 1995 submittals, to reach consensus on any remaining 
issues.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-21027 Filed 8-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M